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www.insidehaliton.com | MILTON CANADIAN CHAMPION | Thursday, December 22, 2016 | 18 By Steve LeBlanc CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF Fund donations to the Milton Minor Hockey Association and North Halton Twisters, Tara Slone departs the stage to a waiting group of eager fans â€" smartphones in hand ready to snap some photos. One of them presents her with a rather amusâ€" ing picture of herself and a mascot from years | ago. This type of interaction â€" said the Rogers Hometown Hockey coâ€"host â€" isn‘t just speâ€" cial, it‘s humbling. "To see the commitment to the commuâ€" nity means a lot," said Slone, referring to the 25,000 pounds of food Milton Minor Hockey Hundreds Iined up to get their photos taken with hockey‘s holy grail, including longtime | fan Betti Fairley. Having just announced Scotiabank‘s Legacy | collected for the Salvation Army in conjuncâ€" | tion with the muchâ€"anticipated visit from Rogers Hometown Hockey. "If not for these authentic experiences, this (job) would be a grind. I‘m so indebted to them (fans)." Milton Sports Centre‘s parking lot was transâ€" formed into a hockey village this past weekâ€" end â€" complete with an appearance by the Stanley Cup. "I saw it at the old hall of fame at the Ex (Caâ€" nadian National Exhibition), but haven‘t seen | it since," she said. "Oh my.. been in the ‘60s." . that must have | | | | | Hometown Hockey ‘Must‘ feature. . "I was terrified," admitted the Hometown and Monique Sullivan. "I‘ve done a lot of different things, but rarely something that | frightening. It‘s pretty intimidating." Enjoying an early photo session with the Cup were the Twisters C novices, whose eyes lit up as they packed around and smiled at a throng of snapping smartphones. "I was so happy, I‘ve never seen the Stanley Cup before," said Ava Lounsbury. Added Twisters President Lindsey Oliver, "This is really exciting and it‘s great exposure for the Twisters." Mike Boit â€" one of the Keepers of the Cup â€" said the reactions from young and old hockey lovers alike never gets old. "They‘re like a kid in a candy store, and it‘s (Stanley Cup) candy for every hockey fan." Among Rogers‘ Sunday evening broadcastâ€" ing package was a tribute video to fourâ€"time Stanley Cup champion John Tonelli â€" recentâ€" | ly inducted into the first class of the Milton | Sports Hall of Fame â€" and a segment with Slone riding the velodrome as part of her Part of a 24â€"stop coastâ€"toâ€"coast tour, Rogers Hometown Hockey featured a Mardi Grasâ€" calibre celebration of Canada‘s game â€" with | everything from a hockey circus show and giant foosball games to autograph signings with former Maple Leaf greats Darry! Sittler, Rick Vaive and Darcy Tucker. Modernâ€"day star Comnnor McDavid also got into the autograph act â€" sort of â€" through a virtual autograph signing area in the Rogers‘ | Fan Hub. | "I didn‘t know what to expect. This is quite | Clockwise from top left, Winterhawks‘ Quinn James takes part in the trick shot competition. Mike Webb and daughter Emma play a giant foosball game. The Twisters‘ C novices get their photo taken with the Stanley Cup. Fans take in Rogers Hometown Hockey coâ€"host Tara Slone‘s hotâ€"stove chat with former Maple Leafs Darcy Tucker and Darryl| Sittler. Slone and Scotiabank‘s Quinn Waller (far right) present $7,500 cheques to Twisters and Milton Minor Hockey Association presidents Lindsey Oliver and Malcolm Kelly. Franki Ikeman / Special to the Champion | Milton takes national stage via Hometown Hockey tivities with good friend Kevin MacLennan, | whom he met when their boys starting playâ€" Hockey coâ€"host, who made it up the. track | with guidance from Olympians Steve Bauer | ing hockey together. Added MacLennan, "This is great seeing peoâ€" ple coming together, the community aspect of it." Part of Saturday‘s slate of events was presentâ€" ing sponsor Scotiabank‘s $7,500 donations to Milton Minor Hockey and the Twisters, which followed a Hometown Hockey jersey unveilâ€" ing by the Winterhawks ‘A‘ atoms â€" the top collecting team during the association‘s food drive. "To see all this come together, it‘s overwhelmâ€" ing," said MMHA President Malcolm Kelly. Calling the opportunity to be part of that type of presentation a privilege, Slone said | she, Ron MacLean and the Hometown Hockâ€" impressive," said Harry Niemi, who has three | | sons playing hockey. "There‘s lots of neat stuff for the kids." Not to mention those who felt like a kid again while exploring the makeshift villages and participating in numerous activities. "I‘m having a ball... except for the freezing," quipped Richard Johnston, taking in the fesâ€" ey crew (including Miltonian Rod McLachlan) have two key objectives at any given stop along the tour. "One is that everyone that comes out has a good experience, and from the broadcasting side we hope when people see the package they say ‘Yes, they did good by us For more photos, see page 44 Dr. Crlstma Stlrcu gzflw,@aam ’l/\/\ Phone: 905â€"203â€"0624 Toll Free: 1â€"877â€"669â€"1220 497 Laurier Avenue, Unit #9, Milton, ON L9T 3K8 (Location is adjacent to Total Health Pharmacy, across from Food Basics) Monâ€"Tue: 9â€"5, Wedâ€"Thur: 12â€"7, Fri: 9â€"1, Aiternate Sat: 9â€"1 "%flTdalHea'm | other Languages Spoken: Arabic, Urdu, Vietnamese 497 LAURIER (ACROSS FROM émm-mmm-m:w 363 MAIN STREET EAST, MILTON « 289â€"878â€"5805 www.thebarndoorstudio.com «* infobarndoorstudio@gmail.com