2010
Nick Haramis | Frank Morris | Joanne Nadeau | Susan Rothgeb | Joan Ryan
With NHL operations suspended during W.W. II, many pro players stationed nearby in Petawawa formed a Senior Hockey team playing other bases as well as local teams. Needing extra players, they recruited Nick. Centering a line with NHLers and coached by the legendary Con Smythe, Nick’s thrill of a lifetime was scoring a hat-trick against Trenton’s goalie Turk Broda, the Toronto Leafs star goaltender.
In 1944 he tried out as a walk-on with the Galt Red Wings, a Detroit farm team. Nick’s father soon became sick and needing help with the restaurant called Nick home. Playing Jr.B hockey with Renfrew, he was invited by a New York scout to a try-out in Lake Placid. If he had made the Rangers, Nick could have left home, but when he was to be sent to play Jr. A hockey in St. Mary’s, his father told him he was needed in the family Restaurant. Nick applied the same drive to the business and the Haramis restaurant soon prospered. But he found time to play Jr. B and Senior A Eastern Canada hockey in Renfrew playing defense on the team that won the Citizen Shield in Brockville in 1954. He pitched as well for the Renfrew Red Sox baseball team in summer. This hectic pace soon took its toll and Nick was hospitalized with a severe case of pneumonia, missing his team’s trip to the Allan Cup finals. In the hospital, he met a nurse, a Maxville girl, Marion Villeneuve, whom he married in 1949. Eventually, Nick bought the King George Hotel in Maxville and moved with his wife Marion and 7 children. Three more boys soon made it 10. (5 and 5) About that time, Margaret and Dr. Mutch, Bill Coleman, George Currier and other like-minded sports persons were attempting to organize Minor hockey; there was very little equipment, no money and few volunteers. An outdoor rink behind the King George soon materialized under Nick’s management, a rink that became the recreation centre for Maxville kids during those winter evenings. Nick usually spent Saturdays coaching, organizing, fundraising or planning minor hockey tournaments. Local teams soon began playing interlocking schedules with the Maxville teams. Many of the players Nick coached went on to successful hockey careers. The village began to realize that an artificial ice surface was a necessity. Nick spearheaded a group that organized a fundraising event. They challenged Scotty Bowman’s Junior Canadians to a game against an “All Star Glengarry Team”, featuring such skaters as Ralph MacSweyn, Donnie Gamble, Neil Scott, and Willie Terry. The old Jubilee Rink in Maxville was packed to capacity. The needed funds were raised… best of all, Glengarry won. Once Minor Hockey was successfully launched, Nick turned his attention to baseball. A diamond at the High School was lined and readied for the young hopefuls including Don Blaney, a Sports Hall of Fame Inductee himself in 2008. He then organized a league with teams from Moose Creek, Apple Hill, Fournier and Maxville. Many Maxville organizations were richer for Nick’s contributions and the King George was a meeting place where many important decisions were made. Nick became president of the Maxville Lions Club and was a driving force behind recruiting Dr. Jaggassar enabling a medical centre and the Maxville Manor to become a reality. When he realized that his young charges were growing up and leaving the village, Nick did not give up his first love, organizing an Old Timers Hockey Team, one which is still going strong today. Today Nick lives in Cornwall and still is using his organizational talents to help others. He was president for 16 years of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, whose mandate is to help the less fortunate in the community. He and his wife, Marion, enjoy their 10 children and their wonderful group of 40 plus grandchildren and great grandchildren. |
In addition Frank contributed to the league in a variety of capacities earning the Louis Shepherd Award for his efforts. He was also a leading member of many of the Glengarry District High School Gaels sports teams. The Alexandria Lions Club awarded Morris the James McCaffrey Award as Glengarry’s outstanding athlete and later the Vern DeGeer award given to Canada’s outstanding athlete with Glengarry ties.
