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Unsung heroes of the game: 2009 RBC Local Hockey Leaders
announced
Dedicated hockey volunteers to be recognized in the Hockey
Hall of Fame, awarded with $10,000 in funding and a team spot
in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay
TORONTO, May 11, 2009 — RBC Insurance, with
support from Hockey Canada and the Hockey Hall of Fame, today
recognized Canada's most dedicated behind-the-scenes hockey
volunteers as part of the annual RBC Local Hockey Leaders
program. This year's 13 winners hail from Delta, BC to Mount
Pearl, NL.
"This is a chance to celebrate the unsung hockey volunteers
who are the lifeblood of hockey in this country," said
Neil Skelding, president and CEO RBC Insurance. "This
year, for the first time ever, we are rewarding these Canadians
with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to carry the Olympic
Flame along with members of their local hockey community."
The 2009 RBC Local Hockey Leaders will receive a Team Spot
in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay. This Team Spot
will give each winner and their team of up to 20 individuals
the opportunity to collectively carry the Olympic Flame for
one kilometre, enabling the Local Hockey Leaders to recognize
others who have come together to help them make a difference
in minor hockey in their communities. Winners will also be
celebrated in their hometowns as a banner recognizing their
achievement will be raised in their local arena.
Each winner will also receive $10,000 towards a registered
charity/hockey cause in their community and a signed Team
Canada jersey. The winners - one from each Hockey Canada branch
- will also be recognized in a permanent display at the Hockey
Hall of Fame which will be unveiled June 16 during a special
ceremony honouring the 2009 RBC Local Hockey Leaders.
2009 Regional RBC Local Hockey Leaders:
| Region |
RBC Local Hockey Leader |
Community |
| Hockey North |
Dolphus Nitsiza |
Behchoko, NWT |
| British Columbia |
Theresa Watts |
Delta, BC |
| Alberta |
Nick Ruigrok |
Okotoks, AB |
| Saskatchewan |
Mike Schwean |
Moosomin, SK |
| Manitoba |
Darren Zembik |
St. Andrew's, MB |
| Ontario |
Rick Jones |
St. Catharines, ON |
| Northwestern Ontario |
Cosimo Figliomeni Filane |
Schreiber, ON |
| Ottawa District |
Louise Groulx |
Orleans, ON |
| Quebec |
Andrée Leblanc |
Daveluyville, QC |
| New Brunswick |
Mark Toner |
Grand Falls, NB |
| Nova Scotia |
Keith Miller |
Lantz, NS |
| Prince Edward Island |
Bill Butler |
Stratford, PEI |
| Newfoundland & Labrador |
Gary Martin |
Mount Pearl, NFLD |
A panel including Neil Skelding, National Women's Team member
Jayna Hefford, National Men's Sledge Hockey Team captain Jean
Labonté, hockey legend Ron Ellis, VANOC executive vice
president, revenue, marketing and communications Dave Cobb,
Hockey Canada acting chair Ken Corbett and other Hockey Canada
officials selected winners from hundreds of nominations submitted
through the program website.
The RBC Local Hockey Leaders contest inspired hundreds of
nominations from cities and towns from coast to coast. Hard
work, dependability, enthusiasm and leadership were among
the criteria considered during the evaluation of submissions.
"Every Canadian community has individuals that dedicate
years of tireless service to keep hockey vibrant in their
communities, and RBC deserves a big thank you for their support
of these volunteers," said Bob Nicholson, president,
Hockey Canada. "More than 100 outstanding hockey volunteers
have been recognized since the inception of the program and
more than 100 communities have been able to make great improvements
to their hockey programming as a result."
Over the past six years RBC Insurance has awarded more than
$600,000 to grassroots hockey activities across Canada through
the RBC Local Hockey Leaders program. Grants have been used
to replace aging equipment, make hockey more accessible, train
coaches, improve facilities and for many other causes close
to the hearts of Canada's grassroots hockey leaders.
For more information and biographies on all of the RBC Local
Hockey Leaders, please visit www.rbclocalhockeyleaders.com.
About RBC Insurance
RBC Insurance provides a wide range of life, health, travel,
home, auto and reinsurance products as well as creditor and
business insurance services to more than five million clients
in Canada, the U.S. and internationally. These products and
services are offered through a wide variety of distribution
channels, including the telephone, retail insurance branches,
independent brokers, travel agents, a proprietary sales force
and the Internet. More information is available at www.rbcinsurance.com.
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For further information, please contact:
Katie Hammill, 416-603-9452
Jackie Braden, RBC Media Relations, 416-974-2124
Kelly Masse, Hockey Hall of Fame, 416-933-8212
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