bulletYoung Family Wins $500 Gift Certificates In December Mystery Shopper Contest at Cousin Vinny's
 
bulletTake the time to remember a loved one this holiday season by Adding an Ornament to the Tree of Remembrance
 
bulletSt. Kevin’s C.W.L. Holds Christmas Money Draw To Help Food Banks
   
bulletThe 200 Wolf Squadron Thanks The Community of Valley East For Generosity
  
bulletOntario Students Against Impaired Driving Group From Confederation Secondary School Is Committed to Making A Difference In The Community
 
bulletKnights of Columbus #5005 Deliver 142 Christmas Food Hampers to Needy Families
 
bulletValley View Community Church Once Again Provides Shoppers With Free Gift Wrapping At The Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre
 
bulletMinor Hockey Teams Enjoy Fund-Raising Projects At The Mall
 
bulletFood Bank Depot Will Remain Up For Donations Into The New Year As The Need Increases
 
bulletValley Pentecostal Church Helps Distribute Close To $1 Million Worth of Food To People In Need During The Past Three Years
 
bulletSuch A Tiny Little Creature To Be Causing So Much Commotion
 
bulletDanica Tremblay Dhinel Shares An Inspirational Story With Our Readers
 
bulletConfed’s Evolutionary Band Members Are Earning Their Education
 
bulletAmanda Kohls Helps Spread The Message In Honour of Steven, Jazmine and Caitlin
 
bulletTed Dore Memorial Fund and NHLPA Teams Up To Create V.E. Hockey Equipment Bank
Young Family Wins $500 Gift Certificates In December Mystery Shopper Contest at Cousin Vinny's
Paul Pharand and his wife Chantal Cayen were as pleased with their "dessert" as little 4 1/2 year old Bella was with her ice cream when Santa Claus presented the happy family with $500 in gift certificates which can be used anywhere in the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre. Paul and Chantal were the December winners of the $500 Mystery Shopper Contest. They won for sitting at the right table at the right time. 

Standing in the photo behind the three winners are Santa and Mrs. Claus, as well as the owners of Cousin Vinny's Restaurant & Bar, Tylor McNair and Chris Vitiello. Paul and Chantal were born and raised in Valley East. Paul is currently on strike at Vale Inco, so the prize will certainly come in handy during the winter months. Bella attend Junior Kindergarten at Jean-Paul II School in Val Caron.

  
Take the time to remember a loved one this holiday season by Adding an Ornament to the Tree of Remembrance

    Loretta Tompkins, Revenue Development Chair of Palliative Caregivers Sudbury/Manitoulin, on the far right, and Jeannette Carriere, Coordinator of the Warmhearts fundraising project, are shown with five of the volunteers who have been spending time at the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre helping people “remember their loved ones” who have passed away.
 
    The volunteers shown in the photo with Jeannette and Loretta, are: (standing from left to right) Marina Lamoureux, Dennis Mount and Esther Tardif. Seated are Jean Manuel and Noella Poitras.
“We know how difficult it can be for families during this time of year.  We encourage them to take the time to remember their loved ones this holiday season by hanging an ornament on our Tree of Remembrance, ” Maryann Lepage, Executive Director.
 

  
Memories are sometimes all we have left after the death of a loved one.  The thought of forgetting their face, their ways, their likes and dislikes make us hold on to our grief long after they are gone.  As memories begin to fade, we need to find ways to bring memories of our loved ones into the holiday traditions.  Warmhearts Pallliative Caregivers Sudbury/Manitoulin can help you celebrate the life of your loved ones. Purchase a snowflake, write the name of your loved one on it and hang it on our tree for all to see.  This will help keep memories alive through the holiday season!    

   The community is invited to purchase an ornament and write in the book of memories, from now until December 23rd.  For the convenience of people living in Valley East and Capreol, one of the three trees in the area is located at the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre. You can make the Tree of Remembrance a part of your holiday tradition. Ornaments are $5.00 each and all monies raised from this initiative go to Warmhearts Palliative Caregivers Sudbury/Manitoulin to support individuals and families facing end of life challenges.
 
