Wonder Woman getting ready for fourth Kidney Walk ... Dorothy's amazing story continues

A new kidney has meant a new lease on life for Dorothy, and allowed
her to feel the thrill of holding granddaughter Kara.

The 2017 Kamloops Kidney Walk is scheduled for Sept. 24 in McDonald Park.

Yes, Dorothy will be taking part for a fourth straight year; this one comes four years after she underwent a kidney transplant at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver.

During the season, hockey people are always asking me: “How’s Dorothy?” . . . or “How’s your wife?”

It’s funny, because no one ever says to me: “Hey, how are you doing?”

OK. I’m kidding.

In all seriousness, words cannot express how much the support from all levels of the hockey community has meant to us.

Hey, you can’t imagine how thrilled Dorothy was to meet Dan De Palma, the Kamloops Blazers’ goaltending coach, in a book store one day and have him pay more attention to her than to me.

So . . . you’re wondering how Dorothy, aka Wonder Woman, is doing?

Well, she spends an afternoon or two each week doing volunteer work at Overlander Residential Care, taking residents on shopping trips or to medical appointments, or just helping out around the complex.

She also is a co-founder of the Kamloops Kidney Support Group that meets once a month and provides support for anyone with kidney disease and their families. As well, she is part of the organizing committee for the Kamloops Kidney Walk.

Every four months, Dorothy visits the renal clinic at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops. Her most recent appointment was on Friday and she passed with flying colours. In fact, she came out of there positively aglow because the nephrologist — Dr. Conley — was excited about her colour, her energy level, pretty much everything.

“Or maybe,” Dorothy said, with a laugh, “she was excited because she’s starting vacation (Saturday).”

If you know Dorothy like I know Dorothy, you know that Dr. Conley was excited because of what she observed as the two of them chatted.

Anyway . . . things are going well, really well, and the preparations have begun for this year’s kidney walk.

In fact, the first sign of support has shown up on her Kidney Walk page. Norm Weseen, a former radio personality and long-time junior hockey fan, got things started with a donation on Saturday. I feel shame because it’s the first time I haven’t made the first donation. LOL!

If you would like to support Wonder Woman, you are able to do so right here.

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

What to read into openers? Not much . . . Silvertips add a veteran import . . . Child blanks Blades . . . Winterhawks on fire

Last game at Dodger Stadium for #VIN: pic.twitter.com/LEAK7kOnU1

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 26, 2016

———

Two days after the third anniversary of her kidney transplant, Dorothy took part in the Kamloops Kidney Walk for a third time on Sunday.

Dorothy with friends who walked with her on Sunday: Mark
Hunter, Sue and Ron Burt, Tanya Hunter, and Jenn Ruemper,
with Logan and Brooklyn. Dorothy is holding Charlie Hunter
and his brother, Max, is in the stroller.

This one really was special as Dorothy and her friend, Margaret Thompson, were co-honourees. As such, they got to address the crowd before the Walk began. They also were presented with plaques by the Kamloops chapter of the Kidney Foundation of Canada (B.C. and Yukon Branch) in recognition of their “commitment to supporting others dealing with kidney disease and transplantation.” Both women have been instrumental in getting the Kamloops Kidney Support Group off the ground.

Now here’s where you come in . . . 

Organizers also presented Dorothy with a certificate recognizing her as the top fund-raiser in Kamloops. Thanks to all of you — family, friends and all of our friends in the hockey crowd — she raised $2,486, pushing her three-walk total to almost $8,000.

Thank you all so much for being with us over the past three years. Your support really means a lot.

Since Sept. 23, 2013, I can’t tell you how many hockey games I have been at during which someone has approached me and asked about Dorothy. I come home and tell her that (insert name here) asked about her and her face absolutely lights up. It means a lot to know that people care.

Again, thanks so much.

———

Whatever you do, don’t read a whole lot into the first bunch of games in the WHL’s regular season.

At a guess, the WHL’s 22 teams played through the first weekend with as many as 80 of their best players in NHL camps.

The Kelowna Rockets, for example, had six players away as they played a home-and-home series with the Kamloops Blazers, who were missing three players. The Blazers won at home, 9-2, on Friday; the Rockets went home and won, 5-1, on Saturday.

