Each nominee received a Bruins jersey and an award.
John Young's words when accepting his induction into the Bobby Orr Hockey Hall of Fame on Saturday night seemed to echo the perspective of all of the 2009 inductees: "It's not what you do; it's who you do it with."
Builder Marianne King-Wilson, responsible for the inception of Sail Parry Sound, thanked the community and her volunteers for their equal roles in the club's success.
Honourary patron James ?Frosty' Hannon emotionally accepted his award for his dedication to generations of hockey teams and honourary patron Ray Barks' family said the great man who helped teach a town full of hockey players couldn't have done it without his wife Rita, who "didn't just accept his passions, she supported him in living and breathing them."
Around 300 people turned out to honour the contributions of these individuals to the Parry Sound community at the Charles W. Stockey Centre for the Performing Arts on the weekend.
The sixth annual Bobby Orr Hall of Fame induction ceremony and the biggest fundraiser for the young hall of fame took place on what felt like the first true day of summer.
What made the night even warmer was the sentiment splashed around in the amphitheatre as guests welcomed and applauded the newest inductees.
The 2009 inductees
Over a decade ago, Marianne King-Wilson helped Parry Sound rediscover something in its own backyard: sailing. King-Wilson grew up in Parry Sound and left as a young adult, pursuing a successful career in consumer affairs, including a 20-year career with Nestle.
When she settled back on the bay in 1996 she brought with her this same passion and skill, started up Sail Parry Sound and is credited for opening up northern Ontario to the international world of sailing.
"Who says you can never go home again," said a gracious King-Wilson in her acceptance speech. "I'm so glad I did."
Following King-Wilson, a grinning John Young took the stage with his entire brood after being recognized for his all-around athletic prowess — most outstanding of which was on the pitching mound. Spanning decades, Young competed in regional, provincial, national and international competitions including 10 years on the Canadian senior men's fastball team, which competed in Netherlands every year.
Close to tears, 80-year-old James ?Frosty' Hannon kept his speech "short and sweet" — that's the advice his wife whispered to him while he prepped at the podium.
Frosty came to the Parry Sound area in the 1960s and became a permanent fixture at area hockey arenas "most times almost as excited as at the Stanley Cup playoffs" recalled one friend. He later became a man of many hats for the club and volunteered as a trainer, councillor, laundry and dry cleaner and driver for many years, even today making the trek out for games.
After a best defenceman award to Canada Brokerlink Major Midget defender Jackson Kuhn, which he dedicated to his late father, the late Ray Barks was the final inductee of the evening.
Barks coached Parry Sound hockey and became the head coach of the Parry Sound Hockey Club in the 1970s, eventually coaching the Shamrocks in the 1980s. Intense but always rooting for his players, Barks "demanded almost perfection," recalled friend Rod Dixon. "As long as you gave 110 per cent, 100 per cent of the time."
Grandson Joey Barks gave an emotional tribute on behalf of the family, followed by Barks' youngest son Kevin who commemorated the hall of fame as the place that will "keep his legacy ... only steps away from his love and real home, Georgian Bay."
Sadness turned sweet as Tom Cochrane took the stage playing a four-song acoustic show for the crowd after which hometown hero Bobby Orr congratulated the inductees on their successes.
Though organizer Dave Garagan said he doesn't yet have any totals on how much money was raised, he said the night was "seamless." "Everybody enjoyed themselves and at the end of the night we had the best sunset we've had this year."
And it's all thanks to Bobby Orr, said emcee Jim Hanna at the opening of Saturday night's ceremony. "A boy, a puck, a game helped to make all of this possible."