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Praise for the rink
Celebrating
winter and building community
Wednesday,
January 12, 2005 - LeeAnne Lavender
Perhaps nothing is so quintessentially
Canadian as playing hockey on an outdoor
rink. A neighbourhood pond, a backyard
patch of ice, a homemade ice pad flooded
diligently by a devoted dad - all
are icons of a
Canadian winter and are imbued with
a nostalgia that speaks of simpler
times and good, clean fun.
At Rhema Christian School,
skating on an outdoor rink is part
of each student’s experience.
For 19 years principal Ray Hendriks
has flooded a leveled patch of land,
ensuring the school community has
a place to get active and find some
winter fellowship.
“It’s a
real joy to see how much the kids
enjoy the rink each year,” says
Mr. Hendriks with a smile. “As
soon as the weather gets cold enough
I like to get started, building up
a good base of ice and maintaining
a smooth surface as much as possible
throughout the season. It’s
great to see how many people use the
ice, even on evenings and weekends.”
Students often lace
up before school, during lunch, and
after school. Physical education classes
take place on the ice throughout the
winter season. And parents and community
members often help out, shoveling
the ice in snowy weather and skating
with students after school in rounds
of pick-up hockey.
Mr. Hendriks lives right
beside the school, and keeps a close
eye on the rink. On many a frosty
evening you can find him outside,
hooking up hoses and filling large
barrels with water to tip onto the
ice. Toque
firmly in place and beard tipped with
ice, his devotion to the Rhema community
speaks volumes about how much he loves
the school.
“It’s a
great place, and these small things
add up,” he says. “This
school is based on a foundation of
community, and I think something like
the rink really puts that into action.”
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| "It’s
great to see how many people use
the ice, even on evenings and
weekends" |
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—Ray
Hendriks, Principal, Rhema Christian
School
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