Page 28 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 137
P. 28
28 Issue #137 June 2024 www.sportsenergynews.com
Continued from page 25 are on the ice. Williamstown Fair as a standout “I am so proud that our
inclusive environment. “We “This award is a huge honour initiative. Each August, their community involvement was
believe we won because we for our club. We are a very small skaters man an ice cream the key to winning this award.
go over and above what Skate club in a town that most of the booth, serving cool treats for We work very hard at making
Canada is looking for in terms country hasn’t heard about, so fair patrons. This long-standing ourselves known for the work
of program delivery standards to win for our quality, teamwork tradition not only helps subsidize that we do, and it means so much
and we are a very inclusive club, and inclusivity is amazing,” said registration fees but also fosters that our fabulous, though small,
which not everyone is brave Slinger. “We are so proud of the community connections. community helped us win,”
enough to take on. We allow work that has been done over the The club also boasts an active said Slinger. “I’m so proud that
skaters of any ability and age to past few seasons to make sure corporate sponsorship program being at the fair and scooping
participate in all of our programs we are operating efficiently and and offers a bursary program for ice cream and tapping into local
without exception.” with an athlete-centered attitude. graduating skaters. businesses helped us win. We
The club’s dedication to high We were thrilled to get the news have the best community!”
standards has led to notable that we had won this prestigious “Businesses from around our Char-Lan Skating Club’s
achievements, including 69 award and the whole club was so area generously donate money commitment to community and
successful assessments and record excited to be recognized for our that goes directly to our skaters,” inclusivity has distinguished
participation in competitions. hard work.” said Slinger. The bursary them in the national skating
They make sure that they have program supports skaters as they world, demonstrating that a
low ratios of skaters to coaches, A key element of their award- transition to further education,
highly trained coaches, and group winning approach is community maintaining their connection to small club can achieve great
involvement. Slinger highlighted the club. success through dedication and
lessons that enable athletes to be
the club’s ice cream booth at the collaboration.
in lessons most of the time they
Continued from page 27 ten years, playing with Pierre and
take over as President of the North Ben Guindon, Donnie Blaney, Nick
Stormont Intermediate Hockey Harimus, and all kinds of great guys.
League, which was often referred to Retirement from Parks Canada
as the Finch Bush League. “I guess in 1997 led to Jim’s next hockey
that they were looking for somebody adventure. “I went into Flaro’s skate
that liked hockey, but wasn’t sharpening in Ingleside to get the
involved with any of the teams. For kids skates sharpened. When the
about ten or eleven years I was the owner found out that I had retired he
president, and it was interesting, told me that they needed a goalie in
the hockey was great, and it kept Morrisburg. It started off as a stick
me out of the house every Friday and puck, but everyone likes to take
and Sunday night.” Jim played as shots on a goalie. When I started
a backup goalie for the Avonmore playing in Morrisburg there was
Aces for a while and was asked only one player that had any beer in
to join the Maxville Millionaires. his hockey bag; that changed! We
Junior Lalonde asked me and, being had two goalies, and best of all - we
that my family was from Maxville, played in the daytime! Word spread,
that meant something. It was a fifty so those who were retired or self-
km drive from Ingleside to Maxville employed would either call me or
for a home game. We played the rink to see about playing. I knew
home and away games; it would be many of them from playing with or
Maxville at home and two nights against them over the years. Almost
later it could be Spencerville. It was thirty years later we still have a great
a lot of driving home late at night group playing decent hockey and
in all kinds of weather, but it’s all having fun with friends. Nothing
about your friends. I was there for better than that!
