The Sept. 9 Tait Debate: Steve Hogle once again has the look of being a rookie

Steve Hogle

On a warm evening in June of 1973 a dark curly-haired 13-year-old sat on the end of the baseball bench along the third baseline of Jubilee Park in west Edmonton. He was a rookie. Didn’t play much. But he was eager, ready to learn and had a confident — although not cocky — attitude, which clearly showed he was ready for anything. That’s was my introduction to Steve Hogle. And that same image, four decades old this summer, replayed itself last Thursday: Steve was wearing a suit and tie, replacing the red and white baseball uniform, sitting on the end of a table, looking poised and ready. Once again, he’s a rookie — this time as president of the Western Hockey League Saskatoon Blades.

I spoke to Steve about 10 days back. He had taken a leave from the Edmonton Oilers as vice-president of communications. Not looking for a change, he said a wonderful opportunity surfaced. He needed time away to think about it. The reporter in me was begging to ask the question of what that might be; the friendship in me whispered “Nah, leave it alone. He won’t tell you anyway.” So I did. Steve did, however, grant me this: “It’s hockey related.” Edmonton Journal sportswriter Jim Matheson wrote a story Wednesday about the Saskatoon Blade sale from Jack Brodisky to Edmonton car dealership owner Mike Preistner. The president of the team, Matty wrote, would be my old friend Steve, a long-time friend of Preistner’s. The day after the story ran in The Journal, the Blades new ownership was introduced. Sure enough. Steve was there in his new role as president.

(Please click here for Steve's interview Friday on CTV Morning Live.)

Over the years, Steve and I have bumped into each other countless times. He father Bruce was a tremendous television news reporter and then manager. Steve followed his dad’s legacy, working his way up to director of news and public affairs with CTV Edmonton. He left television to become vice-president of communications for the Alberta

Bruce Hogle

Research Council in 2007. Then he joined long-time friend and Oiler owner Daryl Katz in a communications role during negotiations between the team and the city on a new downtown arena. After the arena deal was secure, Steve turned his talents to the Oilers, overseeing broadcast operations and website content.

Whenever we talked hockey always entered the conversation. He often fed me stories of up and coming minor hockey players in Edmonton to write about when I was an Edmonton Journal sportswriter. Steve loves to see people succeed. He’s also been a great friend to me. When I took a buy-out from The Journal in 2012 he was the first person to call and see how I was. He told me the best my part of my life, while unknown, was just around the corner.

Now, it’s my turn to return the favor as Steve enters his new chapter in life. Given his eagerness in his eyes and how he relates to people I have no doubt Steve Hogle will have super Saskatoon success.

The Sept. 7 Tait Debate: An invitation for ice cream with my grandson to those who think we received preferential treatment (CLICK FOR MORE)

Our grandson Nicholas in our living room (AFTER SCHOOL)

Just a little after 7:30 a.m. weekdays my day begins when my 10-year-old grandson Nicholas walks into our bedroom door and leaps on to our bed. First, he gives my wife Joan a big hug to start the morning and then rolls over to my side. “’Morning, Papa,” Nicholas says, often punctuated by a long yawn. I pull myself out of bed, get into my wheelchair and watch cartoons while Joan cooks and gives him breakfast. It has been our way of life  for five months now after Nicholas’ mother passed away from cancer. Our son Darren drops him off in the morning.  Joan drives Nicholas to school in the morning, takes him lunch and then picks him up in the afternoon. Nothing was going to stop Joan and I from providing the best environment for Nicholas and a time when he needed it the most.

But we came very close to losing that. Very close. In June Alberta Health Services decided to re-vamp home care by dismantling many successful programs. I have cerebral palsy and require assistance in bathing, dressing and other things. Since 1997 Joan and I have lived in a condominium with 24-hour home care. Under the brilliant leadership of founder Larry Pempeit who formed Creekside Support Services — a non-profit group — 14 people with physical disabilities in the Creekside complex live independently … all because of home care. That wasn’t good enough, it seemed for AHS. In fact, they told us a new homecare provider would be coming in, with new staff, who, incidentally, might be on-site 24 hours a day like we had.