Chatting about it after Friday’s game, Kamloops head coach Don Hay looked ahead to the next time, after opening weekend, the Rockets and Blazers will meet, which will be Nov. 1 in Kelowna.

“I think there are going to be a lot of changes. Both teams will look a whole lot different,” Hay said with a chuckle.

That is pretty much the story across the league.

The Calgary Hitmen, with seven players away, had 10 freshmen in their lineup, six of them playing their first WHL game, when they played host to the Kootenay Ice on Friday.

The Prince George Cougars, with six players away, swept a doubleheader from the Royals in Victoria. The Royals were without five skaters who likely will return sometime in the next few days.

“I’m not going to lose too much sleep because of starting 0-2,” Victoria head coach Dave Lowry said to Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Times Colonist. “If we’re 0-15, give me a call.”

The Regina Pats and Prince Albert Raiders split two games. Each team was missing five top-end players.

Perhaps the most interesting development came prior to a home-and-home series between the Edmonton Oil Kings and Red Deer Rebels.

The Oil Kings had two players — D Aaron Irving and F Lane Bauer — in camp with the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, who happen to own that city’s WHL franchise.

The Oilers returned both players in time for them to play in Red Deer on Friday. Irving scored 26 seconds into OT — Bauer had the secondary assist — to give Edmonton a 3-2 victory.

One night later, before 18,102 fans at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Bauer’s shootout goal gave the Oil Kings a 4-3 victory. In regulation time, Bauer had a goal and an assist, while Irving drew two assists.

The Rebels, meanwhile, were without five of their top players, none of whom are in camp with the Oilers.

Of course, that begs the question: Would the Oilers have returned Red Deer players to the Rebels in time for the opening weekend had there been any in their camp?

——

There was news late Sunday of at least five WHLers on their way back from NHL camps.

F Hudson Elynuik, who will turn 19 on Dec. 10, will be rejoining the Spokane Chiefs after being with the Carolina Hurricanes, who selected him in the third round of the NHL’s 2016 draft. . . . The Calgary Flames returned four players to their WHL teams. . . . F Brayden Burke, 19, is returning to the Lethbridge Hurricanes after being with the Flames as a free-agent invitee. . . . D Aaron Hyman, 18, is rejoining the Calgary Hitmen after being with the Flames on a free-agent basis. . . . F Matt Phillips is headed back to the Victoria Royals. Phillips, 18, was a sixth-round pick by the Flames in 2016. . . . G Nick Schneider, 19, who signed with the Flames a year ago, has been returned to the Medicine Hat Tigers.

Even later on Sunday came word that the Detroit Red Wings had returned three free-agent skaters to WHL teams. . . . F Luke Coleman, 18, is on his way back to the Prince Albert Raiders. . . .  D Dylan Doghlan, 18, has been returned to the Tri-City Americans. . . . F Jeff de Wit, 18, will be rejoining the Red Deer Rebels.

——

The Everett Silvertips have acquired Austrian F Dominic Zwerger, 20, from the Spokane Chiefs for a third-round selection in the WHL’s 2017 bantam draft. . . . Zwerger played in 189 regular-season

DOMINIC ZWERGER

games with the Chiefs, putting up 60 goals and 59 assists. He led the Chiefs with 27 goals last season. . . . However, Zwerger is a two-spotter — a 20-year-old import. Moving him out allows the Chiefs to get down the maximums of two imports and three 20-year-olds. They now are prepared to go with Czech freshmen forwards Ondrej Najman and Pavel Kousal. Najman is 18; Kousal is to turn 18 on Nov. 14. . . . Spokane’s 20s now are G Jayden Sittler, F Markson Bechtold and F Keanu Yamamoto. . . . Spokane’s roster now is at 26, including two goaltenders and 15 forwards. . . . Acquiring Zwerger left Everett with three imports, the other two being Slovakian F Mario Mucka, who turns 18 on Nov. 10, and Finnish F Eetu Tuulola, 18. Because of a rule prohibiting the trading of first-year import players, the Silvertips had to release one and the odd man out was Mucka, who had one assist in one game after recording one assist in six exhibition games. Tuulola had two goals and an assist in four exhibition games. A sixth-round pick by Calgary in the NHL’s 2016 draft, Tuulola is in camp with the Flames. . . . The acquisition of Zwerger also gets the Silvertips to three 20-year-olds, the others being F Graham Millar and F Lucas Skrumeda.

