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.Pinawa Minor Hockey
REMEMBERING
MR. HOCKEY
Orville Acres
September 15, 1932 -
November 20, 2002
Arena
dedicated to Orville Acres
Tribute from Lady Bisons hockey
team
Message from the Acres' family
Mayor Len Simpson's speech
Obituary
Arena dedicated to Orville Acres
 Orville’s family were all on hand to help celebrate this happy occasion. L to R: Son-in-law
Alan Vowels holding niece Kayla Acres, |
In
2002, Pinawa lost one of its most dedicated yet unassuming leaders when Orville Acres was killed in a car accident outside Winnipeg. On Saturday, October 28,
2003, Orville Acres was
‘Mr Hockey’ in At 70 years of
age he was still |
 Erin Parcey sings O Canada to open the ceremony as bagpiper Dave Morran looks on. (The Paper) |
A ceremony at the arena Saturday
was preceded by a clinic put on by the U of M Bisons womens hockey team, and was followed by the Midget Pinawa Panthers season-opener vs Lac du Bonnet. MC’d by Gary Hanna
(resident administrator, LGD Mayor Simpson spoke of
Orville’s accomplishments |
Orville pioneered the skate
sharpening program in Pinawa, and was its coordinator for
many years.
Ian Heather and Terry Stepanik both referred to Orville
as a mentor to whom they would turn time
and time again for his advice.
The most poignant address was the speech given by Ashley van Aggelen of
the Bisons hockey team.
She recounted how Orville came to be such a good friend
who never missed one of her hockey games
from the time she was just a youngster.
The full day event featured a pot
luck dinner, followed by a social evening in support of
the Orville Acres
Memorial Scholarship, Pinawa Minor Hockey and the Orville
Acres Arena.
The entire day was coordinated
through the LGD with tremendous support from Minor
Hockey, the Bisons,
the Pinawa Fire Department and members of the community.
Son Jeff said his dad would have been very pleased, “but he wouldn’t have wanted any fuss.”
Tribute from Lady Bisons' hockey team
 Ashley van Aggelen reads a tribute to Orville on behalf of the U of M Lady Bisons hockey team. (The Paper) |
When
looking back on the years that I've known Orville, or Orv that we all know him as, I had a very hard time trying to find all the right words to describe how he's not only touched my life but how he's in the hearts of everyone here today. There would never be
enough kind |
Every time Orv stepped into the
room or passed me in the hallway it was like there was an
instant feeling of
happiness, and his presence alone would always put a
smile on your face. A story to describe the kind of
character Orv was will always stick out in our mind.
We were playing at home this
particular weekend and a puck was shot over the boards
into our bench. Orv
cared so much for his players that not even thinking he
jumped in front of me to stop the flying puck. Of
course I was fully equipped but couldn't say the same for
him. It's the little acts of kindness that speak the
truth of Orv's character.
When thinking back on Orv's life,
there are always several stories to be told on the
significant contributions he
made not only to women's hockey but to his community as
well.
I started playing hockey when I
was 12 years old and I think it might have been my third
game ever when he
stopped to talk to me outside the dressing room to say
'good game'. Of course only being 12, I was very
confused to who this man was, but it didn't take long at
all before I grew to love him... although I didn't really
have a chance not to because he was at pretty much every
game of mine till he became my coach for the Bisons.
I know for a fact that Orville has
seen the inside of every arena in Winnipeg if not
Manitoba and has probably
chatted with at least 99% of us female hockey players.
Another good example of his dedication was when he
had to miss his first road trip ever with the Bisons. We
were on our way to Regina...it wasn't 30 seconds after
we were in the lobby of our hotel when the front desk
clerk handed our coach a fax which he later read to us...
it stated something along the lines of, "sorry I
couldn't be there and best of luck this weekend!" No
matter
where he was or what he was doing he always had his girls
in mind, and speaking for the lives Orv touched, we
want him to know that he will forever be in ours.
I could tell stories about Orv all
night but I feel there is just one more which needs to be
told...in order to once
again demonstrate his dedication. Who could forget
every Thursday after practice, the constant nagging from
the coaches: "Okay girls, now don't be late or the
bus leaves without you!"Well, after sitting around
for a good
20 minutes after departure time for Minnesota, we had
almost given up hope that Orv would finally show. Our
worries quickly disappeared when a taxi came racing
around the corner and out popper our "silver
fox".
It's the small details of Orv's
life which demonstrate the kind of person he was. So now
I would like to thank Mrs.
Acres for her contribution in sharing such a great man.
For we recognize all the time spent with us with was time
away from you and your family. If it wasn't for you I
wouldn't be standing here today giving this tribute. His
dedication to our program and to us as individuals will
never be forgotten.
On a more personal note, growing
up I lost both my grandpas in the same year. Not having
that chance to get to
know them better was pretty hard, but every time I looked
at Orv I not only saw my coach, but I saw a friend and
a family member. If ever you need to be cheered up just
think back on a memory you shared with Orv and I can
guarantee it'll make you smile. It sure works for me. I
just want to finish by saying Orv never missed a chance
to
be around his girls so I know he is with us today, and I
want to take this opportunity to tell you that we
appreciate
everything you did for us, but most importantly that we
miss you!