It scared me. I was afraid I might have to move into a nursing home. Nicholas wasn’t ready for that, I said to myself. It would also mean I could no longer be the grandfather I wanted to be. So we fought like hell. The day before we met AHS officials and were told of the changes, my neighbor Heidi Janz and I had a chat.

Alison Redford

What if, we wondered, we asked Alberta premier Alison Redford for coffee to share our story? So we did on this very blog. (Have a look here.) The day after I received an e-mail from Redford’s press aide Neala Barton saying our invitation had been accepted. We met Redford five days later and within 48 hours our meeting, the AHS decision was reversed. We still have our homecare program intact.

Last week Creekside Support Services came under fire in a report (click here) on how the home care contracts were handed out. One unnamed company is claiming we got preferential treatment because we met with Redford, causing Calgary Herald columnist Don Braid to chime in on the debate.

Hedi Janz

I find this very petty. So does my friend Heidi who replied Friday with this. One has to wonder if this company even asked for a meeting. Funny what happens when a requests are made ... I would suspect the got in a huff because the reversal had a huge financial impact on them.  For me, it was personal. It was about my family, and it was about having existing services in place so I can be the best husband, father and grandfather I can be. It’s about the circle of care: because I am cared for, I can care for others.

Homecare isn’t just about dollars and cents. It’s about empowering people to be the best they can be. So rather than inviting this unnamed company for coffee, I’m inviting them for ice cream with Nicholas and I. They can ask Nicholas how much fun it is jumping on Papa every morning to wake him up  — and then draw their own conclusions.

Nicholas in our living room playing trains

Sept. 6 Tait Debate: Guest blogger Dr. Heidi Janz on home care report (click here for more)

How Does Granting a Plea for Dialogue to Save Our Independence Become “Preferential Treatment”?

by Dr. Heidi Janz

In a Calgary Herald column which appeared on September 4, 2013, Don Braid reports:

In a long report on clumsy and insensitive AHS handling of new homecare contracts, there’s a startling line on page 88 that instantly rang political gongs on Wednesday.

Some homecare providers vying for contracts, the document says, “were upset that other service providers that had approached the Premier received preferential treatment and in their view this option should be available to other providers.”

The wider finding of the report, ordered up by Health Minister Fred Horne, is that Alberta Health Services kind of forgot about the people who need home care when it started awarding big contracts to private national companies.

That jolted AHS and led to a reshuffling of contracts, some of them away from big outfits like Ontario’s Bayshore, and back to worthy non-profits that have served Albertans for decades.

But the full report didn’t come to light until Wednesday … And it contained that explosive suggestion — repeated without elaboration — that Premier Alison Redford was somehow playing favourites behind the scenes.

Redford herself didn’t comment Wednesday. But her press aide, Neala Barton, says the only relevant meeting on Redford’s schedule was with an Edmonton co-op agency in June.           

This was well publicized at the time, mainly because one of the players is the remarkable Cam Tait, blogger, and longtime Edmonton Journal writer who has been afflicted with cerebral palsy all his life.

Now, in the interests of full  disclosure, let me confess that it was I, along  with friends and fellow Creekside Support Services users Tait and founder Larry Pempeit,  who conspired to unduly influence Premier Redford to reverse a wrong-headed  decision by AHS to blow up our user-run homecare services, and hand over all control of our personal care—and, with it, practically all control over our lives—to a big-box, for-profit homecare provider. For anyone interested in the facts of what such an arbitrary change in homecare provider would have meant for us, here they are:

·      No longer were we 14 Creekside users with physical disabilities to have any say at all in where, when, or by whom our personal care was provided.

·      We were going to lose all of our current health care aides—many of whom had worked with us for 10 years or more.

·      We would no longer be able to receive personal care services outside our home. For some of us, this would mean no longer being able to go to school or work.

·      According to the representatives of Alberta Health Services  Homecare, with whom we met just five days before we met with Premier Redford, there was no guarantee that the new service provider would be able to provide the 24/7 care that many of us require, and currently receive.