——

The Kootenay Ice got its roster down to 25 players on Sunday by releasing three 16-year-olds — F Eli Lieffers, D Bobby Russell and D Loeden Schaufler. . . . Lieffers, 16, from Saskatoon, will return to the midget AAA Saskatoon Contacts. He was a fourth-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft. . . . Russell, 16, is from Langley, B.C. A sixth-round selection in the 2015 bantam draft, he will go back to the Valley West Hawks of the B.C. Major Midget League. . . . Schaufler, from Dewinton, Alta., was a third-round pick in 2015. He played last season with the midget AAA Notre Dame Hounds, but the Ice hasn’t yet found a place for him this season.

——

The Saskatoon Blades all wore jerseys in honour of Gordie
Howe during Sunday's pregame warmup.(Photo: Darren Steinke)

It was Thank You, Mr. Hockey Day in Saskatoon on Sunday as the ashes of Gordie Howe and his wife, Colleen, were interred near a statue of Howe at SaskTel Centre, the home of the Blades. Steve Hogle, the Blades’ president, is to be commended for all that went into this celebration of lives that included bringing in the legendary Bob Cole to be the event’s host.

Kevin Mitchell of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix, who is a wonderful wordsmith and one of Canada’s best-kept secrets, has his take right here. There is a photo gallery at the bottom of Mitchell’s piece.

——

With Vin Scully nearing the finish line, Mark Whicker of the Orange County Register writes:

“The sad irony is that baseball clubs have learned nothing from Scully. He stands for nothing they want.

“He is rigidly non-partisan and, most nights, discusses opposing players more than Dodgers. Scully finds anecdotes that you’ve never heard before, even in the information age. When someone mentioned that he must have great researchers, Scully shook his head. He does it all himself, right to the finish line.

“Nor is Scully interested in umpiring. He doesn’t like the superimposed strike zones that networks use. ‘The umpire has a hard enough job as it is,’ he said.”

Whicker’s piece — and it’s a good read — is right here.

———

JUST NOTES:

Prior to Saturday’s home-opener, the Kelowna Rockets dedicated the game to the memory of Norbert Heinzelmann and his family. Heinzelmann, a longtime off-ice official, died on Sept. 2 at the age of 57. He had been a volunteer with the Rockets since the team’s first game in Kelowna in 1995. The Rockets beat the Kamloops Blazers, 5-1, in the Saturday game. . . . 

You may recall that the start of Saturday’s game between the Red Deer Rebels and Oil Kings in Edmonton was delayed 90 minutes after an hydraulic lift malfunctioned on the ice surface. You may be wondering what that machine was doing on the ice. A tweet from Terry Jones of the Edmonton Sun: “Reason there was a hydraulic cherry picker on the ice before warm up? Photographer putting camera in scoreboard.”

———

Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

———

A quick look at the halftime stats shows Seattle with 311 yards and the 49ers for sale on Craigslist.

— John Blanchette (@JPBlanchette) September 25, 2016

———

SUNDAY GAMES:

At Saskatoon, G Travis Child stopped 28 shots in recording his first WHL shutout as the Swift Current Broncos beat the Blades, 6-0. . . . Saskatoon had gone into Swift Current and dumped the Broncos 5-1 on Friday night. . . . The shutout came in Child’s 52nd appearance over three seasons, all with the Broncos. He’s a 19-year-old from Killam, Alta. . . . The Broncos got two goals and an assist from Calvin Spencer, while Finnish F Aleksi Heponiemi had four assists. F Brandan Arnold and F Tyler Steenbergen each had a goal and an assist. . . . Saskatoon G Brock Hamm stopped 25 shots. . . . The Broncos were 2-5 in the PP; the Blades were 0-5. . . . Announced attendance: 6,359.

