North Island Gazette, June 14, 2012

Page 1

See inserts for PHSS Grad, Telegraph Cove Centennial inside

GAZETTE NORTH ISLAND

CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2012

Publications Mail Agreement No. 391275

46th Year No. 24

EDITORIAL Page 6

THURS., JUNE 14, 2012

LETTERS Page 7

www.northislandgazette.com NORTH ISLAND LIFE Page 12

SPORTS Page 13

PAGE 12 Oceans Day drew large crowds for activities, games on Port Hardy’s waterfront.

Newsstand $1.25 + HST CLASSIFIEDS Page 16-18

‘Port McNeill, it’s coming’

Crossing a threshold

Cole Kinley helps walking partner Janice Barnes to their waiting carriage following graduation ceremonies at Port Hardy Secondary School Saturday night. See more in this week’s keepsake insert and online at northislandgazette.com. J.R. Rardon

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J.R. Rardon Gazette editor PORT McNEILL—With just under eight minutes remaining in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals Monday night, the crowd at Gate House Community Theatre erupted in cheers. And that was for restoration of the satellite signal after it went down for about three minutes. But the biggest cheer of the night came when hometown hero Willie Mitchell hoisted the Cup and confirmed the speculation that has run rampant in the community for more than a week — that the Cup will be coming here. “I can’t wait to bring it back to B.C. and Vancouver Island,” Mitchell told CBC Television in an on-ice interview immediately after the L.A. Kings’ series-clinching, 6-1 home victory over the New Jersey Devils. “Port McNeill, it’s coming.” Mitchell, a 35-year-old veteran defenseman, was born and grew up in Port McNeill, and began his hockey career here. He hoisted the Stanley Cup for the first time while playing for his fifth NHL team — and after beating the team that initially drafted him into the NHL, in 1996. By tradition, each player on the winning team is granted 24 hours with the Cup. The moment was cheered by dozens of fans, ranging from schoolchildren and their families to Port McNeill Mayor Gerry Furney, at Gate House Theatre. The facility hurriedly activated its satellite system to display the last two games of Mitchell’s chase for the Cup on its 40-foot screen. “I just feel really good about the whole thing, having learned to skate at the same time Willie was

Willie Mitchell raises the Stanley Cup following the L.A. Kings’ victory Monday night. Getty Images starting to skate here at the arena,” said Furney. “Every day I was in there skating at noon hour, there was this little guy in the corner with his dad, shooting and passing pucks. “Hopefuly he’ll be skating around in that same arena with the Stanley Cup.” Seven-year-old Kai Verbrugge, who played hockey in Port McNeill’s novice program last season, livened proceedings at the theatre by dressing in a black suit jacket and white gloves and marching a replica cup down the aisle to place on the stage below the big screen. After the game he walked the cup around the corner to Timberland Sports Centre, owned by his

See page 4 ‘Mitchell returns’

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