2002
Bill Kippen | Duncan Macdonell | Burns McPherson | Joan O'Hara | Ron Villeneuve
Nick Haramis in 1967 organized the Maxville Old Timers Hockey where Bill averaged 50 to 60 games per year. He continued playing hockey for 25 years and in his final game in 1995 had the misfortune to break his leg.
Now Bill is playing hockey for the Old Blades hockey team in Alexandria, just completing his ninth year. He has always been noted for winning face-off draws, passing the puck and not missing any games. During the past years Bill played in Old Timers tournaments in Alexandria Bay, Las Vegas, Scotland and locally in Morrisburg. He played with the Morrisburg Combines in 2000 at Collingwood in the Ontario Senior Winter Games in the 65 year old category after the Alexandria team, of which he was a member, was defeated. In the opening game against Mississauga, Bill scored three goals in a 7-0 win for S.D.&G. In addition to his hockey career, Bill also played soccer for Maxville and Greenfield in the Glengarry Soccer League. Bill started curling in 1967 and curls several times a week. He has played in the Glengarry Cup four times winning the trophy twice. He has also been president of the Glengarry Curling Club in Maxville. A successful farmer, Bill is now semi-retired working on the farm with his sons. |
Duncan graduated in 1945 and went on to run the family’s general store and later the St. Raphael’s Egg Grading Station, with his young wife Marie Paule Ménard. In these early years he played softball for the Glengarry Aces (this league included Bainsville, Dalhousie, Glen Robertson and Apple Hill), and the Glengarry Junior Farmers. Duncan was a member of the Charlottenburg Junior Farmers and served as President in 1950-51. A meeting held at his home in October of 1951 was cut short by the arrival of Duncan and Patch’s first daughter.
After relocating to Alexandria in 1960, Duncan helped organize its first fastball league. He served as President of the league and also sponsored the Atlantic Hotel Team which won the championship in 1963 and 1964. Duncan also developed a love for hockey over the years. He played for such teams as the Alexandria Maroons and the Green Valley Rockets who won the Border League Championship in 1953-54. As his three boys became involved in our country’s winter pastime, Duncan coached minor hockey in the “old” arena in Alexandria. One of Duncan’s greatest contribution has been to the Alexandria Curling Club where he has been an active member since 1956-57 (over 45 years). He served as President from 1964 to 1965. Duncan was a member of the Red Caps Curling team (with Roger Roy, Gilles Roy and Donnie Cameron) for 5 years. This team went on to win 5 trophies in the 1963 curling season. He helped initiate the famous Moose Bonspiel at the Alexandria Curling Club with Paul Roy, (who chaired the event for the first three years) and chaired this event for many years. Duncan has competed for the prestigious Quebec Challenge Trophy on several occasions. This is one of the oldest competitions in North America in continuous play. The Quebec Challenge is a two rink competition where curling clubs from Quebec and Eastern Ontario only get a chance to compete once every eight or ten years. In 1962 Duncan played third on one of the rinks at the Jacques Cartier Curling Club in Quebec City, where Alexandria won and took home the trophy. Later in Granby, Quebec, Duncan played skip and won, helping our Alexandria Curling Club bring the trophy home again. Duncan also participated in the Quebec International Bonspiel for 28 years and was the area director for 2 years. Beyond Quebec, he played in the Monctonian Bonspiel where he won “The Raymond Smith Bonspieler Award” in 1989. The award is presented to the curler who best exhibits sociabilities and fellowship qualities. On December 9, 1968, Duncan became a member of the Eight Ender Club at the Alexandria Curling Club. This is a dream to many curlers and can be compared to a hole in one in golf. During these many years Duncan also served on numerous other organizations in his community. He is a life member of the Alexandria Lions Club and served on two terms as president. He also worked with another dedicated Glengarrian, Angus H. McDonell to organize the early Sports Awards Dinners and Chaired this event for many years. As owner of the Atlantic Hotel for many years, Duncan has also had some involvement in Broomball. As sponsor of the Atlantic Hotel broomball team from 1960 on, Duncan was proud to see them win 3 consecutive championships. Duncan is also a past president of the Alexandria Rod & Gun Club. He helped build a trap shooting facility on the Pat Brunet farm where Duncan and Patch live today. Duncan is also a past director of the Glengarry Sports Hall of Fame where he served for over twenty years in fundraising and various other committees. Duncan is also a founding director of the Friends of the Ruins, who purchased the Ruins from Charlottenburg Township. With this organization, he participated as fundraising chair and carried out numerous other responsibilities with the board he continues to serve on. Duncan has also had involvement in area politics. He has served a term as councillor and one as reeve for the town of Alexandria. He has represented Alexandria on the county council of S.D.&G. and the Raisin Region Conservation Authority and later represented the township of Lochiel for one year. |
The autumn of 1966 saw Burns enrolled at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. He became a member of the St. Francis Xavier X-men football team and doubled as the team’s punter and kicker along with playing a line-backer position. This team had a successful season and became a participant in the Vanier Cup College Bowl Game where they emerged the winners thus taking the College Bowl trophy back to Antigonish.
