"It's the most wonderful time"

Even though I am now 6.5 years passed teaching my final class, as a full time gig that is, there are still things that get me twitterpatted like a sweaty-palmed teen's anticipation of a first kiss, and that time of year has officially arrived! I had the means and opportunity, sur la bicyclette, to take in the Sr Boys' Rugby semifinals, one hosted by Eastview, the other by North, and made it a special day all the way around by cycling to a morning supply gig in Elmvale, then down the Rail Trail to northeast Barrie to take in the action, before the gorgeous ride home to the Beach.

I all hubris, I can't resist the opportunity to compare what today's schools are plying on the pitch to what Ron and I offered in what seems a lifetime ago at Central and North, but I have to say in all honesty that there's some great coaching and guidance being gifted to today's rugby athletes. Can I offer those coaches some constructive criticism, should it be sought? Sure, but they're doing quite fine without my input, and with OFSAA being hosted in Barrie this year, GBSSA will be well represented. Maybe even a potential podium finish? The greater Barrie rugby community is doing some fantastic things for today's youth and the brand of play being displayed is both exciting and entertaining, even provincially and nationally recognized for the quality of player being fielded.

Lest it slipped by your notice, I did just inform you that the "AAA" Boys' Rugby OFSAA Championships are being hosted at our local world-class facility out in Midhurst, and the engine behind the big event is Barrie North's Mike Alcombrack, with plenty of eager help from some equally super-powered rugby fanatics. If you've been around high school sports in GBSSA, you'll already be aware of how much a "mover + shaker" Alky is, selflessly gifting his time, energy, and knowledge to the Barrie Rugby Club, Georgian College's mens program, and Barrie North, his alma mater. 

In a recent conversation with Alky, I reminded him that nobody gives more to their school's athletes than he ... matched perhaps, but never beaten. That heart to heart came on the heels of his side's narrow loss to Nantyr Shores in semifinal action, and he was beating himself up over what he perceived to be his failings. Of course I disagreed, but that's the depth of his caring, shouldering the blame for his kids.

With the Nantyr win, they earned the right to face the undefeated Juggernaut Eastview in the GBSSA finals, the winner earning the GBSSA slot at the OFSAA Championship. The OFSAA action will play out Monday June 1 to Wednesday June 3 if you're so inclined to have a peek. Like the rugby championships previously held at the Midhurst complex in 2002 and 2015 ... both OFSAA Gold for Central Rugby, in all arrogance ... there's A LOT to appreciate about what is playing out on pitches in this area, and the organizers would love to have your support.

I repeated the bike trip from Wasaga to take in the GBSSA Championship of Eastview hosting Nantyr, and came away with profound respect for both squads, but for significantly different reasons. While Eastview does many things well, they enjoy the benefit of a super star calibre player in Reece Davies (or is it Reese, not sure?), a multi-skilled, dynamic athlete with a goodly amount of rugby sense. Davies was the big difference in the game, IMHO, I think totalling 19 points himself on the strength of 3 tries (5 pts) and 2 conversions (2 pts). In the end, despite spirited Nantyr defence, Eastview was crowned GBSSA champions in a 31-0 win. Shout out to Coaches Andrew Davies and Aria Keshoofy on the Big Dub!

Stay tuned for more information about the OFSAA Championships June 1-3, and how Eastview and hosts North fare in the tournament.

Hopelessly romantic!

This past week shaped up to play out with normal flair with some supply work, some refereeing, some Wynnie snuggles, and some two-wheeled explorations, but as the second hand ticked it's way around the clock face, something pretty cool occurred. 

Carrier Pigeons from Greece ... our family has officially expanded ... well, sort of officially.

For background, our son Keaton fell head over heels for a young Jessica Lyver, an amazing young lady from Erin. Following a romance blossoming that eventually saw them do a relationship in a less traditional manner, complete with a joint home purchase in "old" Guelph, our lil' KP eventually decided she was The One! Being the helpless romantic that he has become, he popped the BIG question to the apple of his eye two years ago on a trip to Italy, Mediterranean in the backdrop, atop an epic Cinque Terre hike. Much to his relief, she tearily responded with a YES, and the planning began in earnest. What started out as a potentially private affair ... think 2026 style elopement ... has morphed into something still small but sprinkled with a more traditional flavouring. 