   In the following photo, Val Mazzuca, owner of the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre is shown adding several ornaments to the tree in remembrance of family members who are no longer with us today.

  
St. Kevin’s C.W.L. Holds Christmas Money Draw To Help Food Banks
 When the members of the St. Kevin’s Parish Catholic Women’s League, including Noella Cheaney on the left and Rolande Michaud on the right, were choosing a local charity as beneficiary of the proceeds of their annual Christmas Money Draw, there was very little need for lengthy discussion. The Valley East Food Banks were the first to come to mind and indeed will receive all of the money raised from ticket sales this year.
 
   The poor economic conditions that have affected the entire world were bad enough to increase the demands being placed upon the two local food banks, but now that the region is in the throngs of the Vale Inco work stoppage, with numerous layoffs and reductions in hours of employment elsewhere, the Good Neighbours and the St. Vincent de Paul Food Banks are finding it even more difficult to handle the excess calls for help.
 
   Organizations like the St. Kevin’s C.W.L., through their kindness and generosity are definitely making a difference with their donations. The ladies will be selling tickets for only $1 each between now and the draw date on December 13, 2009. You can get your tickets every weekend at the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre. Besides helping with a good cause, you may win one of three prizes. First prize is a huge centre piece plus $250 in cash. Second prize is a wreath plus $150 in cash. And, third place is a vase plus $100 in cash.
 
   We congratulate the ladies of St. Kevin’s for their kindness and consideration. If anyone in the community would also like to drop off food for the Good Neighbours Food Bank, just stop by the Food Bank Depot that is located at the main entrance of the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre.
 
The 200 Wolf Squadron Thanks The Community of Valley East For Generosity

  The 200 Wolf Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets were at that Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre for their first tag day of the year.

On behalf of the 200 Wolf Squadron we would like to thank Val Mazzuca and Bob Kirwan for allowing us the opportunity to hold our tag day in their establishment.  We’d also like to thank all the many patrons of the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre on Dec 11, 12 & 13th for their very generous support.  We raised in excess of $400.00 in the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre alone.

Thank you again for your very generous support.

The Cadets even took time out to say hello Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Sgt Robert Bolger, Corporal Joshua Bolger, Corporal Aaron Anderson, and Corporal Austin Anderson

 

 Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving Group From Confederation Secondary School Is Committed to Making A Difference In The Community

Austin Powell (Grade 11)
Amanda McCutcheon (Grade 11)

Hannah Merchant (Grade 11)
Ashleigh McBain (Teacher)

The Learning Clinic Radio Show, hosted by Robert Kirwan on Laurentian University's CKLU 96.7 FM included members of the Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving Group from Confederation Secondary School as special guests on the December 21, 2009 program. Ashleigh McBain, the Teacher Supervisor of the group, brought along three students to represent the close to 40 students who have signed up to participate during the inaugural year of this important extracurricular organization. All students were in Grade 11: Austin Powell, Amanda McCutcheon and Hannah Merchant. During the show they spoke about how it was the death of three young teenagers in a tragic accident in Valley East on June 21, 2009. Steven Philippe (16) and Jazmine Houle (15),  who both attended Confederation secondary school, were walking along the side of Hwy 69N in Hanmer with their friend, Caitlin Jelley (15), when all three were killed by an impaired driver. Students at the school have shown tremendous support for the activities being organized by the OSAID group as the students try to raise awareness among community members of the need for people to be more sensible when it comes to driving while being impaired in any way. They stated that while alcohol is often the root cause of accidents where impairment is a factor, cell phones, loud passengers, medication, and a long list of other things that can reduce one's ability to focus on driving.
 
