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He delivers hockey dreams
Jim Ramsay makes a difference with pucks, learning and opportunity

Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Wednesday, June 29, 2016

RANKIN INLET/ARVIAT/BAKER LAKE
Hundreds hung on at the Rankin Inlet arena on a freezing winter night as the clock neared 1 a.m.

Suddenly the PA system came to life and a man hummed the theme song to Hockey Night in Canada (the sound guy who was supposed to play the actual song had given up hours earlier and headed home) with more than a little excitement in his voice.

The man humming the song was the same guy responsible for the loud cheers and squeals of excitement as the gate to the ice surface opened and the Stanley Cup made its Rankin debut in 2000.

Arviat businessman Jim Ramsay has a long hockey history in the Kivalliq and across the North.

A former branch president of Hockey North, Ramsay oversaw a number of hockey initiatives from Yellowknife to Iqaluit.

But the former Rankin resident's heart is always in the Kivalliq, where he brought the Cup to Rankin and, earlier this month, Toronto goaltending icon Felix Potvin to Rankin and Baker Lake.

Ramsay and his son, Aaron, run a sports memorabilia shop in Winnipeg.

The two have been working with the NHL Alumni to put programs together with a number of southern hospitals.

Ramsay said he's trying to get some of the NHL Alumni players involved with programming in the North.

He said he'd like to see the former NHLers experience another part of the country, where the majority of kids are happy with very little.

"It's huge for these kids to meet a former NHLer," said Ramsay. "They have a major role model in Jordin Tootoo, but he's one person and he can't be here all the time.

"And like everywhere else, everyone has their own favourite NHL team and it's a really big deal when they - young and old alike - get to meet a former star of that team.

"It's nice to be able to do that, and some of these guys are amazing individuals."

Ramsay speaks highly of Potvin, who he brought to Winnipeg along with Marcel Dionne about two months ago.

He said while in The Peg, Potvin told him he'd love to visit Northern communities and meet the people there.

"Felix told me anything he could do to help, he was there, and that's what got the plan going to get him to Rankin and Baker.

"I'd like to bring some NHLers up to a couple of tournaments this coming hockey season; maybe the Jon Lindell Memorial in Arviat and the Polar Bear Plate in Rankin, and meet the kids and all our awesome hockey fans here.

"I used to be heavily involved in stuff like this here back in the day and I miss it."

Ramsay said he was also part of getting youth involved with the recent Kivalliq Chamber of Commerce meetings.

He said he helped put a performance package together for the meet and greet in Rankin, and then had two of the youths attend the chamber meetings in Baker Lake.

"They both came and gave me a hug afterwards and told me they never knew it was like this.

"They're the future and - no disrespect to the older guys - we have to get more of them involved in business and entrepreneurship.

"The future is growing fast here, the youth need to grow their confidence, and things like this might help.

"If we can help one or two at a time, it's a little bit better than nothing."

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