Community Living Renfrew County South is double-dipping with their festivities, celebrating two anniversaries.
Their Executive Director, Jennifer Lavallee, says their 60th year in operation is also an important milestone for the Renfrew Icepickers Sledge Hockey team.
Lavallee says the Icepickers are a huge part of Community Living’s effort to promote inclusion in our community over the past 20 years.
A lot has changed since the team first took to the ice on four handcrafted sledges made with pipes bent with the help of a volunteer’s Ford F-150 and skate blades purchased from the Salvation Army.
The team now has enough sledges on hand to invite the community to try the sport, donated to the group by notable local figures like Paralympian Lou Mulvihill, the NHL Players Association, the Wounded Warriors Program, Renfrew Rotary, Rusty Blades, NATIV (formerly Scapa Tape), the Ontario Special Olympics, the Renfrew Wing, and more.
However, one constant at the centre of the program has been long-time volunteer Allan Yull, whom Lavallee praised while he was sharing the sport with community members during the anniversary get-together.
She explains that Yull was a major part of the Icepickers’ advocacy for a number of accessibility features added to the myFM Centre’s recently added second ice pad, such as clear boards along the benches and accessible dressing rooms.
Also enjoying the day on the ice was Barry’s Bay’s Chad Stoppa, part of the bronze medal-winning team at the 2023 Ontario Winter Games. He told myFM that it was his first chance to play in Renfrew’s arena, which he enjoyed.
The Renfrew Icepickers invite you to a few remaining chances to join them at the myFM Centre every Thursday from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. ahead of the season wrapping up at the end of March.
Pre-registration is required, but everyone is welcome. Contact Nicole Riopelle at 613-433-0037 or nriopelle@clrcs.com, or Allan Yull at 613-432-5325.
(written by Kasey Egan)