Back to Greece, KP + Jess booked quite the excursion to the gem of the Aegean, complete with island hops and ruins, but the highlight was the private sharing of vows they booked for the anniversary of their engagement, on the shores of the Aegean. In their eyes, it was the sacred promise to each other, "To have and to hold, till death do us part", shunning the fact that Canada would still require them to do the paperwork once back on home soil. That notion germinated into a special day this coming fall, complete with a homegrown ruin of sorts, by making it legal at Guelph's own Goldie Mill, a historic gem in the city's downtown, site of an old limestone mill built by the Goldie family in the 1800's, but sold in 1918 to the Grand River Conservation Authority, who now book it out. These days, it is the site of a host of special occasions, and their ceremony certainly qualifies. During it's time, Goldie Mill included a foundry, cooperage, distillery, piggery and tannery so the history, while definitely Canadian, is front and center, sort of like Greece.

As far as our family sees it, the Lyver's have officially hitched their cart to the Porter clan ... or we to them, if they'd prefer to see it that way ... with only the ink on the paper left to dry. I don't mind admitting that we had some misty eyes when we received the photos of the moment via i-message, and considering that Greece is 7 hours ahead, it would have been a post-celebratory late night, a favour we truly appreciated. It's pretty easy to see the joy and love in their eyes!

October in downtown Guelph, nature's paint pallet in full bloom, will be a very special day, and will almost complete our little family's development after Maddi + Chris employing similar timing in 2023. Now, all that remains is another grand child ... no pressure you two, just dreams of two wrinkled old beach bums.

Life is assuredly quite good these days.

Barrie the beautiful

My tap root is descending into the sands of Wasaga Beach, but I'll always have a piece of my heart that belongs to Barrie, my childhood home and the site of so many awesome memories, so when neat stuff happens that is flavoured with some Barrie spice, I take notice. A few pretty neat things happened recently that prompted this little piece.

Barrie is Home to the World's Strongest Man ... again!

Michell Hooper is affectionately nick named "The Moose" and he is one seriously strong dude! If you desire a more thorough background, CLICK here for the piece I wrote when Mitch won his 1st WSM. 

That's right Barrie, the World's Strongest Man lives in little ol' Barrie!

The 2026 WSM championships (CLICK for more info) were held in April and hosted in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA. Mitch totalled 56 points over 10 events, narrowly beating South Africa's Rayno Nel's 52 points. As with his first title, Mitch's secret is his otherworldly consistency across a wide assortment of lifts, meaning that while the max points for winning an event are nice to achieve, placing second or third across so many events ensures a spot atop the leaderboard. The graphic at the left is a screen shot from his Wikipedia page and is head-shakingly incredible! Qualifying for the final day by carrying boulders, pulling trucks, and squatting ridiculous weights, Mitch either placed 2nd, or shared 2nd, in each of the 5 final's events to take the crown.

What seems like a eon ago, I attended Queen's University in Kingston for my undergrad degree in PHE, now commonly referred to as Kinesiology, where I befriended a friendly giant named Todd Hooper. I've shared in past pieces that although I played for the Football version of the Gaels (Golden Gaels back then), my love was, and continues to be, basketball. Todd was not just a classmate, he was an integral part of the Gaels hardcourt during our time in Kingston, and that "bridge" led to a quality friendship. 

Fast forward a bunch of years ... 40th reunion this coming fall ... and our kids are now adults. Todd's only boy was an Uber talented, multi-sport athlete named Mitchell, and following a stellar high school career at Eastview SS, he chased first a football dream, the training for which eventually caused a lane change into powerlifting, before settling on the niche sport of Strong Man. The World's Strongest Man competitions, and their related competitions like the Arnold's, the Shaw's, and Rogue's, I term as niche only because there's a finite number of humans on this planet that possess the skeleton, discipline, and desire to compete in a wide variety of mind boggling events where moving ginormous weights in any prescribed direction is the focus.

In the event that you didn't read my first piece about Mitch, the quick-to-assume of you might shrug and write off WSM competitors as big on brawn, but not so much on brain. That would be a huge mistake! Speaking solely about Mitch, he has has a degree in human kinetics from the University of Guelph and a masters in clinical exercise physiology from the University of Sydney, but his passion is his very successful kinesiology clinic in Barrie. Truth be told, he only got into Strong Man because he wanted to understand what his clients were going through.