If you are interested in downloading the radio program to your computer, just click here to get to the archives. 
Make sure that you have the date set at 2009-12-21; the start time set at 18:00; and the duration for 120 minutes. Then all you do is click on "download" and it will be saved to your computer in an mp3 format. Then you can enjoy the interview whenever you wish. NOTE: The archives will only be available until January 19, 2010.
Ashleigh McBain and several more of the students in the group were at the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre on Saturday, December 19, 2009, creating awareness among the community of the dangers of driving while impaired from any substance. 
The group was set up in the Centre Court area of the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre all day long singing Christmas Carols for shoppers and drawing attention with "Charger" who was a huge hit with the youngsters.
"Charger" even had a chance to visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus to give them his wish list for this year. Rumour has it that he wished for a city football championship in 2010.
A second display was set up just outside Cousin Vinny's Restaurant & Bar. The owners of Cousin Vinny's have pledged support for the group all year long in an effort to promote safe driving practices among adults in the community.

The purpose of OSAID is to make students aware of the choices they make when drinking and to make responsible decisions. The students from Confederation will be raising money all year long to send representatives to a provincial conference in Toronto on the first weekend of May 2010. There they will take part in developing leadership skills and be trained in approaching peers and the community with the issues and seriousness of impaired driving.

For more information you can go the the Confederation Secondary School web site or contact Ashleigh McBain at the school during normal business hours.

  
Knights of Columbus #5005 Deliver 142 Christmas Food Hampers to Needy Families
The Co-Chairs of the Christmas Food Hamper Committee, shown in the photo below, have nothing but praise for the hard working volunteers who helped fill 142 wonderful Christmas Hampers for needy families in Valley East. The hampers were delivered on Saturday, December 19, 2009. "It takes a lot of work to sort out the food, vouchers and gifts so that each family receives about $200 worth of donations," Fern Gascon, shown on the right in the photo below along with Dorice Menard explained. "We receive the food from the generosity of the entire community with schools and organizations collecting supplies during the fall and then giving it to us to distribute."

Any surplus food is sent over to the Good Neighbours Food Bank in Hanmer so that they can better serve their regular clients. The Knights of Columbus have been responsible for the Christmas Food Hamper delivery since about 2004 and each year the need has been increasing. "We started out delivering about 85 hampers and now we are up to 142," Gascon declared.

  
Valley View Community Church Once Again Provides Shoppers With Free Gift Wrapping At The Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre
Each year the members of the Valley View Community Church set up a table near the entrance to the Hart Department Store and provide free gift wrapping to shoppers. This year, as is the usual custom, the volunteers were taking donations for the Valley East Food Banks. You can find out more about the church by visiting their web site:

http://www.valleyviewcommunitychurch.ca/ 

 
Minor Hockey Teams Enjoy Fund-Raising Projects At The Mall

The Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre is always a popular place for local minor sports teams in need of fund-raising for various tournaments and activities. Just prior to Christmas, the Property Stewards Novice Club was in the mall selling tickets on a beautiful Christmas gift basket.
  
Food Bank Depot Will Remain Up For Donations Into The New Year As The Need Increases
The Good Neighbours Food Bank in Hanmer, run by Anne Unwin and her hard-working group of volunteers, have had a challenging time during the latter part of 2009 keeping up with the demand for food from needy families. Where they usually fed approximately 50 families per month, they are now seeing up to 90. In order to provide a convenient place for local residents to donate food and supplies, the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre will be leaving the Food Bank Depot in place after the New Year. Normally the depot is removed after Christmas, but this coming year promises to be very difficult for some local families, so the owners of the mall, Val and Violet Mazzuca have decided to leave it up until the demand eases up. Anyone who would like to donate money can leave it in an envelope at the Valley Plaza Pharmasave.
 