Back home in Glengarry, Burns was named the winner of the Jim McCaffery Trophy as Glengarry’s top athlete in 1967. During Burns’ second year on the St. Francis Xavier team, they became the Atlantic Conference Champions. He was named the St. F.X. defensive MVP and also won the CIAU as an all Canadian player. The next year was repeat performance for Burns as again he was the St. F.X. MVP as well as the CIAU all Canadian award winner. As a two-way standout with the St. Francis Xavier X-men, he was chosen as the Most Valuable Player in the Bluenose Football Conference by a poll of the coaches and players representing all seven league members. This MVP selection carried with it the Bluenose Conference nomination for the Hector Creighton Award which was given annually to the outstanding college football player in Canada; unfortunately he missed out on the vote. Following is a 1969 quotation from an Antigonish paper “Certainly the versatility of the Alexandria, Ontario native puts him right in the class of outstanding performers in the nation. McPherson led the Bluenose Conference in both scoring and punting, was ranked among the league’ top receivers, and was one of the mainstays of the rugged St. F.X. defensive unit. A shortage of depth at the half back post forced Don Loney to move McPherson into a running back sport on several occasions as well. The 5’11, 190 pound senior has been a starter since his arrival at St. F.X. in 1966, and culminated an outstanding four-year career with a great two-way performance this season. A better-than-average student, McPherson is also a member of the St. F.X. campus police force, and serves as a residence prefect in the discipline system. Well regarded off the field as he is on, he is referred to by head coach Don Loney as ‘One of the best natural football players we’ve ever had here.'” In 1970 Burns was drafted by the Montreal Alouettes under Red O. Quinn and played several exhibition games before being traded to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He decided to not go to Winnipeg, instead enrolling at Queen’s University in Kingston where he played for the Queen’s Golden Gaels while pursuing his Bachelor of Education degree. For a second time Burns received the Jim McCaffery Trophy in 1970. He returned to the East Coast after graduating from Queen’s, later marrying in 1973 and settled in Bedford, Nova Scotia. A parent of six children, Burns is now the Atlantic Regional Manager for the Allegiance Health Care Company. He has also coached minor sports. One son Michael, is a member of St. Mary’s University football team, 2001 Vanier Cup winners. Daughter Emily, is a member of the 2002 Canada Summer Games basketball team. In 1996, the St. F.X. X-men team of 1966 was inducted into the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame located in Halifax, Nova Scotia. |
After taking some figure skating lessons, Joan did the Sword Dance in full kilt at a carnival in Alexandria, out of sheer determination and fun.
At Alexandria High School she got into track and field sports and was Senior Girls Champion for three years, 1937-38-39. While in A.H.S. a girl’s hockey team was formed and she played center with her friends. The hockey team became inter-scholastic with Maxville, Vankleek Hill and Hawkesbury and lots of fun. It’s unknown when there was time for schoolwork! After school she joined The Bank of Nova Scotia and later joined the Glengarry News office until 1952. She married Howard O’Hara from Cornwall and Maxville, they then moved to Cornwall. While in Cornwall she was women’s editor at the Standard Freeholder for five years. When Summer Heights Golf Club opened, they decided to play golf and after lessons and a few years of playing she won the Ladies Class A Championship in 1967 and 1969. She was the runner-up to Louise Clark in 1966-68-70. In 1967 a centennial tournament was held at Summer Heights and she was very happy to win that special trophy. The ladies of Summer Heights had a twilight league. In 1973 when Donald Peter Grant, who worked at the club house and was a very special friend of all the girls, died, the MacLennan family held a one-time tournament in his memory. This is a prized memorial cup for Joan. In golf also there is a Valley League, at a time consisting of Summer Heights, Brockville, Morrisburg and Iroquois. In 1969, Summer Heights won the trophy at Brockville and Joan won the B Class. Joan and her husband were Ottawa Rough Rider football season ticket holders for 30 years and true fans. Joan was the Charter President of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Legion Branch #423 in Alexandria and in 2001 she received a 50-year plaque. Through the years she has done many years of volunteer work at the Hotel Dieu Hospital and the Maxville Manor. At 78 she is stil playing golf and volunteering and is still the “baby” of the fourteen children of Tom and Florence Gormley. Sports have given her many good friends and memories and taught her early in life how to lose and win. Both are important. |
In the fall of 1955, he transferred to Colorado College on an athletic scholarship. Colorado College played in the American Western Inter-Collegiate Hockey Association. In his second year, 1956-57, he helped the C.C. Tigers win the National Collegiate Athletic Association hockey championship.
Upon graduation in 1958, he worked with Canadian Paper Company in Hawkesbury, Ontario. In the following year, he played with the Maxville Millionaires, Vankleek Hill Flyers and the Hawkesbury Hawkes. In two of the three years, Maxville and Hawkesbury were Border League Champions. After leaving competitve hockey in the early 60’s, he became a referee with the Ottawa District Hockey Association. Between 1962-79 he officiated at all levels from PeeWee to Senior in Eastern Ontario. In 1974, he got back to playing Old Timer Hockey with teams in Maxville and Hawkesbury. He was transferred to Dalhousie, New Brunswick in 1979 where he continued to play Old Timer Hockey into the late nineties. Ron became involved with coaching after his move to New Brunswick. His first year was assistant coach with the Dalhousie Rangers, which went on to win the Northern New Brunswick Senior Hockey Championship. A year later as head coach the team reached the league finals. As well as hockey, Ron also played softball. In the early 50’s he helped Maxville to the Border League finals for two seasons. During the summer of 1955, he played in the Kirkland Lake City League. While attending Colorado College, his team won the Intramural League Championship three years in succession. After returning from Colorado, he played for many years in the Hawkesbury Town League and the Hawkesbury Industrial League, being on championship teams on three occasions. Later he umpired in the above leagues. In New Brunswick, he managed a senior fastball team which were league finalists in his first year and league champions in his second. Today, Ron lives with his wife Lynne in Dalhousie, New Brunswick during the summer and in Florida in the winter. They have three children; Lori (Mrs. Jeff Levine) and Rebecca Clement both of Toronto and John (Lorraine) of Fresno, California. Ron is an avid golfer and follows hockey, football and baseball closely. |
