Taking it to the streets for local food banks

A great fundraiser to help food banks across Canada will be getting under way at the end of this month.

Five Hole for Food is the brainchild of Richard Loat, a Vancouver hockey fan and contributor to Canucks Hockey Blog. Loat makes a summer ritual of taking hockey related excursions, but this year his adventure will be a series of road hockey games across the country that gives back to the local communities.

He’s recruited some known hockey bloggers, and corporate sponsors (Boston Pizza, Monster Energy Drink, etc.) for the nine city whirlwind trip along the way.

It will all begin in Montreal on June 29th at Parc des Éperviers outdoor rink (86 Rue De la Rivelaine) at 7pm. Proceeds will go to the NDG Food Depot. Kyle Roussel of Cowhide and Rubber is the Montreal host.

From there it’s off to Ottawa, where Down Goes Brown’s Sean McIndoe presides over the activities at Bluegrass Park.

Next stop will be in Toronto for some Canada Day street hockey. The hosts are in place but the venue is to be determined.

The tour then heads west with stops in Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary, Edmonton, Victoria and concludes in Vancouver on July 9.

Notable western blogger/hosts include Tyler from NHL Digest (Regina) and Mother Pucker’s Chris Anderson (Edmonton).

Canucks legend “King” Richard Brodeur is the event’s celebrity ambassador, and more surprise guests may be added along the tour as plans are finalized.

“The Canucks icon is an edition we’re all extremely excited to have on board,” Loat said on the site’s news page. “We’re proud to have his support in our cross Canada trip supporting local food banks!”

There will also be a post-game tweetup/barbeque/gathering so everyone can relax after a hard day’s work.

The full schedule and further information can be found on the site or by email or following them on Twitter.

Habs Talk Radio from The Land of Blue and White

Not just one, but two topics of interest on the Montreal Canadiens, on Tuesday, from Toronto-based FAN590. Surprisingly neither involved Habs-bashing.

First up, University of Montreal Theology professor, Olivier Bauer  (pictured above) talked about his book, and class that is taught bi-annually, “La Religion du Canadien de Montreal.”

Professor Bauer has been featured on this topic in the past in the Montreal Gazette and on TVO’s “The Agenda” (seen below).

Uncle George talks to the Bobcat: Former Canadiens owner George Gillett talked to FAN590’s flagship Primetime Sports’ Bob McCown about his former asset.

The former owner, always a favourite on the show, told Primetime that he is still an avowed fan of the team and the city of Montreal.

Gillett still follows the Canadiens faithfully, TiVo’ing when he has to, despite no longer having any financial commitments to the team. His family still has an apartment in Montreal, but Gillett said he has only attended the Centennial game since the sale to the Molson brothers.

In Case you Missed It: Habs News and Blogger Views for Dec 9

Reflection by Andrea Lavoie

I came across a couple good articles online tonight while nursing a scratchy throat and after an afternoon of shoveling.

First up, Dave Stubbs (Montreal Gazette) on my all-time favourite Hab Ken Dryden’s reaction to the Canadiens Centennial Ceremony.

I agree with Mr. Stubbs that not seeing Dryden, in his trademark pose, last Friday was a bit of a disappointment. But the fact that #29 appeared in pads for the first time in 30 years was reward enough.

OK a little shameless self promotion: Jessica Murphy’s look at Canadiens fans making the pilgrimage to Montreal. Just to note, I am not from North Bay, just drove through it once.

More on the slumping former Canadiens right winger, who now plays elsewhere.

The Hockey News’ Ryan Kennedy looks at backup goalies thrust into the lead role this season, including Jaroslav Halak.

And speaking of the Habs #41: Oh Canadiens looks at a possible trade  rumours, with the Oilers, involving the Slovak netminder

One Down, One Up: The Habs sent Ryan White back to the Bulldogs on Wednesday, was he really here? ;)

With injuries to defencemen Paul Mara and Jaroslav Spacek, the Canadiens called up Yannick Weber Wednesday afternoon.

On the Air Waves:

Bob McCowan and John Shannon (PrimeTime Sports/Fan590) talked to Brendan Shanahan, the NHL’s new VP for Hockey and Business Development.

Earlier in the day, Daren Millard and Nick Kypreos (Hockey Central/Fan590) caught up with HOFer Mark Messier on his new roll as Team Canada’s GM for the 2010 World Hockey Championships.

Who Wants to Tell Him the Answer Was No?: Dennis Kane, a guy can dream I guess.