——

At Portland, F Skyler McKenzie scored twice to help the Winterhawks to a 7-3 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . It was the second time in two nights that the Winterhawks (2-0-0) scored seven goals on home ice. They beat the Seattle Thunderbirds 7-3 on Saturday night. . . . Portland scored the game’s first three goals and led 3-0 at 13:24 of the first period. The Americans got it to 3-2 by 11:10 of the second, but Portland took control with the next two goals. . . . D Henri Jokiharju, F Evan Weinger and F Ryan Hughes each had a goal and an assist for Portland, while Ty Kolle and F Cody Glass had two assists apiece. . . . Tri-City (1-1-0) got a goal and an assist from F Tyler Sandhu and two assists from each of Dalton Yorke and Juuso Valimaki. F Michael Rasmussen scored his fifth goal in two games. . . . G Cole Kehler stopped 26 shots for Portland, four fewer than Tri-City’s Beck Warm. . . . The Winterhawks were 1-2 on the PP; the Americans were 1-3. . . . Announced attendance: 4,836.

——

MONDAY GAMES (all times local):

No Games Scheduled.

——

TUESDAY GAME (all times local):

Prince George vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 7 p.m.

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

Blades, Chiefs sign imports . . . Pats, Blue Jays to stage promotion

D Mitch Versteeg (Lethbridge, 2006-09) has signed a one-year contract with Nitra (Slovakia, Extraliga). Last season, with Kaufbeuren (Germany, DEL2), he had five goals and 10 assists with 33 games. . . .

F Carter Proft (Brandon, Spokane, 2010-14) has been assigned on loan by Adler Mannheim (Germany, DEL) to the Kassel Huskies (Germany, DEL2) for all of the 2016-17 season. Proft signed a two-year contract with Mannheim in May. Last season, with Kassel, he had 13 goals and 12 assists in 51 games.

———

Dorothy, my wife of more than 44 years, is preparing to take part for a third straight year in the Kidney Walk. In Kamloops, the big day is on Sept. 25.

On Saturday morning, Dorothy was informed that she and her friend Margaret Thompson are to be co-honourees for this edition of the Kidney Walk. Both women have had kidney transplants and have played important roles in the formation of the Kamloops Kidney Support Group (KKSG).

If you aren’t aware, Dorothy was born with one kidney. By the time we discovered that, in 1981, it already was malfunctioning. Eventually, she would do peritoneal dialysis for four years before she was able to get a kidney through the Living Donor Paired Exchange program.

These days, she lives a normal life, snapping at me the way she always has. LOL! She loves to bake — yes, Christmas is great in these parts. She was introduced to our first grandchild — Kara Sky Drinnan — in Burnaby on the August long weekend. Yes, she is doing just fine.

And she will be walking to benefit the Kidney Foundation on Sept. 25 at MacDonald Park in Kamloops.

If you would like to support her, please click right here.

——

CTV Winnipeg reported Saturday that Braden Pettinger is making progress as he works to recover from a terrible injury suffered in an MJHL game on Nov. 12, 2015. A defenceman with the Portage Terriers, Pettinger was injured when he crashed into the boards during a home game. . . . The CTV report is right here.

——

The hockey season is almost upon us, so the gang at dubnetwork.ca started posting its WHL team-by-team previews on Sunday. They’re appearing in reverse order of last season’s standings, which means the Kootenay Ice are first up. That look at the Ice is right here.

——

The Regina Pats have unveiled a set of uniforms that they will wear on Blue Jays Night, when they play host to the Calgary Hitmen on Jan. 6. . . . “The jerseys went through an approval process with both Major League Baseball and the Toronto Blue Jays to ensure a faithful recreation of the Jays uniform in a hockey setting,” reads a news release from the Pats. . . . The sweaters will be auctioned off the night of the game, with proceeds supporting the Jays Care Foundation, which creates opportunities for at-risk children and youth in Canada.

——

The Saskatoon Blades have signed Russian D Mark Rubinchuk, 17, just two days after he helped his country to a bronze medal at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament in Slovakia. He had three assists in five games at the tournament. . . . Rubinchuk was selected by the Blades in the 2016 CHL import draft. . . . Rubinchuk joins Czech d Libor Hajek, 18, as the Blades’ two import players. Hajek was a second-round selection by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL’s 2016 draft.

