by neil hodge
Times & transcript staff
Ted Nolan has two huge passions – hockey and helping First Nations communities.
He will get to combine them as a special guest when the Moncton Wildcats face the Quebec Remparts in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action tomorrow at 4 p.m. at the Moncton Coliseum.
Nolan, a former Wildcats head coach, will take part in a pre-game ceremony to make a cheque presentation to the Elsipogtog Christmas Angels. He’s doing so on behalf of the Ted Nolan Foundation, which he started in 2004 to raise funds to improve education and help create a better future for aboriginal youth.
Christmas Angels is an annual telethon that started out seven years ago with monies raised to go to single mothers and families who have children 13 years and under at Christmas. Elsipogtog First Nation is the largest native community in New Brunswick with a population of almost 3,000.
The Wildcats raised $50,000 for the Ted Nolan Foundation last year through a luncheon, selling mini sticks, a 50-50 draw and auctioning off team jerseys. The club is planning to have another fundraiser for his foundation in July.
“Ted believes strongly in helping First Nations communities at the grassroots level and this is an opportunity for him to do that with a cheque presentation to the Elsipogtog Christmas Angels,” said Sharon Thivierge, who’s organizing this pre-game ceremony for the Wildcats.
“Ted wanted to come here and give back to the community through the Christmas Angels, which is a great charity. The money will be used to award scholarships and that type of thing. During the ceremony, we will have video of the kids that attended the Tim Hortons camp this summer through Ted’s foundation.”
Nolan made a big impression in his only season as Moncton head coach. He guided the Wildcats to their first QMJHL championship in 2005-06, a berth in the Memorial Cup final and along the way he became a very popular figure in the community.
The 52-year-old is from the Garden River Ojibwa First Nation Reserve outside of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. He was a National Hockey League head coach with the Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders. He was named NHL Coach of the Year with Buffalo in 1997.
Nolan, a former NHL player with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings, is now vice-president of hockey operations for the Rochester Americans in the American Hockey League.
He’s also very active with his foundation which has partnered with the Tim Hortons Children’s Foundation. As part of a five-year deal, each year 50 or more aboriginal kids will go to the Tim Hortons camp to take part in a leadership program that caters to aboriginal youth.
“I’m sure it stirs memories and emotions for lots of people whenever Ted comes back to Moncton,” said Thivierge. “It’s always special to have him here. We’re so happy that he’s going to be here for Sunday’s pre-game ceremony and cheque presentation.”