You read that right, good looking (like his dad), Uber smart, Uber athletic, and an all around good guy, he's a chip off the ol' brick and I'm sure Todd couldn't possibly be any more proud.

Barrie Central, alive still in the hearts of some former staff
Despite the large vacant lot at the corner of Dunlop and Bradford streets, the lone hint that anything cool existed is the obelisk-like chimney, the only remaining physical proof that Barrie Central once existed. The school, however, remains on the lips and in the minds of both alumni and former staff, memories that prompt wide smiles, hilarious stories, and fond feelings of friendship. 

Case in point, a passionate group of Central graduates has organized a reunion-like Celebration of Life to honour their alma mater's closing 10 years ago this coming June. If you're reading this, and you've a connection to ol' BCC, you can find more information about the celebration HERE.

This section is not about that, as amazing as it seems, but rather a tip o' the hat to a stalwart group of former Central teachers who meet twice a month to reminisce, remember, and re-connect over a pint ... or a sort of pint since the beverage of choice these days is a non-alcoholic version of days gone by. Hey, it's still beer, just without the annoying after effects. 

I was beckoned to join the group a few years ago when I pressed the magic button in January of 2020, and since that time, I've joined my former teachers turned colleagues turned friends on a number of occasions at some of Barrie's signature establishments. McReilly's was a longtime choice, both for it's wide assortment of offerings and the nuance of the downtown vibes, but with time catching up to many of the group, a change was made to a location that offered parking close by, a choice that even the spring chickens like me appreciate. The waterfront location of PIE is the new home for the BCC Old Farts Club.

Along the wall moving left to right, you'll find yours truly, John Irving, Ed Leach, and Rick Kalte. In the seats you'll find Jay Malandrino, John Kraft, Tom Krawczyk, Bill Huddleston, and at the very back, Don Stephen. Others who have contributed to the banter would include Bruce Rumble, Don Lillow (RIP), Bob Irwin (RIP), Doug Eves, Ron Andrews, and Brian Honey. Even Brad Chestnut and Rob McClung show up every now and then to the group's great delight.

The observant of you will immediately question the infamous JayMal ... he's not retired, you might say, so why is he sitting there smiling like a Cheshire Cat? In the spirit of inclusivity, the group welcomes any and all kindred spirits who would share their BCC experiences. Besides, JayMal's the best, and he keeps the average age stats in check! HaHa! With Central being nothing more than a group of outstanding memories, any former staff member is technically retired from there, and our group would welcome all with a warm hug and a big smile!

If you fit that bill, feel free to reach out to me or any of the group to inquire when the next meeting will take place. Even though I don't make every meeting, considering that I now live in Wasaga Beach, I treasure every one I do attend because these guys brighten my day each and every time!

Keep doing what you're doing Barrie! 

Still thinking about stuff

I've really enjoyed putting on the Thinking Cap for a couple of previous pieces (Click or Click) so I thought maybe one more time. I honestly cannot recall where I got these questions from, or what inspired them, but a quick Google effort resulted in dozens of potential choices so it literally could have been anywhere. 

I find that there is something deeply satisfying and cathartic answering these queries with heartfelt honesty, even if it creates a considerably vulnerable position by baring personal items for the Keyboard Warriors to react, however they may choose. I have decided that I now know myself pretty well after all these years, and more importantly, I am very comfortable with who I have become, so being vulnerable is not nearly as threatening as it once was. 

I'd love to have a conversation with you about what your answers might be to any of these.

What have you given up on?
We all have dreams.
Dreams are different from aspirations, at least they are to me.
Building on that, dreams and aspirations are different from goals.

To me, dreams are the stuff of "what if" or "imagine if", the thoughts that consume us when we sit quietly, watching the snowflakes swirl or raindrops drip or branches sway, as we entertain our grey matter with ideas that we anticipate might change the Life that we are surrounded by. They're the Lotto Max influence. They're fun to discuss with your special someone while commuting somewhere or basking in the glow of a fire.

Aspirations and goals are different. To me, aspirations are the long-term, often intangible vision or "the why", while a goal is the concrete, specific, measurable milestone, or "the what", needed to reach the aspiration. Goals are the actionable targets that serve the broader aspiration.