If any of you are surprised by any of these facts, you’re in good company—so was Premier Redford. My own sense is that it was being presented with the real effects that this decision was going to have on real people that affected the reversal of this decision.

So, to those unnamed applicants accusing us of unduly influencing the Premier, I would simply ask this: Would the decision on who was awarded Homecare contracts affect any aspect of your personal life, other than perhaps the size of your bank account? Would it affect when (or if) you get  up in the morning?  When (or if) you can use the bathroom? Who cleans you after you use the bathroom?

If you’ve answered “yes”  to any of the preceding questions, we owe you an apology.

If not, I’d  say, you owe us one.

Please click here for Don Braid's column.

To keep the conversation going please click here

The September 4, 2013 Tait Debate: Q and A with DATS director Deanna Crozier

Deanna Crozier, director of the Disabled Adult Transit Service, joined us on a Q and A on the new two-hour cancellation policy.

1)  Were you surprised by the feedback you received on the two-hour cancellation policy?

Crozier: "If DATS users, caregivers, and families have feedback on this matter, it surprises me they didn’t contact DATS directly. To date, we have received only 25 non-favourable calls to DATS Community Relations, e mails and correspondence. In addition, some of the e mails and contacts were forwarded to us from other sources. I replied to all e mails and written correspondence and advised I was available to meet. To date, I’ve had one call back.

In the DATS Customer Care Centre, we have had questions, clarifications, and many scenarios posed as well as comments like “it’s about time”. Many users challenge us to be more efficient. The introduction of the 2 hour cancellation notice is one way we’re addressing this challenge.

Customer feedback comes to us in a variety of forms. In addition to our standard tools, we now have the opportunity to engage our customers through social media. A challenge for us is the immediacy and “free flowing” aspect of social media. We need to ensure our responses are timely but also accurate.  This poses a communication challenge that we have been and will continue to pursue with our City communication liaisons.

2)     DATS users were not asked for their input on this. Why?

Crozier: "DATS stakeholders were asked for their input.

"We use the DATS Advisory Group (DAG) to provide ongoing input in the planning and operation of DATS – this was discussed at their meetings. We also send items for the Edmonton Transit System Advisory Board’s Manager’s Report – this topic was included twice.

The DATS Newsletter is a key communication tool for us. Bi – monthly newsletters are distributed in print (regular and large) and electronic formats as well as on CD’s.. We solicit customer feedback on items included in the newsletters and include our contact info in every issue. As noted above, we didn’t receive much input on this issue. As well, we issued a specific Customer Bulletin on this issue and solicited feedback - we received minimal response.

3)As an user I was somewhat disappointed in the explanation in the DATS newsletter on working late and feel comparing it to a car-pool and, in fact, I don't understand that. How does a car pool and a public-funded transportation system draw a parallel each other?

Crozier: “Both are a pre-arranged ride and if it’s frequent, some of our customers have worked with their employers to make it more of a formal arrangement.”

4)    Do you see this as perhaps an opportunity to build a better relationship of understanding between DATS users and administration?

Crozier: “Overall, we have a good relationship as evidenced by the annual customer satisfaction surveys. However we believe any and all contact with customers is an opportunity to build better relationships.”

5)Do you think if there would have been more consultation with users there might have been a buy-in from customers?

Crozier: “Based on customer reaction when we introduced the change, there haven’t been customer issues. To date, we’re pleased with customer buy in.”

6)   How was the time of 7 a.m. determined for the no-show policy not to be in effected? Were users asked?

Crozier: “It isn’t possible to provide 2 hours notice for trips before 7 am week-days and 8 am week-ends and Stat Holidays – staff aren’t in until 5 week-days and 6 week-ends and holidays to accept cancels.”

7)   When and how do you think you will see the two-hour policy be beneficial to DATS?

Crozier: “This change is designed to benefit both customers and DATS Administration. This allows DATS to be more efficient with the yearly budget approved by City Council and maintain/improve service to our customers. For example:

·    More same day customer trips accommodated and perhaps at different time periods;
·    Better (and more) accommodation for “ready early” customer requests;
·    Improved on-time performance for customer trips and perhaps at different time periods.

