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Continued from page 3 Miranda says that friends and neighbours drop by with their skates and crockpots of food, and they make a fun day of it. Taylor says it’s been “so much fun” to have her friends over to skate and play pick up hockey games. Brookin is happy that she has had the opportunity to learn how to skate. Lance said that he received almost 100 requests for an ice rink in 2014 -the 10th year that he has spear- headed this charitable project. He got emails from as far and wide as Canmore, Alberta to Kenora and parts inbetween. “It usually comes down to two or three families who need a hand up,” Lance said. He chooses an ap- plicant whose letter “tugs at his heart strings.” The winter of 2014-15 has been perfect weather for an outdoor rink, Lance pointed out. “Snow is the mortal enemy of ice,” he explained, because it freezes, causing bumps. Mild days lead to melting which ruins the NHL logos embedded into the ice. Weatherwise, with the constant freezing tem- peratures, Lance added that, “This is the best year we have ever had in a decade.” Appreciation should go out to all of the donors and volunteers who helped with the ice rink project, Lance noted. Ron Schell of Schell Lumber in Stouffville donated the wood. Pat Higgins of Uxbridge Canadian Tire donat- ed the hockey nets, and a Mississauga company, Hind- spergers, donated “excellent tarps.” Lance grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, where building backyard rinks was part of winter fun. Now a resident of Uxbridge, Lance formerly resided. in Port Perry where he “met the love of his life” his wife Andrea (nee Bowder.) He’s a strong supporter of North Durham Big Brothers Big Sisters, and he likes helping make life better for children. This year, Lance was honoured to be chosen to re- ceive one of Canadian Tire’s 2015 Great Canadian Hos- ers awards, for his charitable work building ice rinks for families. But Lance’s biggest reward is seeing the bright smiles on the faces of the Grills family and their friends, as they enjoy skating around and stick handling the puck, ona sunlit Saturday afternoon. By Lynn Campbell Focus on Scugog The Grills children, Taylor, 15, Deegan, 6 and Brooklin, 10, with their parents, back left, Matt and Miranda and Lance Brown of CTV Sports. 4 FOCUS - APRIL 2015 Photo by J. Peter Hvidsten