While we all have some of these, though not all of us have all three, and I would propose that it hinges on our station in Life since the circumstances of the day to day will influence our "what if", "why do", or "how can" ruminations. We are cautioned so often by influencers or "coaches" about being present or in the moment lest we dwell on issues out of our control, but if you're anything akin to me, you likely have decisions/actions that you harbour regrets about. The minuscule ones are easily dismissed, the fodder of a quiet moment of introspection, but should you have one that clings and causes revisitation, that energy can spark so much negative inner dialogue, warping the perceptions of the here and now with it's lens. 

That's where the giving up happens, the dream or aspiration tumbling like the proverbial house of cards under the weight of self-imposed lashes of the chalice as punishment for some deed left incomplete, the most extreme of which can cause alterations to our sense of self-worth or self-confidence. Our locus becomes external, fluctuating with the response/input of others, like a sail in the breeze. 

I am blessed to have enjoyed the influence of two amazing parents whose tutelage included allowing me to make mistakes, gifting the opportunity to learn how to stave off the fickle roller coaster of other's opinion by sustaining a solid foundation of belief in me, and what I'm about. It has served me well throughout my years, not only as an athlete and coach, but also as a teacher and parent, a "super power" I am incredibly grateful was harnessed early on. I have boat loads of minuscule regrets, so many that I've long forgotten their nature or circumstances, but if I'm honest, I have very few of a substantive nature, and certainly none that have caused the figurative rainclouds of pessimism. 

I guess that's a really long way to say that I haven't given up on very many things.

What do you do when other people don't like you?

It's an interesting question, if I'm honest, because the answer will have a great deal to do with your mindset. Caring about the opinion of others boils down to
(a) how much their approval means to you,
(b) how much you like yourself, or like the way you handled the thing that led to their disapproval, and
(c) how content you'd be going forward, considering their disapproval. 

The answer will also vary widely from person to person.

At this point in my ripening, if asked this, I would respond with a non-committal, unemotional, shoulder-shrugging, "Not much." Oh, there was a time where approval of others for an assortment of issues or decisions was paramount to my enjoyment of the day, but I will confess that these days, the number of people in the group that I would lend heed to has diminished to a little more than a handful.

Besides, as my brother's T-shirt states Aren't I a f#$king ray of sunshine and what's not to like? HaHa!

Seriously, it boils down to intrinsic or extrinsic valuation ... if you're happy with who you have become, you see the world and it's happenings through the lens of "I like me" and things that don't jive with what you hold dear are of little importance. On the flip side, if your lens is "I hope they like me", things that don't jive with what you hold dear can significantly impact your happiness. 

So my answer to the question hinges on being true to myself and my self-concept.

To be clear,

I like me ...

I like how I've lived and am living ...

I have a small group of people whom I hold dear ...

I have boat loads of people I call friends ...

If someone doesn't like me, Meh, but given some time, my little ray of sunshine will eventually brighten their day, and things could potentially change.

Thanks for reading!

2026 All Stars

With the completion of the 2026 version of the Simcoe County Boys' Basketball All Star game on April 7th, the curtain closes on another successful and entertaining high school basketball season that included three OFSAA medals for GBSSA ... Maple Ridge girls repeated as "AAA" Champions, Nouvelle Alliance girls brought home the "A" Sliver, and Nottawasaga Pines boys brought home the "AA" Silver! As former long time coach, organizer, and now a referee, I had a front row seat to the action, and would like to publicly "shout out" to the men and women coaches who selflessly sacrifice time away from their loved ones that the "Hoopers" of GBSSA have a platform to showcase their product.

It was a very exciting season!

Working backwards in 2025-26, the most recent expose of talent took place thanks to the Varsity Program of Georgian College, hosts of the 2026 Boys' All Star game, who generously donated the court time, staff, and jerseys for the event. Schools from around Simcoe County were represented, sometimes by multiple athletes, and the quality of the game was top-notch, much to the delight of the fans and supporters! If you missed it, you might be doubtful about the outstanding level of local talent, but I'm standing on my soapbox proclaiming their "Oh My!" level.

How would you know Steve, you might ask? I had the best seat in the house when I was honoured to have been assigned to officiate the game along with fellow Wasaga Beach'er Craymer Forth. I'm not the only one though, and Grizzlies head coach Chad Bewley confessed how excited he was by the 2026 class, many of this year's participants on his radar for recruiting.