8)  DATS has said the city is growing. Are there plans for a budget increase to address the city's growth?

Crozier: “The growth to the peripheries of the city poses scheduling efficiency issues. Continuous improvement in scheduling has been a focus for quite some time. This additional cancellation notice will help DATS be more efficient in scheduling and service delivery.

Our strategy is to maintain our current budget. One of our goals is to accommodate increased demand for DATS by assisting customers to make better use of regular ETS bus and LRT.”

9)  Please list three things why you think the two-hour cancellation policy will assist DATS in the next three years?

Same as #7 above:

Crozier:
·    More same day customer trips accommodated and perhaps at different time periods;
·    Better (and more) accommodation for “ready early” customer requests;
·    Improved on-time performance for customer trips and perhaps at different time periods.

KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING BY CLICKING HERE

DATS rolls out new two-hour cancellation policy today; user Brenda Lewis responds

This is the day the Disabled Adult Transportation System rolls out their new two-hour cancellation policy. I think we have to keep an eye on this, looking for the good and the not so good it will bring. If you are a DATS user, please email your thoughts and experiences on the changes here.

In the DATS newsletter, the changes were explained Brenda Lewis shares her opinions one the answers from DATS.

       DATS newsletter question: What about medical appointments? What if they are running late?       DATS answer: When you book your appointment, let them know you will be traveling on DATS and confirm how much time you will need for your appointment. Please allow enough time for your appointment before your return trip. If you finish up early, just call and let us know you are ready early. 

       BRENDA LEWIS:  “Asking how long an appointment might be is unreliable to

say the least.  Never would the doctor be consulted about the length of an appointment, so a nurse or receptionist would not be qualified to answer

that question.

       The question should be; what happens when DATS gets me there late?

       Why are same day trips becoming more of a priority then trips dutifully made one to three days in advance? Would I fare better booking

same days all the time if same day trips are a higher priority than previously booked trips! Is there incentive?

  DATS newsletter question: What if roads are bad and I arrive late and can't use my return trip?

DATS Answer: Late cancellations are not recorded on your file if it is because DATS was late getting you to your destination.  

       BRENDA: “That's the least they can do, and I do mean the least!! Quite the olive branch!

        Raise your hand if you think bad roads are the only reason DATS would get you to your destination late??”

  DATS question: What if I can’t make my early morning trip?

  DATS answer: For trips before 7 a.m. weekdays and before 8 a.m. weekends, the current cancellation notice will still apply.

       BRENDA: “This rule should be moved from 7 am to 10 am. Many people are not awake or, if needing assistance getting out of bed, before 7 or 8 am.  

      

       If you are ready early to go home, you can phone to see if they can pick you up early.  What if we get to our destination late?  Will we be able

to be picked up later to accomplish what we went to do or have to call it a write off and a total waste of a trip? DATS doesn't want their time wasted

but mine is up for grabs! Is my time worth less than theirs?

       This new rule might not be as hotly contested if it hadn't been preceded by other rule changes that put more limits on our independence.

Booking three days in advance as opposed to two. Some people like it, some don't.  Life is not cut and dried so please tell me how well I can make a

booking(3 days ahead) when I don't know when I will get there???  Allow yourself 90 minutes to get somewhere whether it's ten blocks away or clear

across the whole city?  

      

       In the summer months, during decent weather, I could decide to cancel DATS and take the regular ETS, (which I thought was highly encouraged, by the way). But with our weather changes, even an hour would be better for feeling confident the weather will hold if I cancel!!

      

       It might look good on paper but taking a trip off one driver's schedule but adding a new trip to someone else's schedule results in someone

getting behind.  

Reading between the lines, I come away with: if DATS is not working for you, you can always twist your daily life schedule to fit theirs.  I am not

saying I'm demanding or expecting perfection from DATS or any other public works and I'm not saying I'm not grateful for their service. But I guarantee

I wouldn't put these thoughts together if I didn't feel very disrespected and fairly sure that this change will restrict my independence even more.

