Sporting personalities strut their stuff at awards banquet

Sporting personalities strut their stuff at awards banquet

From left are David Murphy

CORNWALL, Ontario – Over 50 area athletes, coaches and volunteers were honoured for their contribution and achievement in sport at the 49th annual Cornwall Lion’s Club sports awards dinner held at the Parkway Inn, on Wednesday evening.

“It’s an opportunity to say, ‘look what Cornwall has to offer, look at the talent that comes out of the city,’” said David Murphy, committee member and event master of ceremony. “The choices are never easy.”

Murphy explained that the majority of the winners are chosen through the different sports association they belong to. The Lion’s Club committee selects certain others, like the Jacques Richard winner, and along with RBC, the RBC Bursary winner.

Among others awards handed out, Lion’s Club sponsors a $250 bursary in honour of Bill Bray, a former lion’s club member who passed away. 

Some of the top winners of the evening included Jeremy Pike (football, RBC $1000 bursary); Austin Flannigan (badminton, Joe Assaly, Top Junior); Alex O’Reilly (hockey, Bill Bray Bursary $250) and Jenna Flannigan (baseball, Jacques Richard Trophy for Cornwall and Area’s top sports personality).

Flannigan has been a member of the Canadian Women’s Baseball Team for the past two seasons. Last summer she was a key member of Team Ontario and led her team to a gold medal victory over BC.

Guest speaker for the evening was John Hastings, member of the Canadian Nation Kayak Team, and has been a member of the RBC Olympian Program for more than three year. Hastings was the 2010 National Champion and finished 12th in the 2011 World Cup in overall ranking. He said the best advice he has ever received was the “winners never quit and quitters never win.”

“We’re really proud to be at the grass roots level and focusing on youth in the community,” said Johanne Delves, regional vice president, RBC.

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