Thank you.
University of
Manitoba Bisons - Women's Hockey
(return to story listing)
Almost one year ago on a Saturday
night I received the sad news that Orville had passed
away after a traffic
accident while he was returning from an activity related
to his involvement in minor hockey. After the shock of
his passing had subsided my first thought was we needed
to do something special to recognize the long history
of his dedication to our community. Pinawa has had the
good fortune to be blessed with a strong spirit of
volunteerism amongst its citizens. Many individuals have
worked long and hard to make our community a better
place. However the record of Orville Acres stands out
above the rest as a person who has been working
continuously for our community, from its inception in
1963, right up until that Saturday when he was attending
that
hockey referee's clinic in Pilot Mound. Imagine being
still active at the age of 70. Imagine, a great
grandfather still on
the ice doing his thing. I was told by Isabel that he
just had received a grade of 96% in his exam for
re-certification as
a hockey referee.
Orville is one of the original
Pinawa Pioneers. He brought his family to Pinawa, in
August 1963 to work at the
Whiteshell Labs as a Technologist in Environmental
Monitoring. He retired in August 1998 as Section Head in
the Environmental Research Branch.
In October 1963 he was one of the
volunteers who came forward to form a volunteer Fire
Department for
the LGD of Pinawa. He had remained ever since, an active
member of this Department, appointed to Deputy
Chief in April 1974 and to Fire Chief in July 1993. He
had also been actively involved with the Northeast Mutual
Aid District in its inception in 1980. Recently he had
successfully led the fire department through some
difficult
times as the aging demographics of our community made it
difficult to keep the staffing of our force up to a
comfortable standard.
You would often see his car parked
outside the fire hall as he attended to the onerous tasks
of keeping the fire
department in readiness.
In the fall of 1963 he joined
other volunteers in constructing an outdoor skating rink
in Pinawa. He became the
Chairman for the Rink Committee to organize and assist
the various programs including youth hockey, figure
skating,
adult broomball and curling. For all of the time since
1963 Orville lived and breathed minor hockey. He served
continuously not only with the Pinawa Minor Hockey
Association but with the Northeastern Leagues, and five
times
with the Eastman Winter Games, as the Technical Director
for the hockey section. He was also active in coaching
for
quite a number of years in the high school, Bantam and
Pee-Wee category from 1964 to 1982. He set up the
volunteer
skate sharpening service for Pinawa Minor Hockey in 1969
that he continued to coordinate and do sharpening.
Most people are probably most
familiar with Orville the referee. He attended National
Coaching clinics and Referee
Development Clinics and successfully achieved Level 5
status in both coaching and as a referee. He has
organized
and instructed at a considerable number of coaching and
Referee clinics in Pinawa and the Eastman region He
was
Referee-In-Chief for the Northeastern Manitoba
Intermediate Hockey League during its existence and
refereed for
over 40 years.
More recently he had become
involved in the growth of female hockey. He worked for
Hockey Manitoba as a rural
councilor for female hockey to aid the development of
that program.
Besides these two major activities
(fire department and hockey), he had been involved with
the Scouts and Cubs and
also coached Little League Baseball and umpired
competitive fastball for many years - locally and
internationally.
Orville has received numerous
awards and citations for his community service. These
include:
The Lieutenant Governor’s Award for volunteerism,
2001
Canadian Hockey Association Minor Hockey Award Plaques
awarded through Hockey Manitoba in 1982 and 1993
Celebration 88 Government of Canada Initiative Award
Eastman Sport Development Coach/Builder Award 1988
Manitoba Games Eastman Sport Development Award 1984
LGD of Pinawa and Pinawa Minor Hockey Awards 1980
As one who had two sons pass
through the Pinawa Minor Hockey System my lingering
memory of Orville will
be seeing him entering the ice surface prior to a game,
going through his warm-up and inspecting the goal
netting. Some of those players in those days had
rambunctious tendencies and there were some fierce
rivalries.
Seeing that Orville would be in charge of the game gave
comfort that the game would always be under control
and fair to both sides; and that was always the case.
Last winter Council passed a
resolution to dedicate the Pinawa Arena to his memory. It
is with great pleasure that on
behalf of the citizens of Pinawa we dedicate this arena
to Orville's memory and formally name it the Orville
Acres Arena.
From all the citizens of Pinawa,
"Thank you Orville for all you have done for us.
Your service to the community will not
be forgotten."
 Derek Acres reads a message to the citizens of Pinawa on behalf of the Acres family (The Paper) |
I
can't think of a better way to honour Orville's
memory. The family is very pleased with the community's decision to rename the arena in his memory, especially at a place where he got to meet and forge friendships with many of you. It makes one think why a
person would be so driven to dedicate so This place and other
places are where he got to know each and every Our hope is when you think
about Orville and reflect on the past, may it |
All stories reprinted from The Paper with permission.