I'm all for compromise and respecting rules but only if they are just and make sense. We were not consulted.”

COMING TUESDAY: A Q and A with DATS director Deanna Crozier

Cam 'n Eggs and a good reminder

Good morning and let's be careful out there!

"I have a dream today" — songs to mind us of Martin Luther Kings August 28, 1963 speech

The Monday Camburger: New DATS cancellation policy provides wonderful opportunity

A week from now the Disabled Adult Transportation System is bringing a new policy where you have to cancel two hours in advance or you get hate mail. And if you get enough hate mail, you could be suspended from service. So, as DATS user, after much deliberation I have decided how I am going to handle it. I’m going to ignore it. Pretend it isn’t even there. I am a busy person and if I can’t cancel within the said period, bring the hate letters on. I really don’t care if I get suspended.

What bothers me is the way this was handled. DATS didn’t ask users at all for their input. I find that very interesting given today’s information age. They did bend a bit, saying those cancellations up until 7 a.m. will not go on the hate mail list. I don’t think that’s good enough. If DATS administration would have asked users, they would know many things can happen in the morning: personal care aides may be late, or not show up; equipment such as wheelchairs and lifts may falter; accidents in the home might happen and other things. Many of these things happen after 7 a.m. Respectfully, I think the exemption time for the two-hour policy should be extended to 10 a.m.

But nobody asked. Nobody from DATS did their homework. So despite 550 names on a petition the two-hour policy swings into affect next week.  Bring it on, I say. Because I think this is a great opportunity for people with disabilities to make another profound statement that cookie cutter philosophy without consulting consumers does not work.

CLICK HERE TO KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING

Tea with Tait .... on the beach!

If you can't make it to the lake tonight we'll bring it to you!



 Tait Talk title sponsors are

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The Friday Camburger: How does que-jumping build a caring culture?

The media around these parts have many stories and angles covered about the que-jumping debate in the province’s health system following the release of a report. You can find the details, stats, figures, graphs — everything you wanted and more — in those reports. I’m not going to debate the report today, but rather ask a question: what kind of a caring culture does que-jumping create?

We need to challenge ourselves to be mindful of Albertans with severe health issues should be a priority. As a province we have a responsibility in that regard. We need to ensure all Albertans that when they go to get medical help they will get it in a timely manner. Part of the recovery process in any illness starts the minute a physician starts listening to a patient. That hope is priceless.

It’s no secret: the Alberta family is expanding. We need to care for one another in new ways and be compassionate and understanding as our population grows. Building an unselfish culture is crucial as we move forward into the future: putting others first. I really don’t see how que-jumping will increase Albertan’s capacity to care for eachother.

KEEP THE CONVERSATION ROLLING BY CLICKING HERE

The Camburger — Let's get hugging, Edmonton

We need volunteer huggers in Edmonton, stationed on the High Level Bridge. A few on the north side and some on the south side. Because sometimes a hug can lead to conversation, which could be life-saving. Edmonton city councillors voted Tuesday to look at options in securing the High Level Bridge to bring down the number of suicides. There were 14 deaths last year around the bridge area: 14 too many. And 41 reported suicide attempts between 2011 and 2013. Forty-one too many.

I think people who find themselves in such a state of thinking about ending their lives are going to find their way on to the bridge, no matter what. But if there were folks around watching, looking for signs of distress we might be on to something. What if the city and The Support Network got together and trained volunteers to help?

There could be rewarding in so many ways. For volunteers it would provide a way for them to reach out in ways they might not even know they had. Maybe just an hour at a time. For people in need, a caring face can do so much. Sometimes, just seeing someone can comfort us. And a welcoming hug could change someone’s life. What do you think, Edmonton?

CLICK HERE TO COMMENT

Wednesday's Cam 'n Eggs with Grace and Ish Naboulsi, and Craig Styles

GOOD MORNING!

