Elmvale News
Laugh and learn at the Elmvale Legion
By Linda Belcourt, Editor
Aug. 12, 2024 – Cathy Boles had an idea to help the Elmvale Legion in the form of a trivia night. The main organizers Jane Banyan, and sister Virginia, Cathy Boles, Tina Ditullio and Marianne Jamieson had no idea the night would result in a packed legion. The Trivia night, Thursday August 8, 2024, was a great success for the legion and 36 players had a lot of fun. They all learned something new and had a lot of laughs. There was a tie between the Tico Team and the Friends of SV. The two teams selected the best player to test their knowledge and each questions resulted in a tie. A correct guess of a number between 1 and ten was the only way to select a winner. Congratulations to Friends of SV for the lucky win.
The next one is September 4, 2024 from 7-9 pm. Call the legion 705.322.1042 to reserve a table for your team of six. You can also just show up and a team will be formed for you.
Sponsorship opportunities are available for prizes. Prizes are a $10 gift certificate from local business’, to each player on the winning team.
Springwater Sports Heritage Hall of Fame
is pleased to announce its synopsis of the 2024 Inductees.
On September 27, 2024 these new members will be formally inducted into the Hall. It’s truly an honour to have these outstanding Athletes. Builders and Teams join the current Honorable Members. Springwater Sports Heritage Hall of Fame is proud of their outstanding achievements including their contributions to our community.
PAT CROWE dedicated his life to the sport of standardbred harness racing. It was not only his occupation; it was his profound and beloved passion. In 1949, at the age of twelve, from humble beginnings on his fathers newly constructed Orr Lake racetrack, Pat went on to distinguish himself over the next 63 years as an outstanding and admired professional trainer/driver. During his triumphant career the demanding dual responsibility of a trainer/driver, requiring exceptional physical, rational and analytical qualities, were respectively performed to the admiration of his countless fans, colleagues and competitors. Pat is a celebrated North American champion in the sport of harness racing.
GLENN DOWNEY will always be known as a fierce competitor with an encouraging spirit. Diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes at age five, Glenn still was a shining star at every sport he played. From a young age he always loved sports; he followed in his father’s footsteps and became a very well-respected pitcher with many accolades. Glenn was also an award-winning goaltender, wrestler, bowler, and pool player. Unfortunately, Glenn was taken from this world much too soon at the age of 50. He will always be remembered as an exceptional athlete, as well as a generous and kind-hearted man.
TREVOR KNIGHT is often described as being exceptionally respectful, compassionate, and helpful. As a Special Olympics athlete, his list of medals in various sports is nothing short of astonishing. Trevor is known for overcoming obstacles that would make most people throw in the towel. Not Down syndrome, nor visual and hearing impairment could stop Trevor from mastering the sports he loves. What makes Trevor truly special, however, is how he treats his teammates: with true kindness. He always makes everyone feel like a winner. Trevor is one of a kind, both as an athlete and as a man.
ROBERT (BOB) STOREY has been so much more to the sport of curling than an athlete; he has been instrumental in helping others appreciate and enjoy the sport as well. From achieving success as a skip, to coaching, to preparing and maintaining world class curling ice, Bob has demonstrated his commitment to curling and his community. In 1971 he commenced his 40-year diverse, wide-ranging and successful curling pursuits. Bob’s extensive list of competitive successes locally, provincially, nationally and internationally are testaments to his talent, competitiveness and commitment to the sport of curling. Bob’s memorable curling legacy will endure to guide and inspire others.
LOU TURNER’S list of accomplishments is quite lengthy and clearly shows what a dedicated and talented athlete he was, but he was more than that. Lou loved hockey, and fastball, and he devoted his life to curling. Lou helped to build and then maintain the Elmvale Curling Club; he served as manager there for 23 years. Even when Lou became legally blind due to macular degeneration, he curled. Lou loved curling so much; he spoke about the upcoming season even as his health deteriorated and he passed on. Few people have lived a life as committed to sports as Lou Turner.
The 1974/75 ELMVALE JUVENILE HOCKEY TEAM were some of the strongest hearted young men that have played the game. They endured a series of traumatic incidents including the sudden loss of a teammate and the news that their Elmvale Arena had burned down while they were playing the final championship game. With their hockey ingenuity, deep rooted determination and proven ability to overcome adversity the team met the challenges and realized their Provincial Championship.
L/R-back: Dan Richie, Jim Grigg, Paul Craddock, Julian Melnyk, Steve Loftus, Rick Dunford, John Melnyk, Ross Downey, John Trace, Mark Archer, middle: Brian Handy (Trainer), Peter Beardsall, Jeff Columbus, Dave Morrow, Dan Breedon, Greg Giffen, George Conn (Coach), front: Frank Archer (EMHA) Bill Trace (Manager), Ross McConnell (OMHA), Absent: Guy Reevie, Ross Walton, Ron DeKlyn.
MINESING FASTBALL DYNASTY
FIVE TIME ONTARIO PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONS (1974/75/78/79/80). Over a seven-year period this team of outstanding and dedicated players, from the rural centre of Minesing, won five OASA Ontario Championships. They commenced their successful journey as young and eager Peewees and with their exceptional talent, perseverance, leadership and community support evolve into an accomplished and triumphant Juvenile team. A success story difficult to repeat, if ever.
