Don Stewart, a long-time junior hockey coach in Simcoe, Waterford, Hagersville and Port Dover, has been a dedicated volunteer for the last 40 years. He has coached, managed and been president of junior hockey teams for a large portion of that time.

Stewart coached a number of successful junior teams but led teams in Simcoe and Waterford to league championships in some of the most memorable games played in either arena.

During his playing career, Stewart was a member of two OMHA championship teams but it was a trip to Helsinki, Finland in 1981 as a member of Team Canada in the Old Timers’ World Cup along with a Canadian Old Timers championship in Vancouver in 1980 that stand out as most memorable.

When playing and coaching days were over, Stewart turned his attention to fund raising and organizing. He co-chaired the Score-a-Million campaign for the Talbot Gardens renovations, was a member of the Norfolk General Hospital Thanks-a-million campaign, headed the Norfolk County elementary school campaign to raise funds for the Lloyd S. Culver Grandstand, Camp Trillium and the Family Fund. He is currently a member of the Simcoe and District Youth Soccer Park fund raising committee and South Coast Special Needs Kids.

He has been a tireless organizer, media contact, and MC for a number of events including the Rob Blake Stanley Cup Celebration, the Red Kelly Homecoming and a number of Sports Hall of Recognition induction ceremonies.

He can currently be seen on Amtelecom Cable 5 broadcasting hockey, curling and soccer but it is his organizational skills and fund raising activities that have gained Stewart recognition throughout the community and beyond.

Don Stewart will be inducted into the Norfolk County Sports Hall of Recognition at a gala celebration at Talbot Gardens on July 17, 2004.