Valley Pentecostal Church Helps Distribute Close To $1 Million Worth of Food To People In Need During The Past Three Years
   Jack Lanctot, on the left, and Rodney Deforges, take a breather while up to two dozen other volunteers continue to unload close to $80,000 worth of food that was delivered to Valley Pentecostal Church in Hanmer on November 30. This was the seventh such shipment received by the church in the past year, with all of the food and supplies being distributed to various food banks and other service organizations throughout the City of Greater Sudbury . In fact over 20 charity organizations benefit from the donations.
   Rodney Deforges founded Faith Charities of Ontario (Deforges Family Ministries) three years ago. He is based in Manitowaning. Rev. Steve Gudrie and his wife, Esther, along with their children, Curtis and Jenn, got Valley Pentecostal Church involved with the food distribution program right from the beginning and have received approximately 15 shipments totaling close to $1 million in food and supplies. The Church has even donated the transport that was used to bring the food to Hanmer in November. Eva Lanctot, a local realtor, donates the $1,000 it costs to cover the expenses of getting some of the shipments to the Church.
   Deforges collects the food from manufacturers in southern
Ontario . There is nothing wrong with the food and supplies, but government regulations are very restrictive when it comes to the distribution of food items to grocery stores and retail outlets. For example you may purchase a canned food item from a grocery store that has a “best before date” in December and keep it on your pantry shelf until April. There is still nothing wrong with the food since it can normally remain in the can for at least six months beyond the “best before” date. However, the manufacturer and the retailer cannot sell it to you after a certain date. That food becomes surplus and is available for distribution through food banks and other charitable organizations.
   The Faith Charities of Ontario came up with a way of providing a service to the manufacturers who had to get rid of the surplus products in order to make room for new products.  Until the Faith Charities of Ontario came along, the manufacturers had to contact people to try to get rid of the surplus supplies. Now they simply call Deforges and he sends a transport to pick the supplies up for distribution to needy people through organizations such as the
Valley Pentecostal Church . Everyone wins! Each week millions of dollars of food are distributed by the Faith Charities of Ontario which now has eight transports on the road.
   Eva Lanctot Realty heard about the work that was being done through
Valley Pentecostal Church and was eager to do whatever she could to help out. As it turned out, the Church could only come up with enough funds to pay for a limited number of shipments, so Eva stepped up to the plate. Now, whenever Pastor Steve gets a call from Rodney about another shipment that is ready to be delivered, he just says bring it on. The 53 foot transport trailer is “always welcome” and the food is distributed within 24 hours.
   Deforges explained that he never knows what is going to be available when he is called to a warehouse. There are times when he has picked up a load of 40 skids of popcorn. He brings it all back to his warehouse at Manitowaning and spreads it out all across
Ontario , but mainly in the northern communities. All of the items get distributed and are very much appreciated by the recipients.
   This is indeed a good news story and our hats go off to the Gudries of Valley Pentecostal Church, to Rodney Deforges of Deforges Family Ministries, and to Eva Lanctot of Lanctot Realty.
  
Such A Tiny Little Creature To Be Causing So Much Commotion
by Robert Kirwan

   The Town of Valley East is well-known for a lot of things. However, until recently, our community wasn’t really recognized by “bird-watching enthusiasts” of the world. All that changed on or about November 11, 2009 , when a tiny little bird called a Western Tanager showed up in my backyard and was spotted by my wife, Valerie.

Our yard has been registered since March 2004 as a “Backyard Wildlife Habitat” by the Canadian Wildlife Federation. Over the years, no less than 54 different kinds of birds have been spotted in our yard. A complete list can be found on a special web site that can be found at  www.valleyeasttoday.ca/evergreengardens

When my wife spotted “Number 55” early one morning, she took some pictures and contacted one of her  “bird experts” in an attempt to identify the little creature. As it turned out, this tiny visitor was a male Western Tanager that was thousands of kilometers from where it should have been. In fact, the Western Tanager should have been somewhere around Mexico or Southern California at this time of year, not in Northeastern Ontario . During the summer months, the Western Tanager can be found along the western regions of North America, from the Mexico-US border to as far north as Alaska. But it seldom is seen east of Alberta .
Once the bird was identified and word got out about the location of this rare sighting, our backyard immediately became one of the most popular attractions among bird watchers from across Ontario . It has captured the attention of professors from Laurentian University as well as several other local enthusiasts who have been able to get some excellent photos of the Western Tanager, which seemed to be quite willing to hang around and have its picture taken.

