Cornwall, Ont. girls' hockey team, local charity celebrate Good Deeds Cup win

An eastern Ontario girls' hockey team has won a major award, all by performing good deeds throughout their community.

Not only did it help pull the team closer together, a local charity is reaping the reward as well.

On March 23, a celebration for the Under 13 A Cornwall Typhoons was held in the city after being awarded the Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup on March 18.

"It was pretty exciting, like, it was a rush," said Typhoon's Centre MacKenzie Lauzon on the win.

The challenge invited minor hockey teams from across the county to perform good deeds in their communities, like donating clothing or collecting for food drives.

"It was something that we wanted to do, develop good players on and off the ice," said MacKenzie's mother Courtney Lauzon, an assistant trainer with the team.

"We had already started doing good deeds throughout the community even before this started," she noted. "In October we organized a food drive for the (Hockey) Association, we participated in a toy drive, and then we did a hat and mitt drive in January."

In total, the all-girls team performed 343 good deeds, setting a new Good Deeds Cup record. They won $100,000, which will be donated to a charity of their choice.

That charity is Beyond 21 in Cornwall, a day program for individuals with developmental disabilities, started by Tish Humphries.

"When they leave the school system at 21, we found out, sadly, there was nothing for them," Humphries said. "We have a daughter who was in that situation. Seventeen years ago, I began that journey."

The charity helps 50 families in the Cornwall area, and the money will be used towards a new roof and to hire more staff.

"We've had calls from so many communities wanting to know about Beyond 21, even stateside," Humphries said. "We just recently had a call from Ingersoll. They read about us through the Good Deeds Cup, and said where can I get a Beyond 21 program for my adult?"

The charity hosted at a thank you event Thursday evening with the entire team and local dignitaries on hand to celebrate.

"We are celebrating and appreciating them for what they've done and we hope to encourage them to go forward in their teenage years to do more of this," Humphries said.

Representatives from MP Eric Duncan's office and MPP Nolan Quinn's office attended, along with Cornwall Mayor Justin Towndale.

"You've put us on the map," Towndale said in his speech. "You are showing what our community is capable of. Cornwall is a very caring and giving community and you've been reinforcing this, and you've set the example not just for us, not just for Ontario, but for the entire county, and that is something to absolutely be so proud of."

The team was invited to sign the book of acknowledgments that Towndale brought to the event.

Humphries, Lauzon, and Beyond 21 executive director Donna MacGillivray also spoke, each trying hard to hide their emotions.

"To know that this $100,000 is just, it's unbelievable," MacGillivray said. "It will go directly to support the incredible adults that we serve. So thank you, the players the coaches, the staff for making this possible."

The team is also a champion on the ice throughout the season with a record of 50 wins and 2 losses, winning other gold cups in three other tournaments.

But those don't compare to the Good Deeds win.

"The biggest and most significant one for us right now is the Good Deeds Cup," said Courtney.

"It's really good for team bonding and everything and I feel it just brings us much closer and ties us together," added her daughter.

"I feel very accomplished now to know that my team and I have won this big donation," said Teagan Leroux, who plays defence.

Beyond 21 members made gift bags for the entire team to celebrate the win and they were given out at the end of the ceremony.

"I figured we're a winner even if we didn't win because they spread the word about Beyond 21," added Humphries. "People were asking what do we do? Where is it? We won that way before the monetary win."

"Were a not-for-profit registered charity with no government funding, so we work very hard," she said. "Our board of directors for the last 12 years have worked non-stop to fund this program."

Lauzon, who is a special education teacher with the Upper Canada District School Board, knew the significance of Beyond 21 and where that prize money needed to go.

"It was kind of a no brainer for me and the rest of the team got right on board," she said. "They were supporters of Beyond 21 as well and they were happy to help out."

Chevrolet Canada will host the team later this spring for another celebration where the Good Deeds Cup will officially be presented.