Page4 Friday, March 9, 1979 CASTOR REVIEW Sports When you're a columnist you get to decide what is sports and what isn't. This issue I've decided that my recent trip to Florida will fall under the heading of "recreation'"' and to me that means sports. Although I'm still young and have many miles of the world to see I still suffer from Fedupimus of the Northus Maximus. I hate the cold. Sure I'm energetic and youthful and can handle our cold Canadian winters but just the same there comes a time when a vacation is in order. So fans, last month I packed up my gear, stowed up my be- longings, weaseled my mother's van away from her and departed to, the sunny south, frigid toes and all. Some softies plane it down to the South but not this corres- pondent, oh no. I drove down. 1,600 miles there, 1,600 miles back. Yessir, the outdoorsman in me wouldn't much favor me flying down to Florida. Well it started off on the right foot. We left Ottawa at around 9 p.m. The first night I drove to Scranton, PA., about 450 miles from Ottawa. I could have driven much further, I wasn't tired but the heater in the van is not working too well so I stopped driving when I could no longer feel the tips of my toes, the end of my nose or much of the rest of my body. To put it bluntly I froze my butt off so I pulled in to Scranton at6a.m. The motel clerk looked at me and my freezing party and said gleefully. "Canadians eh? Cold?". With much of my cerebellum and medulla oblong- ata chilled I replied '"'No, no cold, I just have a stuttering Peter Van Dusen Southern fried in Orangeland problem and when I stutter my whole body shakes." It worked and he showed us to our room. I turned on the T.V. and it was so good to see Johnny Carson's warm California face on the screen. A tingle worked it's way up my back and quickly forced the shiver out of my spine. The following afternoon I packed up my stuff and made the 20 hour drive to Jacksonville, Fla. As we got further and further south we peeled off pound after pound of sweaters, coats, T-shirts and _flannell long-sleeve shirts. Our first stop in Florida was Daytona. Miles of sandy beach- es. While I was pushing my van out of three inches of sand you were digging you're car out of nine inches of snow. It felt so good to see cars without rust. I spent the afternoon body surfing in six-foot waves on the Atlantic Ocean, I ate sea food, collected sea shells by the sea shore and wined and dined under the starry coast. Or was I just wining and the coast became all starry. Anyway. Next stop was Ft. Lauderdale. The world capital of fun. People in that city do only one thing, waste time. To people in Ft. Lauderdale, turning from the stomach to the back to steal sun rays is a hard day's work. There are many Canadians in Florida. I say we should proclaim Florida the 11th pro- vince of Canada. At least that way our dollar would trade at a par down there. One place we stopped a clerk looked at my ten dollar bill and asked if Sir John A. MacDonald was a Canadian movie star. I said no but Rene Simard plays monopoly. I didn't pass go and I didn't collect 200 dollars. The point is some places won't accept Canadian money. I can hardly accept it either. After 7 days in the glorious south we started home. At Winchester, Va., the van broke down. When it broke down I broke down. The people with me broke down. When the Ford dealer said the repairs would cost $200 I had a breakdown relapse. When he said I would be stuck in Winchester for two days I had re-breakdown relapse compounded by malnutrition of the pocketbook. I wired for more money and eventually made it home in time to be four hours late for work. I didn't even get a tan... but I did get burned occasionally. Russell Minor Hockey newsletter By Pat Flynn Your Russell Minor Hockey Association is approaching the end of a season which we all hope will be concluded in an operation- ally and financially successful manner. To elaborate, I think a resume is in order of how your Associat- ion was operated this year and what we hope we have achieved and will accomplish before year's end. The figures you are about to read are approximate but none- theless revealing, I think, in how we have done from a fiscal point of view. Initially, we were saddled with a $4,000.00 loan from the Russell Recreation Association which immediately was dissipated by approximately the same amount! incurred as a debt from the 1977-78 year. We then had to borrow an additional $2,000.00 from the Recreation Association in order to commence operating. Thus we started our year $6,000.00 in debt. Through Regist- ration, dances, bingos, raffles, bottle drives and other activities we paid off this obligation before December 31, 1978. We would like at this time to publicly thank the Embrun Co-op and John Ritchie at the Four Corners Confection- ery for their invaluable assist- ance in helping us dispose of the bottles from this drive. In addit- ion we paid approximately a- nother $5,000.00 in ice time, officials' fees, equipment, clinics, etc. from October to December 31st, 1978. It becomes apparent then that your Russell Minor Hockey Association executive were not sitting on their hands and quite frankly we are rather proud of our community in these projects to date. We have three final events to conclude our season and they are: -- A March Break Tournament, details of which will be published. Incidentally a Raffle will be conducted in conjunction with the Tournament and Bake Sales on the week-ends. -- An Easter Bingo featuring Turkey, Hams and cash prizes will take place at 8:00 p.m. on March 26, 1979 in the Arena Hall. -- A dance at the Arena Hall featuring the Russell Old Time G. J. (Gerry) O'Reilley TROPHIES & AWARDS for all occasions SEE OUR DISPLAY ROOM Tel. 445-2008 TEL. 445-5041 PROFESSIONAL SKATE CARE CENTER (CUSTOM RADIUS) GORD'S SKATE SHARPENING RUSSELL ARENA Mon.