1978/79/80 Team Members, Brad Adams, John Adams, Ray Baldwick, Peter Cole, Steve Faraghar. Dale Giffen, Kevin Giffen, Doug Gillespie, Don Gratto, John Gratto, Geoff Kenny, Bill Luck, Dan Luck, Alan Maw, Brent McLean, Jamie McLean, Rob McLean. Rob McNabb. Paul Morgan, Bob Murphy, Doug Murphy, Paul Partridge, Dennis Poole. Alan Priest, Paul Priest, Bill Snider, Ken Thompson, Bob Weatherill, Rick Borneman. Don Eagles, Doug Jones, Ken Maw, Ross McLean, John McNabb, Allan McNabb.
VERNON BEACOCK realized that his community was missing something, and created the Elmvale Bears Sledge Hockey Team. His efforts allowed physically disabled children and adults in the area the opportunity to join the sport, an opportunity they wouldn’t have otherwise had. What started out small, would eventually attract players from other more distant towns. Soon, the Elmvale Bears would be more than anyone imagined, anyone but Vernon. Under Vernon’s intensely dedicated leadership, several of his players would go on to become world class athletes. Some of his players would even compete for Team Canada in the Paralympics.
BARBARA BRINKMANN is a well-known name in Elmvale and the surrounding area. Having taught Physical Education and coached at Elmvale District High School for 32 years, many people in the community have either been taught or coached by her. She is known for her generosity and instilling the value of sportsmanship above winning in her students. Barbara has created many champions, and spent countless hours and plenty of her own money doing so. She has never let young people down in the community she has adopted. She has always given them a chance to be in love with a sport.
GEORGE CONN, as a successful player and outstanding coach, is well-known for his commitment to both sport and community. George has thoughtfully and consistently proven himself to be dedicated to the development of young people. He has always believed that being a better citizen is as important as becoming a better player. George’s steadfast approach has been to encourage our youth to become leaders in the community, and to be involved with building a brighter future for themselves and others. His purposeful style has generated many individual champions and championships. George’s foresight and determination has inspired and enriched our sporting community.
Many people in the Elmvale area have SHIRLEY FURLONG to thank for their skating skills. With the help of the Elmvale and District Lions Club, Shirley Furlong created the Elmvale Figure Skating Club. This allowed local skaters a place to learn the sport at a very low cost and with far less travel. Shirley’s organizational skills led to the creation of the Elmvale Figure Skating Carnival, an annual event that showcased the teachings of the club and the talent of the skaters. Shirley’s hard work and determination has forever changed a community; many skaters can attest to that.
PAUL MARLEY is truly a sports Mr. Everything. From his first love as a multi-sport player Paul began and continues to share his sports passions as a Coach, Committee Member, Administrator and Sponsor. Hockey and baseball were his main sports of interest as an athlete. As an outstanding team player, he was inducted into the Springwater Sports Heritage Hall of Fame as an Elmvale Merchant Championship Baseball Team player (1977). Paul’s achievements as a sports Builder are numerous and without question highlighted by his leadership and extended dedication to the development and success of the Barrie Baycats.
Dan McGinnis has continually given back to his community through his bowling centre “Springwater Lanes”. He has devoted so much of his time towards helping people learn the sport and hone their skills. The development of the Youth Bowling Council changed the lives of many young people in and around Elmvale, giving them an opportunity to play the sport at an elite level. With his entrepreneurship and big ideas, Dan brought this Bowling sporting scene to the area for more than twenty years. Though he had little experience, his hard work paid off. Dan showed himself to be a strong leader, a creative Builder as well as a respected Sport role model.
August 11, 2024 – Submitted by Larry Simpson
Celebrate with SwoopFiber’s Summer Bash: A Day of Community and Connectivity
Elmvale, Aug. 17, 2024. Submitted by Swoop Fibre
SwoopFiber is excited to announce the upcoming Swoop Summer Bash: Celebrating Community and Connectivity, a vibrant event dedicated to showing appreciation to the Elmvale community for their unwavering support during the recent fiber internet rollout. The celebration is scheduled for August 17th from 11 AM to 4 PM at the SwoopFiber storefront located at 18 William St, Elmvale.
SwoopFiber would like to thank the residents of Elmvale, who have shown incredible patience and support throughout the fiber internet installation process. With construction now complete and services fully operational, the company looks forward to bringing everyone together for a day filled with fun, learning, and celebration.
The Swoop Summer Bash is set to offer a lively atmosphere with a wide array of activities catering to all ages. Families can enjoy a dedicated Kids’ Zone packed with fun games and activities, while all attendees can participate in various engaging games with fantastic prizes up for grabs. For those interested in learning how to transition from traditional cable to streaming, a special workshop titled “Cutting the Cord” will be held, guiding attendees through the process.
In addition to the activities, the event will offer a variety of complimentary food and beverages. Guests can enjoy a delicious BBQ, along with desserts, a wide variety of snacks, and refreshing beverages. A photo booth will also be available, providing attendees with the perfect opportunity to capture memorable moments from the day.
The excitement doesn’t stop there—every attendee will have a chance to participate in exclusive event giveaways. Prizes include a 65” Sony TV, an iPad, a PlayStation 5, a Fitbit Inspire 3 and a Samsung Soundbar with Dolby Audio. These giveaways are SwoopFiber’s way of giving back to the Elmvale community, and residents are encouraged to bring friends and family along for a memorable day.
As SwoopFiber celebrates the successful completion of the fiber internet construction, the company looks forward to marking this milestone with the Elmvale community, recognizing the neighbors who made it all possible. SwoopFiber is not just a service provider; it is an integral part of the community, committed to delivering the best possible experience to its customers.
Residents are invited to join the Swoop Summer Bash and take part in this special celebration.
For more information and to RSVP, visit the SwoopFiber website at www.swoopfiber.com/summer-bash and follow SwoopFiber on social media @swoopfiber for the latest updates and event highlights. Don’t miss out on this great event in the community!