——

The Spokane Chiefs have signed Czech forwards Pavel Kousal and Ondrej Najman, both of whom were selected in the 2016 CHL import draft. They are expected to be in training camp when it opens in Spokane on Aug. 25. . . . Last season, they were teammates, and often linemates, with the Dukla Juhlava UJ-20 team. Kousal had 43 points, 20 of them goals, in 38 games, while Najman had 18 goals and 26 assists in 38 games. . . . Both played at the IIHF’s 2016 U-18 World Championship. Kousal had three assists in five games, while Najman had three goals and three assists. . . . The Chiefs now have three imports on their roster, the other being veteran F Dominic Zwerger of Austria. Spokane will have to get down to the maximum of two early in the regular season. The options would be to trade or release Zwerger, or release one of the other two. An import player can’t be traded during his freshman season.

——

Jim Swanson, the managing partner of baseball’s Victoria HarbourCats, has been named the West Coast League’s executive of the year. The HarbourCats set WCL regular-season records with 40 victories and a 19-game winning streak. They are the first team in WCL history to win 40 games in one regular season. Swanson, who completed his second season as managing partner, is part of a four-person ownership group. . . . The HarbourCats reached the playoffs for the first time, but were swept from a first-round best-of-three series by the Bellingham, Wash., Bells. . . . Swanson covered the WHL and the Prince George Cougars for a number of seasons while sports editor of the Prince George Citizen.

———

Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

———

This is a couple of days old, but . . .

The NFL has officially arrived in LA!! https://t.co/9TMzOV2Ttp pic.twitter.com/fXZGHZDXPI

— Shelley Smith (@ShelleyESPN) August 13, 2016

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

New site great news for WHL fans . . . Beijing businessman buys BCHL franchise

The hockey community really is close-knit. Just ask me. Almost three years after my wife, Dorothy, underwent a kidney transplant, hockey people — scouts, fans, coaches, players, owners, general managers, player agents et all — regularly ask me about her.

A while ago, I had occasion to speak with Willie Desjardins, the head coach of the NHL’s Vancouver

Canucks. His first words? “How is your wife?”

On Wednesday, I received a text from Travis Green, the head coach of the AHL’s Utica Comets. He wondered how things were going.

Mark Holick, Mark Ferner, Cam Hope, Bruno Campese, Colin Priestner, Craig Demetrick, Glen Hanlon, Bob Tory, Dan De Palma, Dave Lowry, Vaughn Karpan, Bob Lowes and on and on . . .

Everyone asks about Dorothy, and I make certain that every single greeting gets passed along. Oh, if you could only see the smile every time I let her know that someone has asked about her.

Well, she is doing really well, well enough that she now is preparing to take part in her third straight Kidney Walk. The Kamloops walk is scheduled for Sept. 25.

If you would like to support her, as many of you have done in the past, please click right here and make a donation. All the money goes to the Kidney Foundation, an organization that has done so much for us and one that Dorothy is proud to support.

Over the previous two walks, you have helped Dorothy raise more than $5,000.

——

If you are a follower of the WHL, this one’s for you. . . . Paul Figler and the gang at WHL Stats have graduated to something bigger and better. They are calling it DubNetwork.ca. . . . Figler writes: “We’ve decided to bring in an editor and some writers so that you can get information that goes beyond what the league provides. There will be interviews, editorials, scouting reports and more.” . . . It is in its infancy, but it’s right here and here’s hoping that there are great things ahead.

——

Hockey Canada has added D Josh Brook of the Moose Jaw Warriors to the roster of the team that will play in the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup that opens Monday in Breclav, Czech Republic, and Bratislava, Slovakia. . . . Brook, 17, is from Roblin, Man. He will replace D Jacob Paquette of the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs, who is injured. . . . Brook’s addition means the WHL has six players on Canada’s 22-man roster, the others being G Ian Scott (Prince Albert Raiders), D Jonathan Smart (Kelowna Rockets), F Jordy Bellerive (Lethbridge Hurricanes), F Stelio Mattheos (Brandon Wheat Kings) and F Michael Rasmussen (Tri-City Americans). . . . Canada, which has won this tournament each of the past eight years, is in Group B with Russia, Slovakia and Sweden. Canada will meet Czech Republic in a tuneup on Saturday. Canada begins tournament play on Monday against Slovakia.

