Young hockey players from the St. George Generals got the thrill of a lifetime when the Stanley Cup visited their arena on Saturday, accompanied by Canadian NHL alumnus Adam Graves.
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The visit stemmed from a new partnership between the NHL and Hyundai where Canadians were asked to nominate community drivers of hockey.
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Not only the literal drivers getting players to and from practice and games, but the folks who help make the sport a “special and rewarding experience,” said Christine Smith, Hyundai’s Canadian director of marketing.
Out of more than 100 submissions from across the country, Justine Timmermans of St. George won.
For years, Timmermans has been involved with the St. George Minor Hockey Association welcoming new families to the sport, Smith said.
“I thought she was deserved to be recognized,” Lisa Delaney, who nominated Timmermans, told The Spectator.
Delaney said she nominated her friend because “she does so much. She runs two teams, she helps out on the executive board. She is a billet for two out-of-town kids, all while being a mom to four boys, and running a farm.”
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The excitement was palpable on Saturday, as a small group of family and friends gathered at Brantford Hyundai for an intimate ceremony.
Dave Shoots, owner of the local car dealership, said he only found out a month ago that the Cup would be visiting his location.
“We’re fortunate to have it,” Shoots said. “This is a hockey town, so it’s pretty exciting.”
Graves — a retired hockey player who won the Cup twice in his career — helped to present it on behalf of the NHL.
“I benefited from people like you that allowed me to play minor hockey,” Graves told Timmermans.
Following the presentation, Timmermans was permitted to take the Cup wherever she wanted, followed by an NHL camera crew.
Her first stop? The arena in St. George to celebrate with the association. “Then it’s going to go to my house for family pictures and a little party,” Timmermans told The Spectator.
“It was so nice to walk into that room to their cheers and excitement,” Timmermans wrote about heading into the arena in an Instagram post following her VIP weekend. “It was just the best day.”
Celeste Percy-Beauregard is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter based at the Hamilton Spectator. The initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
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