In the fall of 1982, Frank followed family tradition entering Concordia University (Loyola Campus) in Montreal where he earned a spot on legendary coach Paul Arsenault’s Varsity Men’s Hockey Team. In his first two years the team advanced to the national final championship. Morris’ efforts caught the eye of Olympic team coach Dave King earning him a Hockey Canada scholarship. During his Concordia years he was recognized for his grit and determination winning the Father Cass Memorial Award as the team’s most inspirational player three times, was appointed team captain, and was named team MVP in 1986. In the fall of 1987, following his University hockey career Morris attended the Winnipeg Jets training camp playing briefly in the AHL for Moncton before heading to Scotland. In his first year in Scotland playing for the Ayr Bruins, Morris went to the Championship of British Ice hockey. Except for a year in England, Frank played his entire 16 year career in Scotland. His years with the historic Fife Flyers cemented his legend in British Ice Hockey as he served as team captain, leading his team to several national championships. “Captain Fantastic” as he was called amassed well over 1000 points in his career and was fêted with a testimonial in his honour in 2003 by the Fife Flyers. His jersey, # 47, was retired at the ceremony, a tribute shared with only 2 other players in their 50 year history. On two occasions, 1994 and 1995, Morris played for Great Britain in the IIIHF world championships where he played against both Team Canada and Russia. In the summer of 1996, Frank also played for the St. Louis Vipers in the North American Professional Roller hockey league. Cycling, initially began as a form of cross training has become Frank’s latest passion. Competing in races in the Scottish Cycling association has advanced his skills in a sport that he now loves as a means of satisfying his undying competitive spirit. Training and competing in 100 mile races is part of his life these days. In his early cycling days he organized and participated in a 2 week 984 mile cycling trip from John O’ Groats to Land’s End, a trip he has done 4 times now, helping to raise over £20,000 for the Children’s Hospice of Britain. His efforts and his knowledge of cycling tactics have earned him the respect of the entire Scottish Cycling community. Frank has two boys, Liam and Conor, both of whom compete in various sports but favour ice hockey. Coaching his boys, carrying out his duties as a primary school teacher and cycling keep him busy these days, but he does find time in the summer to return to Glengarry to visit and spend time with friends and family. As an inductee into the Sports Hall of Fame, Frank joins both his mother and his older brother Donnie who were inducted in 2000 and 2005 respectively. |
She joined the Master Bowlers of Ontario in the 80s as a teaching master and won a few provincial tournaments. Finding it hard to travel with the association and still run a business, she joined the Quebec association.
In 1989, she qualified for the first time on the TSN Bowling Series to represent Ontario at the National Championships, coming in second. That year she also qualified to represent Quebec at the Masters National Championships where she won her first gold medal, the Canadian Master 5 pin Women’s Championship. In 1990 she was chosen Female Athlete of the year at the Glengarry Sports Award dinner. In the following years, Joanne qualified four more times to represent Ontario on TSN as well as won the Ontario Provincial title in 1996. After taking a break from competition to raise her child, Joanne rejoined the tour in the elite Master Tournament division winning a silver medal in 2005 as well as gold medals in 2006, 2007 and 2008 as part of the Ontario Ladies Team. She was also on this team in 2009. Joanne has been part of the Ottawa Valley contingent at the Provincial level for seventeen years, sixteen years with the Ladies team and 1 year with the mixed team. She was a singles representative for 13 of those years. In 1985, she and her brother Alain bought the family bowling business. Ten years later, her husband Mario became her partner and they ran the alley until it closed in 2009. This past year, Joanne has taken a year off, bowling in only one league with her husband, son, and brothers in Cornwall. But, her plan is to return to competition in the near future as she misses the road trips with her brother, Bernie, as well as the many good friends made as she travelled throughout Canada to the various tournaments. With a lifetime average of 248 and a High Single of 448, two shy of a perfect game, Joanne competes against her husband Mario and her only son Julien, also a competitive bowler who has his own list of achievements, not the least of which being the only member of the Menard bowling family to bowl a perfect 5 pin game, a feat he accomplished last year. Her nephew, Guy, was the first of the family to bowl a perfect 10 pin game, again last year. It seems that the First Family of Bowling in Alexandria is in good hands for the next generation. Joanne presently works at the Alexandria Dental Clinic, at a job she enjoys and one whose hours allow her to continue with her passion of 5 pin bowling. |
At its peak with a skilled rider, it can respond smoothly performing precision movements that appear effortless, a veritable ballet on horseback. Most of us have seen some classical dressage, most probably with the famous Lipizzaner stallions. Susan moved to Canada in the mid 1960s, bringing with her a passion and an unusual talent. Commuting from Montreal, she spent her weekends at John Peters’ farm in Lancaster where she indulged her passion for riding. When the opportunity came in 1970, she and her husband jumped at the chance to buy Hopewell Farm on the 7th Concession of Lancaster. It was here that Susan’s passion and career really took off.
