This year’s Skate Ontario Section CanSkate Award winner is Maëlle Plourde from the Timmins Porcupine Skating Club. Described as a “little ball of sunshine,” Maëlle brings her pure joy for skating to the ice every week. She arrives at the arena with a smile on her face, eager to collect her nametag and put her skates on. She even assists the club’s CanSkate Coordinator with setting up nametags, organizing ribbons and decorating the arena for the other skaters.

On the ice, Maëlle never needs to be encouraged to try new skills and has shown great improvement over the past two CanSkate sessions. She takes direction and corrections very well, always participates fully in each session and often the last one to leave the ice. Her hard work and dedication have made a positive impact on everyone around her.

Maëlle has not let the provincial lockdowns diminish her love for skating and has shown perseverance through the whole pandemic. She has thoroughly enjoyed taking part in Skate Ontario off-ice webinars when she was not able to be on the ice, and is keen to learn what “the big kids” are learning.

“She can’t wait until it is her time to skate. She watches the time clock intently, counting down the time until she can put on her skates, take off her guards, and get on the ice. It is always a pleasure to see her toothless grin waiting for me at the top of the stairs. This firecracker brings energy and spark to our CanSkate program.” – TPFSC CanSkate Coordinator.

Please join us in congratulating Maëlle on being the recipient of the CanSkate Award!