——

F Carson Dimoff revealed via Twitter on Wednesday that he has committed to St. Lawrence U, where he will play for the Saints. . . . Dimoff, 17, is from Scottsdale, Ariz. The 5-foot-10, 180-pounder played last season in Salzburg, Austria. He had 25 points, including 12 goals, with Salzburg’s U-18 team and four goals and an assist with a U-20 side. . . . Dimoff was a seventh-round selection by the Everett Silvertips in the 2014 bantam draft.

——

And now for something completely different. . . . Ray Zhang, a businessman who is from Beijing, has purchased the BCHL’s Cowichan Valley Capitals. . . . Here’s Zhang, from a news release: “This transaction is the first time someone from China has purchased an overseas hockey franchise. It will open the door for hockey families in China to learn about Canadian hockey firsthand. This link to Canadian hockey will prove valuable to encourage all of our young hockey players in China.” . . . According to Kent Rothbauer of the Cowichan Valley Citizen: “Zhang purchased the majority share of the team from former owner Cory Wanner, the Saskatchewan oilfield tradesman who bought into the club in 2013. Zhang's family plans to relocate to Duncan.” . . . Rothbauer’s story is right here.

———

Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

———

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, have added three new faces to head coach Clark Donatelli’s staff. . . . J.D. Forrest and Chris Taylor have signed on as assistant coaches, while Madison Nikkel is the new video coach. . . . Jay Leach, the associate coach last season, and video coach Sean Andrake have moved on to other organizations. . . . Last season, Forrest, 35, coached with Red Bull Salzburg in Austria. He also has coached in the U.S. National Team Development Program. . . . Taylor, 44, spent the previous four seasons on the staff of the AHL’s Rochester Americans. . . . Nikkel has been working with the Boston College Eagles for the past four years.

——

Ryan Ward has joined the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds as an assistant coach. He will work with head coach Drew Bannister and associate coach Joe Cirella. Ward spent the past two seasons as a video coach with the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs and their AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies. . . . He also worked four seasons as video co-ordinator with the NHL’s New York Islanders.

——

Keith McCambridge has joined the Hartford Wolf Pack, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers, as an assistant coach. . . . McCambridge, 42, spent the past five seasons as the head coach of the Winnipeg Jets’ AHL affiliate, the St. John’s IceCaps (2011-15) and Manitoba Moose (2015-16). . . . McCambridge, who is from Thompson, Man., played four seasons (1991-95) in the WHL with the Swift Current Broncos and Thompson Blazers. He helped the Blazers win the 1995 Memorial Cup.

———

Line at Athletes Village McDonald's, 4 pm. Don't let them tell you healthy eating is the key to making Olympics. pic.twitter.com/qfMtiJ3wSN

— John Branch (@JohnBranchNYT) August 3, 2016

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

Wonder Woman to walk again . . . Rockets have a head coach . . . Medicine Hat gets keys to facility

NewsKamloops.com, the new home of Taking Note, is scheduled to go online today at 4 a.m.
In the future, in order to find Taking Note, you simply have to go to NewsKamloops.com and find it in the bar near the top of the home page.
Who knows? While you’re there, you may find something else that might pique your interest.
——







D Bretton Stamler (Seattle, Edmonton, Swift Current, 2003-08) signed a one-year contract with the Augsburger Panther (Germany, DEL). Last season, he was had three assists in five games with the Gwinnett Gladiators (ECHL), was pointless in seven games with the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL), and had a goal and 11 assists in 24 games with the Hamburg Freezers (Germany, DEL).
———

Dorothy, aka Wonder Woman, was rather excited in the
before our son, Todd, was married on July 4.

