SPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT
Weiler, Maloney, Nelson happily and proudly supports the athletic community throughout Thunder Bay in numerous ways.
We have been associated with Lakehead University’s Thunderwolves Hockey Team for many years. Weilers is proud to be the Penalty Box Sponsor, and season ticket holder. This organization provides exciting hockey, and the season tickets are in high demand by staff, lawyers and clients. Fred and Cheryl Bickford in particular are huge fans of the team, and can often be spotted in the stands cheering on the home team.
Weilers proudly displays in its Board Room plaques received from different organizations over the past year in recognition of its sponsorship, and one in particular stands out. Lakehead University’s Formula SAE race car team has done very well for itself considering the tough competition this team has faced. The Formula SAE competition is a Society of Automotive Engineers sanctioned collegiate racing program where students conceive, design and fabricate a formula-style racing car with which they compete against schools worldwide. In 2010, LU’s team placed 5th out of 39 Canadian teams with most teams from universities much larger than our own Lakehead University.
The Athletics Program has been a large part of Lakehead University for over 40 years and “is rich in tradition”. The 2010-2011 season was one of tremendous excitement and personal bests for most of the student athletes resulting in two OUA Championship banners and six varsity teams competing on the national stage. Weiler, Maloney, Nelson approached the LU Thunderwolves Varsity Sports organization to purchase main gymnasium signage and has placed a half page ad in its Varsity Program to show support for its excellent programming.
Years ago, when the Thunder Bay Border Cats baseball team first came to town, Weilers raced to the Port Arthur Stadium to reserve excellent seating (under the roof, and behind home plate) which we continue to retain year after year. Although ownership of the team has changed sporadically, our enthusiasm has not. What better way to spend a warm summery night than enjoying a cold beverage, eating roasted peanuts AND backing your favourite baseball team! And you just may catch sight of Brian Babcock among those fans …
Nick Melchiorre is a member of Thunder Bay International Baseball Association (TBIBA). He became involved in the IBAF World Jr. Baseball Championship in 2010, and encouraged the firm to purchase passes for all 54 games over the 10-day event. We did, and everyone in attendance thoroughly enjoyed each and every game. It was a wonderful opportunity to see future Major Leaguers (from from Korea, Chinese Taipei, USA, Cuba, Venezuela, Australia, Italy, Netherlands, France, Czech Republic and Canada) launch their careers on the world stage right here in Thunder Bay.
And what can you say about the Thunder Bay Chill soccer team other than they have elevated this sport to a whole new level. Weiler, Maloney, Nelson has been a proud Bronze Sponsor of the Chill for over five years, and staff/lawyers/clients with young families especially have attended the Chill games only to be rewarded with a fast-pace, exciting game of soccer. Go Chill go!
Although summers can be short in Thunder Bay, many organizations fundraise by organizing a golf tournament. Weilers has participated by way of sponsorship in many of these tournaments. This year alone we have:
- sponsored a hole at both the annual Bearskin Airlines Charity Golf Classic, and the Hospital’s Queen of Hearts tournament
- sponsored a flag at the St. Joseph’s Golf Classic
- donated prizes to the Thunder Bay Real Estate Board, Floyd’s Glass, Ronald McDonald House and Human Resources Professionals Association of Northwestern Ontario (HRPANO) golf tournaments
- Lawyers have a sense of humour too, and our office created a large cut-out using the photo of one of our own partners – Brad Smith. Weilers has used this cut-out at various tournaments this year: the Mayor’s Mulligan, the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce and the Wasaya Airlines golf tournament (in support of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine). We donated a prize to the golfer who had the closest drive to the cut-out (we have named this fun event “Drive Down the Lawyer”). Garth O’Neill and Deborah Humphreys still manage to escape periodically from their busy practices to participate in some of these tournaments, and enjoy what Thunder Bay summers have to offer.
Whether it is through sponsorships, the purchase of season tickets or otherwise, Weilers always enjoys attending and supporting many of these events, especially where a client is involved. Over the years, staff and lawyers alike have also formed teams to paddle in the Dragon Boat Races, walk in both the Shelter House’s Corporate Relay and CICB Run for the Cure, and peddle on the Big Bike in support of the Heart & Stroke Foundation.
In conclusion, remember - lawyers can be sportive too!