Canadian Hockey pioneer honored with grave marker 79 years after his death

James Creighton (1850-1930) One of the pioneers of organized hockey in Canada

It took almost 80 years, but the gravesite of one of the game’s early pioneers finally has a marker at Ottawa’s Beechwood cemetery.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper presided over a ceremony, on Saturday, to unveil a grave marker and plaque to honor James Creighton.

 

Prime Minister Harper (l)  and SIHR founder Bill Fitsell unveil the Crieghton gravestone at Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa. Oct 24, 2009

Creighton was an avid sportsman who excelled in hockey, both as a player and an innovative organizer during the formative stages of the game.

He helped introduce the sport to Montreal in 1875 and captained teams in every recorded game there during the development years.

Creighton is credited with the organizing the first indoor hockey game,in 1875, at Montreal’s Victoria Skating Rink.

His hockey interest continued in Ottawa during a distinguished career as Law Clerk to the Senate between 1882 and 1930.

It seemed peculiar that a man of his accomplishment’s, and noted civil service, would be buried in Canada’s National Cemetery with an unmarked grave.

It was learned later that no proper gravestone was erected for him at Beechwood Cemetery because his wife passed away shortly after him and the couple had no children.

Thanks to the work of SIHR (The Society for International Hockey Research), a campaign was made to recognize one of hockey’s early pioneers.

Led by SIHR’s co-founder Bill Fitsell and a committee chaired by honorary president Edward Grenda, a plan of action was made in co-operation with the Beechwood Cemetery.

A fundraising campaign was set up on SIHR’s website and by August of 2009, sufficient funds were in place for the monument.

The biggest donors came in the form of Ottawa Senator’s owner Eugene Melnyk and Calgary Flames owner Harley Hotchkiss.

A Melnyk spokesman said the Senators owner saw a front-page story in the Ottawa Citizen and was surprised to learn that Creighton was buried in an unmarked plot at Beechwood.

Melnyk wanted "to ensure proper recognition for Mr. Creighton’s contribution to modern-day hockey,” the spokesman said.

With the funds in place it was arranged that Prime Minister Harper be invited to attend the ceremony.

The Prime Minister is a member of SIHR and is currently writing his own book on hockey history.

According to a spokesman for the PM, he began research on his book as leader of the opposition and still takes a few minutes out of his busy day to work on it.

The Prime Minister unveiled a plaque in Montreal’s Bell Centre (home of the Montreal Canadiens) in May of 2008 to honor Creighton.

A plaque honoring Creighton’s accomplishments in hockey was also dedicated at the ceremony on Saturday.

“It was with great pride that I named Mr. Creighton as a Canadian of National Historic Significance last year and I am delighted to be here today,” the Prime Minister said.

“This monument marks another milestone in honoring the legacy of one of our country's pioneers. Canada needed a sport that would call to its winter soul. Before anyone else, Creighton heard that call and defined the game that from coast-to-coast transcends French and English, East and West; urban and rural and defines us as Canadians.

“Future generations of Canadian hockey fans who wish to pay homage to this founding father of our national sport will now be able to do so. Canadians will find him at rest in Canada’s national cemetery, surrounded by notables of Canadian political, military, economic and cultural history.”

The Prime Minister noted that Creighton remained even played hockey in the fledging Parliamentary League as part of the Rideau Hall Rebels.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, at the new gravestone for James Creighton.

“Creighton is responsible for ‘Canadianizing’ the game of hockey,” SIHR’s Bill Fitsell said, “by incorporating elements from sports such as field hockey, hurling, rugby and lacrosse into the game.

He was key to getting the game underway.”

SIHR still wishes to take the work of Mr. Creighton to another level, as an honored member in the Builder’s category of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

"He played a significant role and it's rather unfortunate, and somewhat inappropriate, that he has been ignored in that fashion," Edward Grenda said.

“The hall has yet to acknowledge the pair's nomination of Creighton,” Fitsell said.

“Hopefully,this event will spur that recognition of the hockey pioneer.”

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For his contribution to the project, Mr. Melnyk was acknowledged on the plaque. By the time Mr. Hotchkiss’ donation arrived, the plaque was already in production. A new plaque bearing Mr. Hotchkiss as a major contributor will be made and replace the currrent one.

More on the Society for International Hockey Research can be found on their website.

Author D’Arcy Jenish’s article on Mr. Creighton and the grave marker project from the January 2008 Legion Magazine