And so the Year 2010 ends, and we conclude by continuing to talk about the power of speech, as it pertains to highlights of the year.
The 2010 Owen Sound Sports Hall of Fame Induction Night in May, as always, was a terrific night, and this year’s edition was somewhat unique in that 3 of the 4 inductees had previously passed.
The acceptance speeches that night delivered by Jean Thibodeau for her harness racing father, Allan Walker, and by Brandon McMillan for his father, Rooster, in lacrosse were terrific.
But the personal highlight was the acceptance speech from Erika Johnson for her daughter, Kimberley, a dominant basketball player at West Hill Secondary in Owen Sound who went on to star for the University of Toronto.
Live that night, and every time I saw the replay on Rogers TV, which was a lot, it never once failed to move me. It was that good…..
A few weeks later, after turning 50, my friends at Sauble Golf & Country and at the SMHLPA threw a surprise birthday party that was highly enjoyable.
Because I had a function the next morning, I didn’t have nearly as much fun as many others at the party that night, but it thought it was fitting, maybe poetic, when I got in my vehicle and the song on the radio was ” Small Town ” by John Cougar
And keeping with the power of words, to my friends who are all living very busy lives on their own yet took the time to put that night together, I say ” thank you “.
See you in 2011
I’m Fred Wallace