Susan was instrumental in Glengarry’s 4-H horse club in the early 1970s, hosting numerous events and founding the Glengarry Area Dressage Group. A virtually unknown sport then, dressage today is the most popular adult equestrian event in Glengarry as in most of the world. Much of Glengarry and Canada owe their exposure to the sport and excellence in its execution to Susan Rothgeb. In the mid 1970s finding herself in Kuwait, Susan seized the chance to train in Europe. Returning to Canada, she achieved her greatest success as a rider with her horse Pegasus Playboy. Together this dynamic team won repeated advanced level championships in Ontario, Quebec and much of the northeastern U.S. Her success was hard fought as she dedicated 8 or 9 hours a day to training and riding on top of managing a world class breeding farm. She was also sought after by many young European riders who came to train with her. Hopewell Farm and Susan Rothgeb can boast of breeding one of the top 50 dressage horses in the world as well as a horse in the RCMP’s famed musical ride. Since the 1970s dressage riders in Canada can thank Susan for the evolution of the sport. In the Canadian equestrian world Susan Rothgeb’s name is synonymous with dedication, success and passion. Her success as a rider is nearly legendary and her dedication has impacted significantly on the sport. In the early 1980s Susan mastered the requirements for international judging and has spent the last 25 years judging international level shows in Canada, the U. S. and abroad, often participating in judging Olympic and Pan American Games qualifying events. She continues to coach and teach and many of her students go on to compete nationally and internationally with some of them named to the Canadian Equestrian Team. Today Susan is the immediate past Chair of Dressage Canada and the current Chair of the High Performance Committee, the management arm that supports the Canadian Olympic Dressage Team. She has two children, Robert and Elizabeth, and 5 grandchildren. Her first great grandchild is expected this August. Essentially Susan has had two careers, one as a rider and teacher and one as a judge. She has excelled in both. The highlight of her riding career was the Olympic trials in 1958, and that of her judging career was the judging of an International competition in Germany in the late 1990s. As Susan puts it, “I’ve been very lucky in my career and it’s not over yet.” |
In 1995 with Alexandria hosting the Lady Gilmore Mixed Division, Joan was on the team skipped by Kaye Hay (with France and Gilles Hurtubise) that won the Centre Mixed Trophy against teams as far away as Brownsburg.
In 1996, she skipped her Alexandria team (Peggy Lafave, Sue Derby and Helen Macleod) to win the Ford Pratt Grand Aggregate Shield of the Ottawa Ladies Crystal Pebble Bonspiel, a week long event with over 100 teams competing, after having won the Royal Trust Event trophy earlier in the same day. This remarkable accomplishment was reflected in The Ottawa Citizen’s Sports headline the following day, “Ryan’s rink rocks the Pebble.” Joan also became an energetic volunteer in the club, pouring that same energy into work off the ice, spending untold hours organizing bonspiels and running kitchen events to help fundraise for the club. In 1978-80 she was elected Ladies president and Club President in 1985-87. Over the years she has served in just about every club position. Joan set the bar high in her dedication to the club, a dedication that was recently acknowledged when a friend and fellow curler nominated her as the “Outstanding Sportswoman of the Year” at the 1st Annual Journée de la Femme held recently in Alexandria. In her nomination, Joan was referred to as “being the heart and drive “of the club, a remarkable woman, a role model” who inspires her friends and curling mates to contribute their best efforts to the club and their fellow curlers. Joan’s composure, a quality she was recognized for as a skip, has been tested recently as she has battled health issues having had two operations in 2008 to correct aneurysms behind her eyes. While on the mend from these, she has also had knee surgery. While these operations have kept Joan off the ice for several years now, she is looking forward to returning to curling this fall. A fellow curler, Susan Derby, notes that these past two years at the club have been quieter with her absence; she can feel the difference in the atmosphere without Joan. Outside the club, Joan plays golf at least once a week and has also been a member of the St. Raphael’s Ruins Committee for the past 15 years as it fundraises to restore the National Historic Site. Joan and her husband John lived in Alexandria for many years where they owned Ryex Holdings, a business they sold in 1995. This November they will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. They have two daughters, Charlene and Debbie, both of whom were junior curlers. Charlene went to the provincial play downs in Ottawa in the late 90s. They also have 3 grandchildren. They have lived in South Lancaster now for more than 25 years, but when they moved Joan never considered switching clubs even though there is one close to her home. As Joan explains, the Alexandria Curling Club “is my home away from home, and this is where I am among my dearest friends.” Joan Ryan passed away on December 10th, 2012. |