    Grace and Ish Naboulsi, right, with the help of longtime friend Craig Styles, raised $282,000 to thank the University Hospital for helping Grace with a heart ailment.  PHOTO by Nick Lees

For more information please click here to read Nick's Edmonton Journal column on the event

Keep the conversation going here

Tea With Tait — The Gretzky Tales - Part V — "Have one for me"

 (It's been fun, sharing my stories with Wayne Gretzky over the past few days. Here's the last instalment.)

Wayne as coach

I see Wayne the odd time now when he comes to Edmonton.

One of the most amazing things to me about Wayne is how he always encourages people to look to the future.

Whenever we had a chat at the morning skate of a game, he would end by saying: “You’re coming to the game tonight, right? I’ll see you after the game.”

And he would. It wouldn’t be for very long because he had a plane to catch. But right before he left the rink, he would  always say “I’ll find you when we are in town next.”

And he always did. His time was so restricted he often did not have time for a quick hand shake and hello. But he always did that.

I’ll never forget in December of 2008 when the Phoenix Coyotees were in Edmonton to play the Edmonton Oilers. I was on the bottom of Rexall Place near the Phoenix dressing room and watched the team walk under the stands on to the ice. With his hands in his pocket, Wayne followed the team out and, minutes before the game, probably had a million thoughts. He saw me, stopped and shook my hand.

“Cam, how are you? Everything OK?” he asked. “It’s game time but God bless.”

In the winter of 2002, Kevin Lowe had me phone him before every hockey game Canada played at the Salt Lake Winter Olympics. (Wayne and Kevin were part of the management team.) The night before Canada met the Americans in the gold medal game, I made my call. Kevin took it and said someone wanted to say hello.

Joey Moss

One of Wayne’s special friends is Joe Moss, who has Downs Syndrome and can be difficult to understand at times.

Kevin handed Wayne his cell phone.

“Hi Gretz. How are you?” I asked when I recognized his voice.

“Joey!” Wayne exclaimed, thinking I was Moss. “How nice of  you to call.”

And, he was serious.

“Sorry, Gretz. It’s Tait.”

There was a long pause at the end.

“Well, you’ve been drinking, haven’t you? Have one for me.”

Wayne, Bill Comrie, Glen Sather and myself at the Northlands in 1999 in Edmonton



PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR PREVIOUS PARTS OF THE SERIES

Tuesday's Camburger: A hateful letter challenges us all

I have lived with cerebral palsy all my life, use a wheelchair, and  had the priceless support from my family and community around me as a young boy. That’s why the recent story of Brenda Millson and her grandson Max extremely disappoints me and has me very, very concerned. Max is 13 years old and has autism. Ms. Millson had an anonymous letter delivered to her in Newcastle, Ont. suggesting the family either leave the neighborhood or Max … well, you read the letter below.

This type of behavior is sad, on so many levels. It is also darn right scary for people with disabilities to have people who have such attitudes. Horrifying, in fact. And it lends itself to ask countless questions: what would cause someone to do this; do we need more public awareness campaigns, starting with government and the non-profit organizations representing disability, challenging and remember to include people with disabilities; do we need to provide better support systems to include people with disabilities in communities, creating even more understanding; do we take a deep look at ourselves and  re-examine our own beliefs; do we …?

I feel terrible for Max and his family. In an ever-increasing population it is indeed a shame we, as a society, have not embraced one another more—despite our abilities and disabilities. I am hopeful, though, this is an isolated incident will create discussion and education. In the end, the  community around Max will support him and give him  everything he need to succeed. I have faith it people. I speak from experience.

THE NEWS STORY WITH THE LETTER

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Tea with Tait - The Gretzky Tales - Part IV — "Thanks for all the fun times"

 (The series continues of my personal stories of Wayne Gretzky. I met Wayne in July 1979 — the same month I started writing for The Edmonton Journal.)

Wayne announcing he was leaving the Edmonton Oilers Aug. 9, 1988

When the Oilers won their fourth Stanley Cup in May of 1988, Oiler coach and GM Glen Sather told CBC Hockey Night in Canada the team would change 15 per cent over the summer. Never did I think Wayne would be included in that change. I was covering a story at the Youth Emergency Shelter — a safe haven for teenagers who find themselves without a home — when radio reports were saying Wayne was being traded to the Los Angeles Kings that afternoon, Aug. 8, 1988. I didn’t believe them. But when I watched the supper hour news that night, and saw the press conference, I was sad to see a friend leaving Edmonton.

