Local legend Ivan McLelland may be a better goalie than golfer, but that didnsa国际传媒檛 stop him from getting out to the golf course to enjoy some time with his friends to celebrate his 90th birthday Monday (March 15).
McLelland is best known for back-stopping the Penticton Vees senior mensa国际传媒檚 team to a World Hockey Championship in 1955, bringing Canada its 16th world championship title. Hesa国际传媒檚 since remained a very active and esteemed member of the community in Penticton.
As he celebrated his 90th birthday Monday at Skaha Meadows Golf Course with a group of friends, McLelland took the opportunity to look back on his time in Penticton.
sa国际传媒淨uite frankly, after all these years Isa国际传媒檓 pretty darn grateful for the role Isa国际传媒檝e played here in Penticton,sa国际传媒� McLelland said.
McLellan is grateful for his time between the posts, but he said there has been so much more to his life in Penticton than just hockey. McLelland married his wife Faye who is from Penticton. She passed away from dementia in 2009, prompting McLelland to get involved with fundraising for the Alzheimersa国际传媒檚 Society of B.C.
After finishing his hockey career, McLelland started working with youth hockey before becoming involved with local charities. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 never work for me,sa国际传媒� McLelland said. sa国际传媒淸Charity work] has always been something Isa国际传媒檝e enjoyed doing.sa国际传媒�
These days McLelland isnsa国际传媒檛 able to do much charity work due to COVID-19 but still keeps himself busy with golf, long walks, snowshoeing and spending time with friends.
McLelland has lived almost his entire life in Penticton since moving here in 1951 from South Porcupine, Ont. to play for the Vees.
sa国际传媒淚 married a Penticton lady [where we had a] wonderful time here in Penticton,sa国际传媒� McLelland said.
Penticton has changed a lot during his time here, so much so that it would be hard to identify all the changes, he said. But he believes the city has changed for the best.
sa国际传媒淚 think itsa国际传媒檚 positive, I donsa国际传媒檛 look at it as any negativity at all. I think the growth is natural and the city is, in my view, as pretty of a place as yousa国际传媒檇 ever want to be.sa国际传媒�
Monday at Skaha Meadows was a special day for McLelland as he took the day to look back on a life well-lived. Despite it being his birthday, he said his friends still werensa国际传媒檛 nice enough to let him win the nine-hole round of golf.
sa国际传媒淭hey never let me win, they pick on me!sa国际传媒� McLelland said through a laugh. sa国际传媒淭heysa国际传媒檙e all younger than me, of course, theysa国际传媒檙e heartless when it comes to the game of golf. They have no sympathy for an older man at all.sa国际传媒�
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