Two men even drove up all the way from Hamilton one Sunday morning and waited for over five hours before they finally spotted the little bird perched up in one of our trees. We’ve had people from North Bay to Massey stopping in for a “look at the rare bird” and have answered phone calls from as far away as Ottawa and Toronto to talk to people who have heard about our discovery.

The next day a couple arrived from Ottawa after leaving at 6 a.m. Unfortunately, they were unable to spot the bird while they were here. However, the couple was completely understanding, explaining that this is something they were accustomed to over their years of chasing rare birds.

 Apparently, one of the storms that occurred early in November may have originated from the Colorado region and could be responsible for carrying this stranger way off course in its migration south. Some experts have stated that there have been several sightings of other species foreign to Ontario since the storm, leading them to believe this was the case.

All we know is that serious bird watchers consider the Western Tanager to be one of the rarest sites you can witness in Ontario . Very few people can say they have actually seen the bird. Valerie and I have grown accustomed to seeing our little visitor picking away at the seed every day. We also know that this beautiful little bird that has brought us so much joy and pleasure for a couple of weeks is not likely to enjoy a long and productive life. It is all alone, in a hostile environment, thousands of kilometers from home. Mother Nature can indeed be cruel. We can only hope that it somehow finds its way to a warmer climate before winter arrives.
  
Danica Tremblay Dhinel Shares An Inspirational Story With Our Readers

Dear Mr.Kirwan,

 

 

The Old Man

   My friend recently told me a story about an elderly man who frequently comes into her store and gives every woman he sees working a single rose. The man told her the story of why it is he does this. He told her that a few years ago his wife passed away. However while she was still alive he had never bought her roses. His wife asked him many times to buy her some but he had never thought of doing it. Once she had passed on he regretted not buying her any and felt guilty. Now, every once in a while when he thinks of buying his wife roses he enters my friends store, buys a bouquet and passes them out to the women.

   When my friend told me this story I began to think deeply on my own life and all the things I should or could do for the ones I love while they are still around. Little things to show them that I care and that I’m thinking of them. Many of us go through life not thinking that these simple gestures could mean the world to someone. Not much thought has to go into them, just simple things like leaving a note to remind someone you’re thinking of them; telling those around you that you love them: paying for a stranger’s coffee when you’re ahead of them in line at the drive-thru; calling someone up to see how their day is going or maybe buying someone flowers on any given day just to show you care.
   Like this man, many of us don’t realize the things we should have done differently while our loved ones were still around. We shouldn’t wait till they are gone to realize we should have told them we loved them more often, or spent more time with them, or we should of gotten them those flowers they wanted so badly. Don’t wait till it’s too late. Tell your wife or husband or mother or father, brother or sister that you love them. Give them a hug; send them e-mails or a card, call old friends up just to see how they’ve been. Don’t let the people you care about most slip out of your life, because one day they will be gone and you will spend your life regretting.

   I have not had the pleasure of meeting this kind man but his story will remain in my heart forever. I am deeply saddened by his story but somehow it brings a new light to my heart. He realized his mistake too late and now he is trying to repay the debt he feels he owes. I believe everyone can relate and learn from such a story, and I hope some if not all will find it in themselves to slow down and start making the little things count, cause in the end, it’s what matters the most.

Danica Tremblay Dhinel

Dear Danica:

   What a beautiful story. It truly gives you hope for mankind when you know that there are people in the world like that elderly man. I am also glad to see that you are back to writing, and I do indeed remember you. You have a tremendous talent for communicating your feelings. I wish you the best of luck in your current endeavours and I definitely encourage you to write often.