-Fri. 7-10 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 9-2:30 p.m. Band entertaining you from 8:30 to 1:00 p.m., on April 6th, 1979. There will also be a Bar and refreshments. These final events are required in order to raise the necessary funds to pay ice time from January | to the end of the hockey season and to defray other expenses, officials, etc. So we again ask you earnestly to support these functions so that Minor Hockey can re-establish a fiscal operating base for the re- mainder of the season. Operationally, we think this has been a good year for the young people of our area, partic- ipating in Minor Hockey. As you all know a two-tier system was inaugrated this year which permitted all players, except the Novice Division, to play competitive hockey. This not only benefited the boys from a competitive view point but gave them, we hope, comparable ice time throughout the _ season. Some of our teams have been out- classed in their division and we are especially proud of the manner in which they have come out game after game regardless of the fact that they knew they were playing against better opposition. We commend also the parents of these young people who supported these teams all year. For these parents we do not have a ready answer to the solution of this type of problem. As you know this is the first year this two tier system was attempt- ed and all in all it has been reasonably successful. I am sure your new executive for 1979-80 will have a look at this situation and try to make corrections to our systems so that all teams are competitive. Currently, or by the time this is in print, we will have represent- ation in the play-offs in all divisions, and we hope that as many community minded people as possible will come out to see these final games. Our Banquet and Awards Night will be held this year on Tuesday, May Ist. Details will be forthcom-, ing as quickly as all plans are finalized. Metcalfe and District Hockey The regular season games for all competitive teams in the C.D.M.H.L. have now been completed. All Metcalfe and District "'A"' and "B"' division teams obtained a play-off spot and will be competing in the semi-finals. The house league will be winding up their season on March 24. The Metcalfe and District Hockey Association will be hosting the 1979 O.D.M.H.A. '"'Tournament of Champions" for Pee Wee "'A", Atom '"*A", Atom '"'C" and Pee Wee "C" divisions on March 31st from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Metcalfe Arena. The teams competing in this final tournament will be playing for the Branch Championship Banner for each division to display in their home arena. Teams will be from all over eastern Ontario and will be the finest in their respective divisions. This should be a fine display of what minor hockey is all about. We invite all those interested in minor hockey to come out and support us and these teams. Following this tournament, the Association is holding a wind-up dance in the Metcalfe Arena Hall and we hope to have a good crowd in attendance. Tickets are now available from all executive and coaches. The Association executive is requesting assistance from players and parents involved in our association regarding administration of the association. We have prepared a questionnaire with ten questions we feel are pertinent to our operations and request any additional comments you have which you feel will improve our hockey program. Forms are available from all coaches and completed forms can be dropped off at the arena office. This is your chance to make your feelings known! Thank you for your support. See you at the arena! RA news By Garey Ris Some good hockey is coming your way with Russell hosting the minor hockey tournament at the Dr. Frank Kinnaird Community Centre from March 19 to 25. Local atom, pee wee, bantam, and midget teams will compete in this event. Thanks to the Russell Old-Time Hockey Association for supplying the wood to rebuild the benches in the dressing rooms. Danny Thompson, arena man- ager, would like to hear from the people of Russell with suggest- ions for summer programs to be held at the arena. Two ideas are roller-skating and tennis. There must be sufficient interest for either of these programs to be run. Upcoming events include the Old-Time Music Makers dance on March 16, teen dance featuring the disco sounds of M and M Disco of Ottawa on March 23, minor hockey Bingo on March 26, Fleuriste Nation Flowers Elmirador Shopping Centre, Exit 417, Limoges Monday to Thursday: 9:00 to 5:00 Friday: 9:00 to 9:00 Saturday: 9:00 to 5:00 Owner: Philippe Robert Funeral Home Limited President Philippe Robert Vice-President Danny Lafleur Old-Timers hockey tournament and dance on April 5 and 7 and a minor hockey dance on April 6. Ice will be removed as of April 12 so take advantage of it while you have -- skating every Saturday from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday from 2p.m. to3p.m. Special thanks goes out to all the people involved in the clean- ing and maintenance of the arena and arena hall. This includes as- sistant manager Dave Robinson, former lead hand Albert Ris and present lead hand Rick Corneau. Part-time help was provided by Mike Edmundson, Mike and Pat Ruest, Kirk and Heather Rothen- burger, Brian Stewart and Nancy Flay, Alex Hayward, Rick Mor- row, Daniel Laframboise, John Eastman for a job well done. Tourney cancelled The South Carleton Intermed- iate Hockey League Tournament scheduled to take place during late February had to be postpon- ed due to lack of sufficient number of teams. Tournament officials were hoping for 16 teams but only 9 indicated an interest in attending. It was hoped that the tournament could be held in early April but the unavailability of ice- time at the Dr. Frank Kinnaird arena is causing problems and organizers indicate that they may be forced to cancel this year's tournament altogether.