It’s that time of the year again. Yes, it’s almost time for the 2015 Kidney Walk and, yes, my good wife, Dorothy, is involved for a second straight year.
If you’re new here, Dorothy (aka Wonder Woman) underwent a kidney transplant on Sept. 23, 2013. After encountering a few speed bumps, things have been pretty good for the past few months. In fact, Dorothy made her three-month visit to the transplant clinic on Friday and got her second straight excellent report.
As she says repeatedly, “I am one of the fortunate ones.”
Which is why she wants to give back to the Kidney Foundation and has chosen the Kidney Walk to do just that.
This year’s Kamloops Kidney Walk is scheduled for Sept. 27 and we will be there.
If you would like to be part of Dorothy’s team, just click right here and make a donation. The bus started filling up on Monday.
———


It is one of hockey’s dirty little secrets . . . really, really dirty. I am referring to a pinch between the cheek and gum. While it may not be as prevalent in hockey as it is in baseball, chewing and/or dipping is popular among hockey players, junior and professional, as well. . . . The WHL has moved to ban it, but it’s still there. . . . Meanwhile, the City of San Francisco is in the process of banning the habit in all city parks, including AT&T Park, the home of the Giants. . . . Perhaps, cities in which there are WHL franchises could ban dipping and chewing from public arenas. . . . There is more right here on the situation in San Francisco.
——
Considering what the City of San Francisco is attempting to do, it’s worth taking a look back at something former MLB pitcher Curt Schilling wrote for The Players Tribune about dipping and chewing. That story, in the form of a letter to his 16-year-old self, is right here.
——
Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
———


The Kelowna Rockets are expected to introduce their new head coach today at noon Pacific time. They have been looking for a head coach since Dan Lambert resigned on July 6. Lambert spent one season as the Rockets’ head coach, winning a WHL championship, after working for five seasons as an assistant coach in Kelowna. Lambert now is an assistant coach with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres.
———



The City of Medicine Hat has been given the keys to its new arena, the Canalta Centre. Collin Gallant of the Medicine Hat News reports that the facility was turned over to the city on Friday at midnight. . . . Gallant’s story is right here.
———

Frisbee recognized as an Olympic sport. "Soon it'll be our turn!" said a guy chugging a beer with a ping pong ball in it.

— 22Minutes (@22_Minutes) August 3, 2015

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

Dorothy's Team has great Kidney Walk

It took two volunteers to check the numbers when Dorothy registered
for the 2014 Kidney Walk on Sunday.

Dorothy had lots of support, with (left to right) our son, Todd, good
friend Jenn Rensch, Todd's girlfriend Joanna Kwan, good friends
Ron and Sue Burt and Della Robinson, Max Hunter (in stroller),
Tanya Hunter, Larry Read (behind Tanya) and Mark Hunter
all on hand before Sunday's walk.

Dorothy and Jenn Rensch, with Todd attempting a photo bomb,
just before Sunday's walk got started.

Dorothy and good friend Sue Burt making good time on the
return trip to Riverside Park. That's the Red Bridge in the
background.

The 2014 Kidney Walk, Kamloops edition, is over and it was quite a success story.
Especially for my wife, Dorothy.
How did she handle it? Well, she walked the 2.5-km, then went for a bite of lunch and then went shopping. So I’m thinking she handled it pretty well.
Dorothy underwent a kidney transplant on Sept. 23. She was recovering quite well, when an infection somehow was able to set up shop in her system. By early December, she wasn’t able to walk unaided.
So to see her walking so easily with all of the other people on Sunday was really something. In fact, we parked in downtown Kamloops and walked to Riverside Park, so by the time you add in that walk and the return trip, she will have walked close to four kilometres.
And, as she set out, she said: “I’m definitely walking for all those people who showed support through donations.” With all of you walking with her, Dorothy’s Team had to have been the largest one there!
In another Canadian city, good friends and family members went for a walk at the same time as we did. Joan, as she's know in these parts, gave up a kidney through the Live Donor Paired Exchange program so that Dorothy could get one. She and her family couldn't be with us, but wanted to show support, so they walked late Sunday morning, too.
As the walk started in Kamloops, you had shown your support with donations totalling $3,100, and there is more on the way.
All of this has turned out to be more than we could have expected. A week ago, when we set up her donations page, the first goal we set was $300.
So . . . thank you all so much for your support. It really is appreciated.

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.