Page 28 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 126

28 Issue #126 July 2023
We’re Open... and can’t wait to see you
Tuesday to Friday 10:00 – 5:00 • Sat 10 – 4
6 Second Street East, Cornwall
www.pommierjewellers.com
Continued from page 26
each begin careers with what is now
the Upper Canada District School
Board.
Wendell was very busy with
hockey - he coached the Jr. C Char-
Lan Rebels to the Eastern On Jr C
championship. The following year
he was the first coach of the Char-
Lan Jr B Rebels, guiding them to
the playoffs as an expansion team.
Coaching the Jr B team for three
years, Wendell continued playing
hockey himself. He has played with
many teams in various leagues over
the years. As a teenager in the late
‘60’s, Wendell was a member of the
Williamstown team that won the
Shaver Cup as the last Champions
of the old Long Sault Sr League.
He played with Maxville, and later
Moose Creek, in the Seaway Valley
Intermediate League, with Berwick
in the North Stormont League, and
with Maxville in the Prescott-St.
Isidore League. A highlight would be
playing on Glengarry Cup winning
teams a number of times. During the
summers Wendell played fastball
with various teams in local leagues,
both as a pitcher and catcher. One
season he played with teams in the
Cornwall Sportsman League, the
Alexandria League, and the Border
League, playing in over 100 games
including regular seasons, playoffs,
and tournaments.
Sidelined from hockey for six
weeks with an ankle injury, Wendell
felt that he needed to do something
to get back into shape and decided
to go for a run. “When I barely
www.sportsenergynews.com
1916 Pitt Street N., Unit 1A (Heritage Business Centre)
CORNWALL • 613-933-1200
Registered Massage Therapist Sheryl Calvank-Rodriguez, RMT
613-932-4022
made it to the first hydro pole, I who was a member of the 50 State Here in Wendell’s own words
knew that I’d have to do something. Club, which was a club where are some of their experiences from
I began by walking to the next pole members share the common goal of achieving the 50 State goal. “I have
then running to the next one.” The completing a marathon in each of always been keenly interested in
ankle was improving and realizing the fifty states in the USA. Once a history and historical places. Our
that he enjoyed running, Wendell set runner has completed marathons in running journey has taken Sheila
himself a goal of running a marathon. 10 different states, they are eligible and I from the boardwalks and
A goal-oriented person, Wendell to join the club. Having already promenades of New Jersey and
mentions that in his running career, completed marathons in Ontario Virginia to the surfs of Hawaii, from
“I like to set a goal and then run it and Quebec, Wendell’s goal was the moss-covered oaks of Georgia
down.” In the fall of 1984, Wendell to complete a marathon in each to the glaciers of Alaska. National
joined 11,000 other runners on the Canadian province. That goal was parks and monuments provided a
start line of the Montreal Marathon. reached in 2007 with the running great sense of history, places like
Completing the run in 3 hours and of the St Johns, NL, marathon. Yellowstone National Park, Mount
31 minutes, it would be twenty Describing the experience, Wendell
years before Wendell would run said, “It was awe-inspiring to see Rushmore, the Natural Bridges
his next marathon as he continued the majestic landscape and breadth National monument, the Hoover
to teach, coach, and play hockey, of Canada, the towering Rockies, Dam, and the Grand Canyon, were
fastball, and golf. In 1986 and again the openness of the prairies, the some of the ones that fascinated us.
in 2000, Wendell travelled with lakes, tundra, rivers, and forests of We have been able to walk in the
the AJK Highlanders, led by John Ontario and Quebec. It’s moving footsteps of some famous people as
Howard Majerrison, where they to experience the way of life of the well, having visited the birthplaces
played hockey in England, Ireland, Maritimes and their attachment to of Daniel Boone in Pennsylvania,
and Scotland. On these trips they the ocean.” and Dave Crockett in Tennessee.
played golf at three world famous We have been to the gravesites of
courses, the Royal County Down in “The 50-state idea had been Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity
Ireland, the Camoustie, and the Old germinating in the back of my mind Jane in Deadwood, South Dakota,
Ancient and Royal St Andrew’s in ever since Athens,” Wendell recalled, and Billy the Kid in New Mexico.
Scotland. “So I did the only practical thing that We traveled portions of Lewis
I could think of, try to get to 10, join and Clark’s journey, and another
In 2003 Wendell ran his second the club, set a new goal of twenty- highlight was Pompey’s Rock
marathon, the Marine Corp in five states and if successful, re-
in North Dakota, where Clark’s
Washington, DC, and followed that assess, and go from there.” Wendell signature from 1806 is carved into
up by running the National Capital joined the 50 State Marathon Club,
the rock. On the other continents,
Marathon in Ottawa in 2004. “It did the reassessment at the halfway running the perimeter of Ayres
seemed that I was getting marathon point and in December of 2011, he Rock as the sun rose, to camel
fever and Sheila was getting the had completed a marathon in all
riding in Petra, to taking a cable
running bug also,” Wendell stated, 50 US states. Sheila and Wendell car to Masada, are some of the
“Sheila joined me in retirement both enjoy the travel and almost
in 2005 and we celebrated by always spend time in each marathon many memories from our running
joining Jeff Galloway group to run location, exploring the region. adventures. This has truly been a
the Athens Marathon in Greece.” Sheila says, “Wendell travels to run voyage of discovery for a small-
While in Greece, they met a lady and I run to travel.” town boy from Williamstown
Continued on page 35