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Huron Expositor, 2014-09-10, Page 1516 Huron Expositor • Wednesday, September 10, 2014 Team Canada 1972 launches legacy project Steph Smith Goderich Signal Star If you're under the age of 40, chances are you've heard the impact of the hockey series between Team Can- ada and the Soviet national team from at least one fam- ily member who was old enough to remember it. "Anyone who was alive to see the game has a real emo- tional connection to it," said Bayfield resident Steve Rock, director of sales and market- ing for 1972 Summit Series Hockey Team Inc. On Aug. 27, more than four decades later, the team launched their 28,800 Pro- ject at a press conference in St. Catharines. The legacy venture is named after the number of seconds that were played in the eight - game series, as their way of giving back. The goal the project is to preserve memo- ries, teaching the lessons learned from 1972 for Cana- da's future generations, all the while giving back to their county that has continued to support them over the years. For the past couple of years, Rock has worked with Pat Stapleton, who wore #3 for Team Canada 1972, to put the corporation together. "For me to be involved in this is a huge privilege, we are really trying to promote the value of teamwork through what we're calling the 28,800 Project," Rock said. "While Paul Hender- son's goal was vital with only 34 seconds remaining in the last game, it was an eight game effort. It showed what can be accomplished when a team pulls together as Team Canada did, especially in Moscow when everyone had counted them out:' In September 1972, after NOTICE OF NOMINATION FOR OFFICE MUNICIPAL ELECTION 2014 NOTICE is hereby given to the Municipal Electors of the Municipality of Huron East that Nominations for the following offices: Mayor (1 elected at large) Deputy -Mayor (1 elected at large) 10 Councillors - 2 representing Brussels Ward 2 representing Grey Ward 2 representing McKillop Ward 2 representing Seaforth Ward 2 representing Tuckersmith Ward (Offices are for a four year term - commencing December 1, 2014) may be made by completing and filing in the office of the Clerk, 72 Main Street South, Seaforth, Ontario NOK IWO nominations on the prescribed form. Such nomination papers must be accompanied by the prescribed nomination filing fee of $200 for the position of Mayor and $100.00 for the position of Deputy Mayor and Councillor. The filing is payable in cash, certified cheque, money order or debit machine. A nomination must be signed by the candidate and may be filed in person or by an agent during regular business hours, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. up to September 11th, 2014 and on 'Nomination Day' September 12th, 2014 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. No person who proposes to be a candidate may solicit or accept contributions for election purposes; or incur expenses, until that person's nomination has been filed. A nomination must be certified by the Clerk, or designate, before such person becomes a certified candidate for the office for which they are nominated. In the event there are an insufficient number of certified candidates to fill all positions available, nominations will be reopened for the vacant positions only on Wednesday, September 17th, 2014, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. and such additional nominations, if required, may be filed in the office of the Clerk. Electors are hereby given notice that if a greater number of candidates are certified than are required to fill the said offices; an election will be held. Voting Day will be Monday, October 27th, 2014. Dated this 3td day of September, 2014 Brad Knight, CAO/Clerk Municipal Office, 72 Main Street South, Seaforth, Ontario. NOK 519-527-0160 years of negotiations, the eight -game Summit Series was created. It would become the first competi- tion in which professional NHL players represented a Canadian Team, and the first time that these players got to play the Soviet national team. "It was against the rules for hockey professional to compete in the Olympics," Rock said. "Russia found a loophole to send their best players by keeping their amateur status, with a lot of them serving army time. We got creamed every time, of course. Finally, Russia wanted better competition and wanted to play Canada's best - that's how this Sum- mit game got rolling." Rock said the series had a real unifying effect on Cana- dians. He said the Cold War was still going on and Que- bec separatism was very strong in '72. British diplo- mat James Cross and Deputy Premier and Minister of Labour of Quebec Pierre Laport were kidnapped by the FLQ in October 1970. Laport was murdered by the FLQ just seven days later, while Cross survived and was released on Dec. 3, 1970. "Hockey was always some- thing we were good at, many Canadian newspapers pre- dicted that Canada would win eight games straight," Rock said. "We won the first, but lost the second. By the time we got to Moscow, we had to win three of the four games. It was very dramatic and emotional for so many Canadians." Rock was in Grade 2 at in 1972. He said there aren't many things that seven year olds remember, but the moment Paul Henderson scored the game -winning goal is something that is still very vivid to him even today. "We all just jumped around, screaming and cheering," Rock said. Rock's teacher had man- aged to get a TV from the audio-visual department, one of those ones that were really high up on a metal stand. He said the whole country practically came to a stop to watch game eight Contributed photo Pat Stapleton (left), #3 jersey for Team Canada 1972, and director of sales and marketing for 1972 Summit Series Hockey Team Inc Steve Rock on a promo tour for Team Canada in Niagara on the Lake. being played. "I recently talked to my principal, I grew up in Essex and he's like retired now," Rock said. "He told me peo- ple from the community were bringing their TVs into the school so that every classroom had one to watch the game. I didn't know that at the time." Rock said that the Summit Series broke down a lot of walls and barriers, opening the opportunity for Europe- ans to play in the NHL. The bringing together of these 35 players from differ- ent NHL teams to create one unified Team Canada has left a lasting impression and an educational legacy that the coach, the 33 living members and the families of those who have passed now bring the nation in the form of the 28,800 Project. Photo courtesy www.teamcanada1972.ca Team Canada 1972 will be kicking things off with a ban- quet on Oct. 2 at the Holiday Inn Parkway Conference Centre in St. Catharines. Proceeds from the banquet will be going to the Niagara Children's Centre. As more events are announced, so will other charities. "All of the living players will be getting together for the first time in many years," Rock said. "The event is open to everyone. For any hockey fan, it's a real oppor- tunity to sit down to dinner with the people we consider to be our heroes." Tickets range in price, beginning at $225 for cock- tails and dinner. For more information or to purchase tickets, call Rock at 519-274- 2301. You can also visit www.teamcanada1972.ca to learn more.