Community Rallies To Be Hockeyville with Skate Party on Lake

Written by admin on 28 January 2011

Manitouwadge residents + Students of 3 local elementary schools skate on Manitouwadge Lake. Photo by OntarioNewsNorth.com

Hockey Moms (and Hockeyville volunteers) April Robinson & Reene Warren.

MANITOUWADGE, ON – Wednesday, January 26th, Manitouwadge residents, including students from the three elementary schools, were treated to a Community Skating Party on Manitouwadge Lake, part of ongoing efforts to qualify Manitouwadge for Kraft’s Hockeyville 2011.

Playing on the Hockeyville Hill (next to lake skate) while others skated or enjoyed the bbq.

5yr old Emeraude never had a chance to be anything but a Leafs fan says her father Daniel.

Since the fall, volunteers have been working diligently to spread the word and get residents, past and present, to nominate the small Northern Ontario town of approximately 23oo located 50km from Hwy 17 on Hwy 614 and mid-way between Thunder Bay, ON and Sault Ste. Marie, ON moving up the list on the CBC website where nominations are recorded. New Year’s Eve the Hockeyville enthusiasts rang in the new year in their hockey jerseys at the Kiwissa Ski Centre at a party hosted by the Manitouwadge Minor Hockey Association and since momentum has continued to build. Hockey Moms have been the driving force behind the Manitouwadge for Hockeyville movement organizing contests like the decorate your storefront/classroom/home for Hockeyville for which residents and businesses have been decorating outdoor windows while classes at local schools have decorated classroom doors.

One business however took the challenge to participate a step further, it was Mark and Kelly Gorges, of Frank’s Grocery, who organized the Community Lake Skate complete with free hot dogs and hot chocolate for all in attendance. A giant skating rink was cleared on Lake Manitouwadge with picnic tables and a giant Hockeyville snow-sculpture at it’s entrance (see photo below). The 3 local elementary schools, Ecole Publique Franco-Manitou, Our Lady Of Lourdes and Manitouwadge Public School, could not resist declaring Wednesday afternoon a ‘skate day’; bringing all their students to the rink and even busing those too young to walk. Many parents joined the fun as did local OPP and firefighters and even the Mayor and Council, who had been in meetings throughout the afternoon, could not resist making their way down to the lake to wrap up the afternoon. The Gorges’ were very humble about their hard work and generosity; Kelly Gorges believed the volunteers had made it all possible “[without them] we could not have pulled off such a successful day!! This is when our little town shows we have bigger HEART than anywhere else!” said Gorges thanking everyone who helped on behalf of herself and her husband.

Manitouwadge 4 Hockeyville enthusiasts Vickie Rusard and her daughter Janelle.

Hockeyville photo-ops and celebrations continue in Manitouwadge, Friday evening (Jan.28) a Community Skating Party at the Rec Centre Arena will include free admission and free hot chocolate, participants are asked to wear their hockey jerseys as it is hoped more of these photos will be uploaded as nominations to the CBC Kraft Hockeyville website before time expires in 2 days. Saturday afternoon is the last big hurrah as local team the Copper Kings vs. COPPERs will no doubt have the entire community back at the lake to cheer on their favourites as the Atoms face off against the Ontario Provincial Police Manitouwadge/Marathon Detachment, spectators are asked to once again dawn their hockey jerseys.

With nearly 200 nominations posted for the town of just over 2000 residents as of Friday afternoon, one thing is clear, Manitouwadge is determined to make 2011 the year Kraft Hockeyville officials take notice!