CHEERS: To the Charlottetown Islanders whose improbable but thrilling playoff run reached game seven of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League semi-final Tuesday night against top-ranked Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. The Isles were given little chance against powerhouses Quebec City and Halifax in opening playoff rounds but surprised and delighted their fans and confounded the opposition with displays of skill, hard work, grit and determination. The loss Tuesday was disappointing as fans were hopeful of more exhilarating overtime wins at home - a regular item on their playoff menu this spring.
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The Isles could be even stronger when the new season starts in September.
JEERS: To the decision-makers who scheduled the Grade 9 junior (semi) prom for East Wiltshire and the Eliot River spring fling concert on the same night later this month. It leaves parents, family members and friends with a difficult decision of attending one or the other. In a number of cases, parents have children in both events. The spring fling is a key highlight on the calendar each year when Grade 6 students are all involved in this important class event - from cast members to building props and other supporting roles. The prom is also a highlight for junior high students graduating to Bluefield. A little co-ordination and communication between administrators at the two Cornwall and area schools could easily have avoided this May 31 head-to-head conflict.
CHEERS: To Northumberland Ferries Ltd. (NFL) for resuming operations for a new season May 1 between Wood Islands and Caribou. The company recently had its contract renewed for another two years as the federal government continues to grapple with a long-term plan to enhance service and bring a replacement vessel(s) into operation. Ottawa would be better off to deal directly with NFL on this plan instead of casting a wide contract net that has yielded few results.
CHEERS: To Paralympian Mark Arendz who delivered a keynote luncheon address at the 61st annual meeting of the Federation of P.E.I. Municipalities at the Dutch Inn in Cornwall last week. Mark brought some of his six medals from the Paralympics in PyeongChang, South Korea as part of his presentation. Arendz delivered an inspiring talk about persistence and setting and reaching goals, earning a standing ovation from delegates across the province. The three-time Paralympian was Canada’s flagbearer at the closing ceremonies and has become a popular speaker at area schools, hospitals and other events since returning home to Hartsville.
CHEERS: To all Islanders and group who are supporting the annual Women’s Institute Roadside Cleanup this Saturday, May 12 across Prince Edward Island. The cleanup is a key annual event to help clean up and protect our environment. There will be more locations to access the designated cleanup bags this year. The Department of Transportation, Infrastructure and Energy will provide the free, specially marked yellow bags through all Access P.E.I. locations in the province. The bags are also available at Island Waste Management Corporation (IWMC) locations. For large quantities, please use IWMC sites. The WI Roadside Cleanup has been taking place for 45 years. After the roadside clean up, transportation department staff will pick up the specifically marked bags for disposal starting May 14.