Robert Kirwan

  
Confed’s Evolutionary Band Members Are Earning Their Education

Members of the Confederation Secondary School ’s Evolutionary Band, all consider their experience with the group to be memorable and very rewarding. They get to practice and rehearse for most of the school year to prepare for a Spring Tour of concerts and trips all over the region under the direction of Band Leader and Music Instructor, Norm McIntosh. Each year there is usually a major overnight tour that is the highlight of the season.

All of these activities cost money, and it is up to each member of the band to do their individual part to help raise the necessary funds. One of the major fund-raisers of the year is a raffle which will produce eight winners of beautiful prints by Gordon Drysdale. Students, such as Hailey Chinn, above, are responsible for using their creativity and initiative to find ways of selling tickets to the general public. Hailey is one of the students who have been seen selling tickets on the prints at the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre recently. Hailey, who is in her second year with Evolutionary, is a member of the crew and is responsible for the sound board. “I’m not very good at performing or being in front of an audience, but I love music and wanted to be part of the band. When I got an opportunity to be part of the crew I took it and I love every minute of my experience,” Hailey explained. Besides the lead singers and instrument players, there are a lot of people needed behind the scenes to make sure that the set is properly constructed and the sound comes out just right. The nice thing about Evolutionary is that it provides so many young people with a first hand experience in the music industry so that they have a better idea of whether or not this is the kind of career they would like to pursue after high school.

If you have a chance to purchase tickets on the Gordon Drysdale prints, or if you wish to help the band out with a donation of any size, just contact Confederation Secondary School   and ask to speak to Norm McIntosh.

Amanda Kohls Helps Spread The Message In Honour of Steven, Jazmine and Caitlin

   Amanda Kohls appears to be a typical 19 year old college student. She grew up in Valley East , attending elementary school at Redwood Acres and Pinecrest Public Schools before graduating from Bishop Alexander Carter. Now she is pursuing a career in health care and will be entering the first year of Nursing at Cambrian College in the fall. She is currently working for Shoppers Drug Mart in Hanmer.
  
   The recent deaths of
Steven Philippe 16, Jazmine Houle, 15, and Caitlin Jelley, 15, troubled Amanda in much the same way virtually every other member of this community was upset. Amanda shared the overwhelming feeling that enough is enough. It is time to stop the madness of drinking and driving and get the message out in the public once and for all. 

   So when Amanda approached the rest of the Shoppers Drug Mart Hanmer staff with an idea to hold a barbecue fundraiser in honour of the three teens she received their full support. She then called around and gathered donations from over 65 businesses for the penny table. Under Amanda’s leadership, the store teamed up with Action Sudbury, Citizens Against Impaired Driving and put on a tremendously successful event on Sunday, July 5, 2009 , raising over $3600 to help Action Sudbury in their efforts to promote safe driving.
  
   Amanda is shown in the photo with her boyfriend on the left, Johny Goulard. Stephane Leblanc, a friend of Jazmine Houle, is shown in the background cooking some of the 600 hamburgers and 300 hot dogs that were sold during the day.

   Recognizing that she is now at an age where she will be faced with enormous peer pressure to hit the bars and taverns with the college crowd, Amanda has noticed that many people in her age group are being “smart” when it comes to drinking and driving. “When people go out for an evening in groups there is always one person who volunteers to be the designated driver. This person is responsible for making sure that everyone gets home safely and that no one drives after drinking. Many of us are also taking taxis to the bars when we go out for a night on the town. I think most of us are starting to take our responsibility seriously.”

   While there are still far too many people getting behind the wheel of a vehicle when they are impaired, the message seems to be getting out, especially to the young crowd. Amanda’s mission, however, is to do whatever she can to continue to get that message across to people of all ages. The barbecue on the first weekend in July will become a regular annual event in honour of Stephen, Jasmine and Caitlin. Each year the money raised for Action Sudbury will be donated in their names. Amanda hopes that there will be a time in the not so distant future when our roads and highways will be safe again.

