 | When Willy Wise packed up the team and moved them to Newmarket, Cornwall lost an important part of its identity and soul. I have missed attending junior hockey games and supporting our beloved Cornwall Royals. A career change has brought me to Windsor and I am very much looking forward to the start of the Windsor Spitfires season.
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Windsor - September 6, 2012 - Growing up in Cornwall, Ontario, I was a huge fan of the Cornwall Royals. I enjoyed following the team both when they played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and in the Ontario Hockey League. It was a great ride to watch them win back to back Memorial Cups in the early 1980’s, with the likes of Dale Hawerchuk, Doug Gilmour, Dan Daoust and more.
When Willy Wise packed up the team and moved them to Newmarket, Cornwall lost an important part of its identity and soul. I have missed attending junior hockey games and supporting our beloved Cornwall Royals. A career change has brought me to Windsor and I am very much looking forward to the start of the Windsor Spitfires season.
Yesterday, I read a great article in Windsor This Week about how Spits Coach Bob Boughner has raised over one million dollars for local charities since 1995. As the story reported, “The Spitfires coach has donated his time and effort to numerous causes and charities including the United Way, John McGivney Children's Centre and Victim Services of Windsor and Essex County.”
Yesterday, the Spitfires also announced that their Foundation has now raised and donated over $235,000 to support many worthy, local charities. Combine that number with the efforts of Boughner, and collectively the total support for Windsor is pushing close to $1,250,000, in a very short period of time. Very impressive indeed!
Beyond their outstanding fundraising efforts, the actual existence of the Windsor Spitfires is a great asset for Windsor. I had the opportunity to visit the WFCU Centre yesterday and it is a first class facility. This facility is one that rivals any other such building in the province and provides a great venue for the community to host many events other than Spits games.
The early exposure that I have had to the team has shown me the team’s collective commitment to professionalism. I have been impressed with the team’s Season ticket packages, media releases, souvenirs, and community events - in the few short months that I have been here.
Hosting a major junior team is a great Economic Development tool for any community, especially when the team is as strong as the Spitfires - both on and off the ice. How many times is the city of Windsor mentioned on national television, radio or print? Further, many NHL broadcasts will mention that Taylor Hall, Adam Henrique and others are graduates of the Windsor Spitfires.
As a newcomer to Windsor and a parent of a little boy who will take advantage of the wonderful services at John McGivney Children's Centre, I would like to say thank you to Bob Boughner and the Windsor Spitfires for their collective commitment to my new community.
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