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Sixty-five grand reasons to celebrate

Wayland and a supportive group of its Phase I and Phase II expansion contractors brought an early $65,550 Christmas present to the Langton Skating Club (LSC) and Langton and Area Minor Hockey Association (LAMHA) Thursday, Dec. 20 at the Langton & Area Arena.

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Fabulous day here at Langton,” said Langton Skating Club’s Michele Docker of an unexpected and unexpectedly-generous windfall. “Overwhelmed with joy and really appreciative of the donation we got today.

Distroscale

It’s going to go a long way to help the kids in the community and keep our club going strong.”

The donation continued a Wayland (formerly known as Maricann) Christmas tradition established two years ago with a combined $10,000 corporate and employee gift to the Salvation Army. Last year the company, its employees, contractors and suppliers upped the ante by over 350 per cent to a massive $35,750 donation shared between the LSC and LAMHA. This year, the running total ($111,300) crushed the $100,000 mark by close to doubling that courtesy of a combined 2018 corporate/contractor contribution.

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I don’t know if we can keep increasing it by that much every year,” laughed Wayland Manager, Global Infrastructure/Occupational Health & Safety Supervisor Kelly Cober, who coordinates the effort as one offshoot of Vice President of Infrastructure Jeff Ayotte’s stated commitment to being a good corporate and community citizen in Wayland’s own backyard. “We may have to try and maintain where we’re at.”

Status quo would be more than acceptable, if not taken for granted by back-to-back recipients balancing gratitude with surprise.

It’s very unexpected, we were shocked with the donation amount from last year and wouldn’t even believe that it would be coming to us again this year, let alone an increase from what both clubs received,” said Langton and Area Minor Hockey Association president Kendell Zajac.
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It’s complete shock,” she reiterated, expressing her thanks for Wayland’s support of area youth. “We are very, very happy and very appreciative with all they have given us.
It will go a long way, that’s for sure.”

The LAMHA is a small club, says Zajac, where every penny counts.

With another large donation we are able to give back more to the kids whether it’s more ice time, whether it’s more development, whether it’s lowering registration costs.”

Off the top of her head, Zajac indicated updated jerseys, continuing Let’s Play Langton, keeping registration costs down for younger ages, player development at all ages such as skating coaches or shooting clinics as potential funding targets.

Speaking on behalf of Langton Minor Hockey, it’s more than what we could ever imagine. Getting it two years in a row is absolutely unbelievable – thank you.”
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Docker began skating in Langton as a three-year-old, recalling loading up the family vehicle and ‘driving from Port Rowan in a snowstorm for 6 a.m. practice’ with fondness. Her love for the sport continued as a gold test skater and subsequently a professional coach for the past 30 years, where she and her compatriots enjoy being some small part of a child’s life and development.

Every time they pass a test, or land a jump, or do a good spin, you just see them light up.”

With an ongoing passion for skating and Langton’s club, Docker found herself overwhelmed, excited and at a loss to adequately thank Wayland and its contractors.

Words escape me right now how thrilled we are,” she concluded. “It’s almost unheard of in our area or in any area that we get that kind of a donation out of the blue, no letters go out, no nothing, it’s just here you go, put it to good use.
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It’s really, really heartwarming.”

Cober says the fact both clubs gave a thorough accounting of how last year’s donation was allocated, combined with sharing with other youth organizations – and indicated plans to do so again this year – were factors in doubling down with the same entities.

They did split it up as well between soccer, baseball and various different things for kids in Langton.”
Fantastic,” summed up Norfolk County Ward 2 Councillor Roger Geysens. “This is something great Wayland is putting together for our town.”

Sports are important in a young person’s life, but can be expensive Geysens allowed.

This will help and maybe make it easier – hopefully we’ll have more kids in the arena. Certainly, I’ve got to say thank you to Wayland for helping the community.”
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Norfolk Mayor Kristall Chopp was unable to attend the ceremony due to a previously-scheduled commitment, but did tour Wayland’s purpose-built facility the day prior, expressing her appreciation at that time, on behalf of Norfolk citizens ‘for incredibly generous’ support.

It’s donations like these on behalf of good corporate citizens like Wayland that allow our programs to not only continue to operate, but flourish.”

Cober, husband Dan and their daughter are local residents, living four doors down from the arena, giving her a personal appreciation for supporting community youth and the surrounding environs, directly and vigorously driven by Wayland VP Infrastructure and facility designer, Jeff Ayotte.

It’s very important to him to give back to the community that has embraced us so well and so completely, to have us here building in their community and employing people from Langton,” Cober concluded. “It’s a wonderful feeling, especially at Christmas.”
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