The Citizen, 2016-01-07, Page 1INSIDE
THIS WEEK:
YEAR IN REVIEW - Pg. 6
The Citizen' looks back on
the year that was
FuTSAI. - Pg. 9
Local soccer team
triumphs in Niagara
4-H - Pg. 11
Huron 4-H hands out
annual awards
Publications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON NOG 1H0
C1t1Z
Volume 32 No. 1
n
WELCOME TO
BINT H
$1.25 GST included
Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, January 7, 2016
Blyth team wins its first-ever Church Cup
He shoots, he scores!
Thanks to the efforts of the entire team, as well as five great
shooters and one great goalie in the shoot-out, Blyth's team
at the fifth annual Church Cup Hockey Tournament was
able to bring home the titular hardware from the event. The
tournament, hosted at the Blyth and District Community
Centre on Dec. 28, was decided by a shootout which all came
down to the above soon -to -be -goal. The tournament opened with
a contest between Blyth and Wingham, which ended with a 2-0
score in favour of Blyth, and ended here with this final shootout
goal to propel Blyth over Mitchell in the final. (Denny Scott photo)
Blyth firefighters honoured for service
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
The Fire Department of North
Huron (FDNH) had a lot to celebrate
at a special meeting held at the
Wingham fire hall on Monday with
several firefighters being recognized
for their service as well as funding
for new apparatus being received.
In a special ceremony led by
FDNH Chief David Sparling, three
Blyth firefighters were recognized
for their decades of service to the
department and several other
firefighters were recognized for their
life-saving efforts two years ago.
Prior to recognizing the
firefighters for their accolades,
Sparling explained that when the
FDNH was formed approximately
six years ago, there was a problem
with personnel files and all the
firefighters' start dates had defaulted
to 2010. It had made it difficult to
provide recognition for the years
that individual firefighters had put in
as the recognition comes from the
provincial government and requires
accurate records to apply for the
medals the firefighters receive.
Through work by Deputy -Chief
Chad Kregar, the files were restored
and three FDNH firefighters, all
from Blyth, received their 20 -year
commendation during the meeting.
Deputy -Chief Matt Townsend and
Captains Russ Nesbitt and Paul Kerr
were all recognized for their more
than 60 years of collective service to
the FDNH and the earlier fire
services it represents.
Sparling explained that the
average volunteer firefighter in the
province works for five to seven
years before life commitments
require them to stop volunteering.
He went on to say that to have that
kind of experience in the FDNH is
fantastic.
Sparling also presented
certificates to five firefighters from
the FDNH's Wingham hall who
responded to a life-threatening
situation in Wingham in mid -2014.
Those recognized were: Deputy -
Chief Chad Kregar, Captain Kent
Readman, Kyle Vollmer, Nick
Frischknecht and Eric Mulholland.
The actions of the firefighters and
Huron County EMS responders
were able to save an individual's life
and Sparling was honored to
recognize the five firefighters for
their efforts.
Sparling also announced, during
the presentation that the FDNH had
been successful in applying to the
Trillium Insurance Recognizing Our
Opportunity To Support (ROOTS)
program for funds to address rural
firefighting issues.
Sparling explained that, through
borrowing techniques and technical
data regarding fire truck water
Continued on page 19
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
The fifth annual Church Cup was
held on Dec. 28 at the Blyth and
District Community Centre and for
the first time in the tournament's
history, the coveted cup stayed in
Blyth.
The tournament brought together
teams from Blyth, Wingham,
Mitchell, Thamesview and
Monkton, and all welcomed players
from around their areas to compete
together.
While there was the cup for the
winning team, organizer Kathy
Douglas said that the real goal was
to have everyone enjoy themselves.
"The real competition was to
make it fun and fair, rather than to
win," she said.
The tournament brought together
players from as young as five years
old to 15 and from all experience
levels, including players who had
spent most of their life playing
hockey to those who were literally
enjoying their first game.
"We encouraged skilled players to
take a step back and try to help their
teammates enjoy the game by
passing and helping them where
they could," Douglas said.
This year, players were treated to
a lunch provided by the competing
churches, with each providing a pot
of chili, as well as hot dogs provided
and prepared by the Blyth United
Church Women.
Players also received a treat bag
that was provided through
fundraising done by the Blyth
United Church Sunday School.
"Everyone who was included in
the event got a gift bag," Douglas
said. "Even if they didn't get on the
ice."
Teams were separated into 'A' and
B' divisions to determine who
would play in the finals for the
match.
The round-robin ended with Blyth
earning a win and a loss, Wingham
with two losses and Monkton with
two wins on the 'A' side and
Mitchell with two wins,
Thamesview with two losses and
Clinton with a win and a loss on the
'B' side.
From there, Blyth played off
against Thamesview and managed a
win before going on to face
Monkton, whom they also beat, to
get into the championship finals
On the `B' side, Clinton and
Wingham faced off with Clinton
earning a win before playing against
Mitchell, however Mitchell took the
win in that match to play against
Blyth in the championship.
After playing to a draw through
regulation time, Blyth and Mitchell
went to a shootout which Blyth won
to take the cup.
Douglas explained that the
tournament's inception came about
as part of her job as a youth
Continued on page 9