麻豆社区

Two longtime leaders of Whitehorse鈥檚 ElderActive Recreation Association (ERA) will enter the Yukon Sports Hall of Fame in the builder category at a ceremony later this month.

The late William 鈥淏ill鈥濃�圫impson and his wife, Diana, will enter the territory鈥檚 sports shrine Nov. 20 during Sport Yukon鈥檚 annual awards night at the Yukon Convention Centre.

The award will be accepted by the Simpson children 鈥� Stuart, Doug and Susan 鈥� as Diana is currently hospitalized in Medicine Hat, Alta., where she recently moved to join her daughter.

Speaking on behalf of the family yesterday, Stuart Simpson said his father would be floored by the prestigious honour.

Bill died in June of this year after struggling with heart disease. He was 80 years old.

鈥淒ad would be pretty humble about it,鈥� said Stuart, a resident of Atlin, B.C., who at age 51 is the eldest of the Simpsons鈥� three children. 鈥淗e鈥檇 be cracking some jokes. There鈥檇 definitely be some humour and humility.鈥�

His 73-year-old mom would also attempt to brush off the award, he said.

鈥淪he鈥檇 be proud, but humble,鈥濃�圫tuart said of his ailing mother. 鈥淎ll of us are hugely proud. We鈥檝e always been proud of Mom and Dad.鈥�

The Simpsons contributed greatly to the well-being of seniors and elders throughout the Yukon in the area of sport and recreation, said current ERA president Tom Parlee, who nominated the couple to Sport Yukon for the hall of fame induction.

The duo helped create the ERA, which fosters active living and physical activity through participation in sport and recreation.

In the process, they also built the structure for Team Yukon to participate in the biennial Canada 55+ Games.

Growing up, the Simpson family鈥檚 kitchen table seemed to be constantly covered in stacks of papers concerning events the couple was organizing.

Meanwhile, recent family get-togethers consistently featured competitive games of horseshoes.

鈥淗e always said: 鈥榊ou鈥檝e got to stay active,鈥欌�濃�圫tuart said of his father.

鈥淎pparently he told that to a lot of people. Just growing up as a kid, Dad got us active in a lot of things.

鈥淭hose were goals we never knew he was instilling in us as kids.鈥�

Stuart recalls his childhood featuring unicycles, stilts, and annual fishing trips to Haines, Alaska.

鈥淲e fished every creek from here to Dawson Creek,鈥� he said.

In more recent years, Bill successfully competed in the Canada 55+鈥圙ames as a bowler, and won gold in bocce during the territory鈥檚 record haul of 79 medals at the 2012 event in Sydney, N.S.

鈥淗e actually only competed a couple of times,鈥� said Parlee. 鈥淗e was more involved in the planning, and was a national director for about five years. He took on leadership roles that kept him very busy.鈥�

Bill first competed at the 1998 Canada 55+ Games as an athlete, with Diana joining him for support.

In 2000, ERA was established as a non-governmental organization, with the intention of forming Team Yukon for future Canada 55+ Games.

Bill and Diana returned to the 2002 event in Summerside, P.E.I., and after two successful experiences, decided to help ERA bid to host their own event.

The Simpsons were instrumental in making the 2004 Canada 55+ Games in Whitehorse a huge success, with more than 1,200 athletes from across the country participating.

They continued their leadership roles with ERA well after the Whitehorse event concluded.

Momentum for Team Yukon grew once word of the Canada 55+ Games spread, so the Simpsons worked diligently to put the proper structure in place, said Parlee.

This included fund-raising each year, establishing an organizing committee, starting traditions such as pep rallies to build team spirit 鈥� Team Yukon has been presented with the Spirit of the Games Award four times 鈥� and selecting team uniforms.

Bill went on to represent the Yukon on the national board for the Canada 55+ Games from 2007 to 2012.

He and Diana built links, relationships and partnerships between the ERA and other recreation organizations in the territory.

The Simpsons were the guiding force behind the ERA for a decade, helping to increase club membership from just 50 in 2000 to 500 members in 2014.

In 2011, Bill received the Commissioner鈥檚 Award for public service in recognition of his work with ERA.

At the time, Bill noted he could not have done any of his volunteer work without Diana鈥檚 support.

Bill worked tirelessly for the local ERA until his death.

Through countless hours of dedicated service, the Simpsons provided leadership, vision, and mentoring, said Parlee.

Parlee sat with Bill on the ERA board of directors for many years.

鈥淏ill had a way of encouraging people to take part,鈥� said Parlee. 鈥淗e had a way about him that moved people to do things. We spent a lot of time together and he was always thinking, planning, trying to get something done.鈥�

Today, Bill and Diana鈥檚 legacy is a strong sport and recreation organization serving Yukoners.

鈥淭he association owes them a great deal,鈥� said Parlee. 鈥淚t鈥檚 big shoes to fill.

鈥淏efore we had an office, they ran ElderActive out of their basement. They were the leaders, the planners, the policy-makers. ... They took on leadership roles and had vision about what the organization needed to inspire seniors to be more active.鈥�

Born in small-town Rolla, B.C., Bill eventually met Diana, a native of Grande Prairie, Alta., at a baseball game in Fort Nelson.

The two married and eventually moved to Whitehorse, where Bill was employed as a highway construction foreman until his retirement.

While he was never regarded as a serious athlete, Bill鈥檚 interests ranged from baseball to soccer, then marksmanship and five-pin bowling.

Bill was always interested in 鈥渃ompetitive sports that take skill,鈥� said Stuart, such as darts and horseshoes.

鈥淓ven up until he passed away, I could barely beat him at horseshoes,鈥� Stuart admitted, adding both he and brother Doug have pits installed in their backyard to honour the family tradition.

The hall of fame award and ensuing recognition has caused the Simpson children to become retrospective in regards to their parents鈥� contribution to sports in the territory.

Stuart said when his family was informed of the nomination by ERA officials, he and his siblings were overwhelmed with the amount of effort his parents poured into the Yukon senior sports scene.

鈥淲e had no idea the extent of the work they had done,鈥� he admitted.

鈥淒ad was always busy and Mom was always helping. She was always behind the scenes.

鈥淚鈥檇 just like to give a shoutout to all the people that were Mom and Dad鈥檚 friends and co-volunteers,鈥濃�坰aid Stuart. 鈥淭hey really made their life enjoyable for the last number of years.鈥�

Meanwhile, the ERA continues to play a significant role in seniors鈥� health, said Parlee.

鈥淲e encourage seniors to be more active and we develop programs to help them do that,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ne of the really important things we do is provide a subsidy for seniors at the Canada Games Centre to encourage them to be more active.

鈥淥ur membership has grown tremendously. We鈥檙e in a real growth spurt over the last 18 months or so. I think seniors are thinking more about being active.鈥�

While the nomination was the only one Sport Yukon received for this year鈥檚 hall of fame induction, it came with overwhelming support from a variety of organizations, including the Canada 55+鈥圙ames鈥� national committee, Whitehorse Elks Lodge and the Golden Age Society.

A letter from Whitehorse Elks Lodge past president Barbara Evans lauded Bill鈥檚 work with the ERA as well as the Elks Lodge executive.

鈥淏ill was the kind of volunteer any organization would love to have,鈥� Evans wrote. 鈥淣o matter the task, he was always ready to step up and help.鈥�

Parlee and Sue Meikle, an active living consultant with the Yukon government, will present the award to the Simpsons at the Sport Yukon awards ceremony.