Congratulations to Nottawasaga Pines SS Coach Mario Ivakovic-Jovie, also a BDABO member, for bringing an OFSAA Silver medal back to Simcoe County at the "AA" championships in Renfrew. After being seeded #11, NPSS suffered a jittery opening round loss to #9 seeded CW Jefferys (North York) 52-76, but rebounded to outpace their opponents to earn a berth into the final by besting #6 seed Smiths Falls 56-49, #3 seed Lo-Ellen (Sudbury) 73-67, and #2 seed St Joan of Arc (Toronto) 57-49. In the championship against #4 seed WC Kennedy (Windsor), tired legs and spent emotions resulted in short-armed shots that clanged off the rim, eventually leading to a 46-67 loss and a Silver medal. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first OFSAA medal for NPSS, and the team should be extremely proud of how they represented themselves, their school, and GBSSA.

Although the girls' basketball season seems so long ago, the smiles on the faces of two GBSSA teams has not faded. Powerhouse Maple Ridge cemented their claim as one of Ontario's premiere programs by successfully defending their OFSAA championship, a rare double in high school sports. The pressure was different for the 2025 version of the Ravens after being seeded #1 overall, following their 2024 seeding of #7 where they surprised some with their run all the way to the gold, but they tested their meddle besting #11 St Max Kolbe (Aurora) 77-23, #7 Notre Dame (Welland) 71-22, #8 Frontenac (Kingston) 49-32, and #5 AB Lucas (London) 45-30 on the way to the championship victory against host #2 St Patrick's (Sarnia) 49-37. Coaches Tutty and Laronde and building a program worthy of praise with many of their players signing with CIS schools for next season.

After being seeded #3 overall, I think it's fair to say that many in Barrie's basketball community were curious how the Tornades would fair, but victories over #14 Ursula Franklin Academy (Toronto) 50-18, #8 Seed ESC Horizon (Val Caron) 67-47, #6 seed Nicholson (Belleville) 63-50, and #2 seed Ange-Gabriel (Brockville) 38-33 earned NA a place in the final against Woodland Christian School (Bresleau). Unfortunately, they ran out of gas, Woodland winning 73-29. Shout out to long time NA coach Jérôme Garceau for continuing the winning ways for the Tornades!

With all admitted bias, if you're not out there on the sidelines at Simcoe County's high school games, you're missing out on some pretty impressive action. Along with the coaches named in this article, a massive pat on the back to the teachers/EAs who are making school more enticing and enjoyable for the county's young athletes! I know it's a labour of love, and that you do it for all the right reasons, but seriously, thank you for all you do!

I'll make sure to submit all of your names to your respective Boards for a well earned raise!

Has it really been 10 years?

With the turn of the page into April, it has dawned on me that the end of the traditional school year looms, and noting the digits 2026 at the top of the calendar, I was startled by the realization that it's been 10 years since the SCDSB officially shuttered good ol' Barrie Central, closing the books on a storied institution complete with it's traditions, legends, myths, and curiosities. 

A lot has changed since June 2016 ...
Incredible stuff like retirement, marriages, a grand baby, and Hall of Fame enshrinement.
Cool stuff like new homes, cars, hobbies, and lifestyles.
Disconcerting happenstance like political upheaval, economic downturns, and climate degradation. 

When you're 5 years old, a decade seems like a lifetime.
When you're 10 years old, a decade seems like a huge number.
When you're 15 years old, a decade seems like a long time to wait.
When you're 20 years old, a decade seems like a wait-able time.
When you're 30 years old, a decade seems like a couple of years.
When you're 40 years old, a decade seems like last week.
When you're 50 years old, a decade seems like a minute ago.
When you're 60 years old, a decade sometimes seems like a struggle to remember.

Some things recently have thrust the good ol' days into the front of my consciousness, memory fragments swirling like the suds going down the kitchen sink, the powerful stuff crystal clear but the minor details wispy like clouds on a bright blue backdrop. I don't mind ruffling feathers when I reiterate that the whole process behind the destruction of all things Central was a clusterfuck of epic proportions ... excuse my crassness ... and even with the passage of 10 years, I still get agitated when I itemize the damage that ensued. 

Again, how could a group of supposed caring individuals actively choose to wipe out 147 years of achievement and success without continuing, or at least acknowledging, it's existence? The decision smacks of contempt and resentment, eradication at the core.