Wayne’s first time back as a member of the Los Angeles Kings in Edmonton that October was a circus. I went to the morning skate and to the game and remember feeling sorry for him.  Not only did he have people wanting to see him but he was now on playing for the other guys, and was in an uncomfortable situation.

I was glad to be there. But didn’t like the circumstance.

A month later I was going through a personal heartache when the woman I was dating had met someone else. My childhood friend Barth Bradley and I had lunch and I told him how rotten I was feeling.

“Why don’t we go to Los Angeles for a weekend and go to a hockey game and say hello to Wayne?” Barth suggested over post-lunch coffee.

I was in. A change of scenery, a hockey game and good friends and a few laughs.

Barth and I went down to Los Angeles in February of 1989 and stayed in Manhattan Beach with my good friend Les Hayes. We went to the Kings’ morning skate and had a great visit with Wayne and Peter Millar, the long-time Oiler trainer who went to the Kings when his contract was up in Edmonton.

Retired L.A. King trainer Peter Millar

Wayne gave us the address of the store that sold the Kings’ merchandise and said we would be more than welcome. When we arrived, the clerk behind the desk recognized us. “You must be Wayne’s friends from Edmonton,” he said. “Wayne told me you were coming.”

Barth bought things for his kids, all in black and silver with the Kings logo on it. I did the same for my nieces and nephews. When we went to pay for everything we were shocked at how little the bill once.

“I think we paid about 10 cents on the dollar. And Wayne was the guy that made that happen,” Barth said.

WE WENT TO the game that night and, for Les was his first hockey game. It was very rewarding to see people in southern California learning the game and falling in love with hockey.

After the game Barth and I got into the Kings’ dressing room. They had beaten the Buffalo Sabers 5-3 and the dressing room turned into a party with some recognizable faces from the Los Angeles area. Wayne introduced us to actors Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn, golfer Craig Stradler and syndicated radio host Rick Dees.

Wayne offered Barth and I a beer. We gratefully accepted, but didn’t have a straw. Wayne got up from his stall, walked away from the reporters waiting to interview him and went all over the Kings’ dressing room looking for a straw. He returned with two straws in his hand.

“I looked all over for these,” he said.

“I know. I am pretty thirsty by now,” I said.

Barth and I made a few more trips to Los Angeles in the winter to see Wayne and the Kings play. He always shared his time for us and made sure we had a few special treats during our stay.

We were at the morning skate the Kings had at the Great Western Forum one trip.

The book written by Jim Taylor and Wayne's
dad Walter

On his way out of the rink, Wayne and I had a short visit before I asked him to sign a book. It was a book written by legendary Vancouver sportswriter Jim Taylor and Wayne’s father Walter. Wayne took his time writing something on the first page of the book, and it’s something I will always treasure. He wrote: “To Cam. Thanks for all the fun times. Your friend, Wayne.”

THE LAST TIME I saw Wayne play for the Kings in L.A. Was in the spring of 1995.  I mentioned to Wayne I was trying my luck at live comedy before he went into the back of the dressing room.

“Give me a minute. Don’t go away,” he said.

He came back and said he called a friend of his at The Comedy Store in West Hollywood. I had five minutes to perform that night, if I wanted it. I did, and it was an experience I will never forget.

Wayne is extremely kind. We had not been in contact for a while and then, just before Christmas of 1998, he sent his new picture book special delivery to our home. “To Cam, Merry Christmas. In Friendship, Wayne.”

Before he officially retired as a New York Ranger in 1999, he was with the team when they played the Oilers in Edmonton. I was at the Ranger practice the day before the game and saw Wayne with extra sticks and jerseys he had packed with him. He took as much time as needed to sign them and  made sure they  got to the people he wanted to say thank you to.

COMING TUESDAY: An unforgettable phone call

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