Last night people gathered at John-Michael’s Banquet to finally honour the new inductees and award winners of the Thorold Runway of Recognition.
The year-delayed ceremony was preceded with dinner and celebrated several athletes, past and present, in the Thorold community.
Said one guest when introducing the recipient of one of this year’s awards, “It feels great to be gathered again to be able to do this again. It’s just great to be able to be in a room full of Thorold people again.”
This year’s five Runway of Recognition inductees include the late Phil Persia, who used to play ice hockey for the Oshawa Generals, Errol McKibbon, who was a goaltender for the Cornell hockey team, Ryan Serravalle who used to play basketball in the NCAA, and Paul Cecchini who was the armwrestling world champion in 1987.
The 1970-1971 Midget All Stars hockey team also had the honour of being inducted.
After short speeches by the inductees and their loved ones, one of them videoed in over Zoom, the night moved on to handing out several other awards, including male and female athlete of the year, which fell to Randy Gazzola and Julia Longo, respectively.
Said Errol McKibbon in his thank you speech, “It’s been a good run. I’ve been blessed all along and the only thing I can leave with you is that when you talk to people and you say you’re from Thorold, people know where Thorold is, so let them know.”