The proverbial silver lining, however, is that despite my outrage, there's more than enough awesomeness to offset the gloom, and I break into a wide grin when I sift and sort the recollections of ...
Coaching fantastic athletes, championships that were won/lost, accolades received ...
Teaching curious students, facilitating academic enlightenment, life goals revealed, friendship growth ...
Performing in Christmas assemblies by dancing ballet, singing a golden oldie, dressing in drag ...
Creating Central's yearbooks, farcical videos, silly songs, Moustache May photos ... 
Commiserating about lifelong relationships, colleagues marriages/children, colleagues/students lost.

They only saved the chimney, and it's still the only thing there!

I've written before about what I personally viewed to be the source of the magic contained within the walls of Central, but at the risk of repetition, I would propose that the personalities of those who worked there (admin, teachers, and staff), with the resulting synergy of talents, functioned like so much fertilizer propagating a blossoming of student brilliance, and the resultant splendor, a cacophony of athletic and academic accomplishments. Central wasn't just recognized municipally, it's reputation for excellence extended provincially, nationally, even internationally, the distinction becoming a habit that was passed from cadre to cadre for decades.

I've included enough stories in the 380 posts in this Blog that regurgitation is not necessary, but anyone who either attended, taught, worked, or spent time there can attest to something being slightly different ... not better, not greater, simply different, but in a really cool way.

I'm not alone in this.

A passionate group of alumni have rallied around reconnecting and reunion this coming June, with plans for a night of remembering to be held at the Lins Gate Banquet Hall in Barrie's east end. CLICK here for the Google Form registration. There's a dining option if that's desired; there's a nibbles option if something less formal is desired; it's intended to give like-minded Centralites a chance to catch-up, rekindle, reconnect, and reminisce.

Time inevitably marches on, and I've moved on to exciting things, not the least of which is my little Wynnie, but there'll always be a permanent portion of my soul reserved for my beloved BCC, with it's RED, BLACK, and WHITE colouring likely in the legendary quarter-board of Central Rugby. 

Hopefully I'll still be writing in 10 more years and we can share a stroll down Memory Lane again.

RIP Rory Quinn

Another soul has left this earth, and I'm feeling pretty melancholy about it because it's another former student and player from my Barrie Central days. I guess when we educators reach a certain age, it's inevitable that the fickle finger of fate will steal some souls earlier than ever should have been, leaving behind a sense of loss and regret.

RIP Rory Quinn 1989-2026

When viewed through my teacher lens, Rory was a peppery sort in high school because even as a teenager, he wasn't afraid to march to the beat of his own drum, never shy to share an opinion, or to choose the path less trodden. I can understand that some of his teachers might have a slightly different view, but I don't want to make it sound that I have negative memories of our shared time. Quite the opposite, really, because I appreciated his sense of humour, his self-belief, and his toughness, things that made him a decent rugby player. I first met Rory as a student, then later as a player when he joined our Sr Boys Rugby team, and although the relationship that developed wouldn't be labelled as close, on the rare occasions we did bump into each other, we made time for a catch-up, a smile, and a trip down Memory Lane. 

I really liked Rory.

Although he wasn't a starter, everyone knew when Rory entered the game, announcing his presence with tenacity and grit, usually good for a handful of solid thumping tackles. He was a proud member of our OFSAA winning side in 2007 played in Brantford. He had a smile larger than the Cheshire Cat with that medal around his neck. 

We stayed in touch, like so many former students/players, through social media like FB and Instagram, and I don't mind telling you that I was impressed with what seemed to me to be an obvious outpourng of love and pride for his boys. He struck me as a passionate sort, fought bravely, loved deeply, fiercely proud of his Irish heritage. 

With his passing, I've felt a longing to know what he amounted to since graduating from Central, and I came away with the feeling that family & friends were intensely important to him, not the least of which was Amber, his life partner. Anyone wired that way will be sorely missed by those that loved him, and for that, my heart goes out to them. There'll be a big hole in their lives.

I don't know if he'll ever know it, but I am sad that Rory's left us, and I hope that we'll all do our best to keep him with us in our thoughts. 

For those interested, Amber has posted on FB that there will be a Celebration of Life on Saturday, April 18th, 2026 at 1:00 pm to be held at the Lions Gate Banquet Hall on Blake Street in Barrie's east end.