THUNDER BAY – Bobby Orr believes in the importance of giving back to your community.
That’s why one of the best hockey players to ever step on the ice admires what the Staal family is doing in Thunder Bay.
Orr visited the Staal Foundation Open at Whitewater Golf Course on Tuesday, joining Eric, Marc, Jordan and Jared Staal with parents Henry and Linda meeting with members of the local community.
“I think it’s important for every athlete and hockey player to give back to the community. The Staals understand that and they’re doing a great job,” he said during a morning interview with local media.
“I’m watching the boys over with the young kids and it’s a pretty good relationship they have here. It’s important to the boys and the family they give back…I wish in some cases more athletes understood that because we can help not only financially but setting a good example for the kids.”
The eight-time Norris Trophy winning blueliner signed autographs for the legions of fans, many of whom sporting the familiar Boston Bruins No. 4 jersey, and met with a group of children from Camp Quality.
The Mackenzie Tour – PGA Tour Canada golf tournament raises funds for the Staal Foundation, which will donate proceeds between Camp Quality, the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation and the Northern Ontario Families of Children with Cancer.
Last year’s event raised more than $120,000, a figure the Staals hope to again achieve or surpass.
Orr first met the Staal family 15 years ago when Eric, the eldest, entered the OHL Draft and was selected in the first round.
Despite the on-ice successes for the brothers, which include All-Star selections and two Stanley Cup title runs, there’s something else that impresses the 67-year-old even more.
“Yes, they’re hockey players but to me the most important thing is the kind of family they are,” he said. “Henry and Linda are wonderful parents and it’s not a coincidence these kids are good kids. If you meet Henry and Linda you know why.”
The visit to the city also gave Orr the opportunity to see former Bruins teammate John Adams, the Thunder Bay native who played in 14 games during the 1972-1973 season.