   Amanda and her good friend, Danielle Beaulieu, appeared on the weekly radio program, The Learning Clinic, hosted by Robert Kirwan, on July 20. Amanda and Danielle spoke at length about their feelings regarding drinking and driving. They also shared some insightful information about their own career aspirations and some of the issues they have faced in school and in life in general.  
 
   Amanda wished to extend her sincere appreciation to the hundreds of people who stopped by to support the barbecue and she also wanted to thank everyone who volunteered in any way to help out.

 
Ted Dore Memorial Fund and NHLPA Teams Up To Create V.E. Hockey Equipment Bank

   The First Annual Teddyshack Golf Tournament was held in July at Grill Marks Clearview Golf Club. Besides being a day during which 144 golfers were able to enjoy a beautiful day on the course, prizes, food and refreshments, it was a time to share stories and memories about their good friend, Ted Dore, whose life was taken on May 9, 2008 after a brief battle with stomach cancer. Teddy, who was a member of the Toronto Regional Police Department at the time of his death, was only 36 years of age and his passing touched the hearts of many people in this community.

   Some of the persons who shared the intense pain of Teddy’s struggle right to the end are shown in the accompanying photo. In the middle are Teddy’s parents, Annette and Gil. The “boys” in the background, from the left, include, Al Chenier, Scott Jeanveau, Steve Christakos, Dan Despatie, and Andrew Brunette.
  
   The tournament was held to initiate the Ted Dore Memorial Fund which has now been established as a sub-committee of the Valley East Renegades Association. A total of $9,000 was raised for the fund and will be made available to provide financial support to needy kids from the Valley who are in danger of being forced out of hockey because of costs.  

   In addition the Ted Dore Memorial Fund announced the donation of 50 brand new sets of hockey equipment, courtesy of the NHLPA’s Goals & Dreams fund. This donation is geared towards helping supplement the rising costs of hockey equipment for today’s minor hockey player.  Andrew Brunette, a star player with the Minnesota Wild who grew up and still lives in the community during the off-season, is thrilled about this opportunity to give back to the game he loved, “Over the last few years we toiled with the idea of opening a hockey equipment bank for the Valley East Community. The NHLPA’s Goals & Dreams Fund has allowed us to jumpstart this program with their generous donation.”  Andrew goes on to say, “With the downturn in the economy, this is the ideal time to establish a program of this nature.  The last thing a child should have to worry about is playing with proper equipment.”
  
   The Hockey Equipment Bank will loan out items of equipment to children in the Valley East Minor Hockey system, from ages 4 – 14, for the duration of the hockey season. At the end of the season, the equipment will be returned to the Bank for use the following year.  This program is designed for families that need assistance. For those families that wish to donate equipment, the Equipment Bank will gladly accept these “deposits”. A special hockey equipment donation drive will be organized in August and September to help increase the amount of equipment that is available through the bank.
  
   In 1999, the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) launched the Goals & Dreams fund as a way for the players to give something back to the game they love. The players’ program has donated full sets of hockey equipment to more than 9,000 economically challenged children in 17 countries and assisted with upgrades and the building of hundreds of arenas world-wide. To date, Goals & Dreams has donated more than $17-million to grassroots hockey programs around the world making it the largest program of its kind.

   As for the golf tournament, Team Hurley Mining finished the day with the lowest score at 16 under par. The team consisted of Bart Hurley, Bob Simoneau, Jeff Tyers, and Greg Husk. The top prize of the day went to Team King Sportswear who finished in 14th place, symbolic of the number that Ted Dore wore while playing hockey in the Valley East Minor Hockey system. Dore’s number 14 has been officially retired by the Valley East Progressive Hockey Association in his memory. Most will agree that there will never be another person quite like Ted Dore.

   If anyone is interested in donating hockey equipment or money to the Ted Dore Memorial Fund, you can contact Ryan Kirwan at 897-1110 or by email at ryankirwan@rmabroker.ca Ryan wishes to thank all of the participants and supporters who helped in any way to make this inaugural event such a huge success.

    

 
 

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