The Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, today announced the Newfoundland and Labrador mission staff members for the 2009 Canada Summer Games, to be held August 15-29, in Prince Edward Island.

Leading the 20-person team will be Clayton Welsh of Grand Bank, who was named Chef de Mission earlier this year, and Michelle Healy-Gushue of St. John�s as Assistant Chef de Mission. Other members of the mission staff are: Leon Organ of St. John�s, Trevor Paine of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Denise Payne of Corner Brook, Lise Rowe of St. John�s, Maurice Sheppard of St. John�s, Jamie Jewers of Paradise, Judith Kelloway of Burin Bay Arm, Roger McGrath of Mount Pearl, Karen Martin of St. John�s, Rod Nichol of Clarenville, Paula Smyth of St. John�s, Patti Thorne of Torbay, Linda Dredge Toope of St. Barbe, Sheri Baltzer of Corner Brook, Dave Feener of St. John�s, Doreen Hamlyn of St. John�s, Stephen Harris of Glovertown, Eva Trickett of St. John�s, and Rex Hillier of Conception Bay South.

"The role of the mission staff is integral to the organization and success of Team Newfoundland and Labrador," Minister Jackman said. "The province is fortunate to have such an excellent group to support Newfoundland and Labrador�s young athletes as they strive for a place on the podium."

Members of the mission staff will provide logistical support and guidance to almost 400 Newfoundland and Labrador athletes, coaches and managers as they prepare for one of the premier amateur sporting events in Canada.

"I thank everyone who applied to volunteer as a mission staff member," Minister Jackman said. "Volunteers in sport are key players in the advancement of athletics throughout Newfoundland and Labrador."

The Canada Games were established in 1967 and Newfoundland and Labrador has been represented at every event since. The province hosted the 1977 Canada Summer Games in St. John's and the 1999 Canada Winter Games in Corner Brook. The games are held every two years, alternating summer and winter.

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Media contact:
Heather May
Director of Communications
Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation
709-729-0928, 697-5061
heathermay@gov.nl.ca

Mr. Welsh is from Grand Bank, and is a former president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Soccer Association. He was the Chef de Mission for the 2007 Canada Winter Games in the Yukon, the Assistant Chef de Mission for the 2003 Canada Winter Games held in New Brunswick, and a member of the mission staff for the 2005 Canada Summer Games held in Saskatchewan. He has also participated in the games as an official, and was an assistant coach of the province�s 1993 Summer Games soccer team.

Ms. Healey-Gushue resides in St. John�s and is director of athletics with Memorial University, as well as Newfoundland and Labrador athlete services manager with the Canadian Sport Centre-Atlantic. She is co-chair of the Coaching Newfoundland and Labrador Committee and has participated at the Canada Games as an athlete and several times as a mission staff member.

Ms. Baltzer resides in Corner Brook and is the Games Manager for the 2008 Newfoundland and Labrador Summer Games. She has worked with PacificSport Canadian Sport Centre in Victoria, B.C., and has past experiences in the planning and preparation for the 2000 B.C. Summer Games in Victoria and the 2002 B.C. Summer Games in Nanaimo.

Mr. Feener resides in St. John�s and is a recreation and sport consultant with the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. He is a volunteer minor hockey coach and a National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) learning facilitator. He has attended six previous Canada Games as an athlete, coach, mission staff member and Assistant Chef de Mission.

Ms. Hamlyn resides in St. John�s and is a businesswoman. She is president of Rowing Newfoundland and Labrador and is on the board of directors of Rowing Canada. She has participated in three Canada Games, two as a manager and once as a mission staff member.

Mr. Harris resides in Glovertown and is a physical education teacher. He is a long-time volunteer coach and administrator in his community and he is also a strong promoter of high school sports, having been the Central East Director of School Sports Newfoundland and Labrador (SSNL) for more than 10 years.

Mr. Hillier resides in Conception Bay South and is a principal with the Eastern School District. He was recently inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame as a volleyball athlete. He has been a sport and recreation volunteer in his community and has participated in three Canada Games, as an athlete, a coach and a mission staff member.

Ms. Jewers resides in Paradise and is a teacher with the Eastern School District. She is a facilitator for Hockey Canada�s : "Speak Out Program" and is a master facilitator for Hockey Canada�s Coaching Program. She has participated in three Canada Games, once as an athlete and twice as an assistant coach.

Ms. Kelloway resides in Burin Bay Arm and is a retired teacher. She is vice-president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Soccer Association, responsible for youth soccer. She is also a long-time member of the Canadian Soccer Association�s Competitions Committee, and is a member of the Burin Recreation Commission.

Ms. Martin resides in St. John�s and is an occupational therapist with Eastern Health. She is an administrator with the Mount Pearl Referees� Association, and has officiated at the Atlantic Challenge Cup and the Newfoundland and Labrador Winter Games. She is an avid runner and triathlete.

Mr. McGrath resides in Mount Pearl and is a financial officer with the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. He is a long-time coach and official with soccer and hockey on the local, provincial and national scenes. He has participated in several Canada Games as a mission staff member.

Mr. Nichol resides in Clarenville and is a retired teacher and school administrator. He has been actively involved in the development and promotion of physical education, recreation, and sport-related programs in the community, province and as a national advocate. He is currently 2^nd vice-president with Sport Newfoundland and Labrador and he has previously participated as a mission staff member at the Canada Games.

Mr. Organ resides in St. John�s and is an architectural technologist. He is president of Bicycle Newfoundland and Labrador and secretary/treasurer of the Newfoundland and Labrador T�Railway Association. He is a cycling coach and official, and was Chief Commissaire and technical advisor for the 2007 Atlantic Road Championships.

Mr. Paine resides in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and is a recreation and sport consultant with the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. He is a member of the board of directors of Sport Newfoundland and Labrador and the Newfoundland and Labrador Soccer Association. He has participated as a mission staff member in three Canada Games.

Ms. Payne resides in Corner Brook and is a human resources officer with the Western School District. She has been very involved as a volunteer in soccer and triathlon and has participated as a mission staff member at one Canada Games. She was also the VIP Coordinator for the 1999 Canada Winter Games held in Corner Brook.

Ms. Rowe resides in St. John�s and is group exercise regional manager of Good Life Fitness Clubs. She is a coach and an official in several sports and is a past-president of Swimming Newfoundland and Labrador. She competed for the Canadian National Team at the 1999 World�s ITU Triathlon Championships and has previously participated in the Canada Games as a mission staff member.

Mr. Sheppard resides in St. John�s and is a systems analyst with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. He is a long-time judo coach and administrator, and has participated in numerous Canada Games as a judo coach and manager.

Ms. Smyth resides in St. John�s and is manager of human resources with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. She has experience as a coach, manager, official and administrator in various sports and is a former executive director of the Newfoundland and Labrador Parks and Recreation Association. She has participated as an athlete and a manager at the Canada Games and has served as a member of the organizing committee for the Canada Games and the Canada Games for the Physically Disabled.

Ms. Thorne resides in Torbay and is a recreation and sport consultant and the Newfoundland and Labrador Games Coordinator with the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. She is a master learning facilitator with the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) and is a qualified coach in several sports. She has been a mission staff member at numerous Canada Games and she was Assistant Chef de Mission in 1999.

Ms. Dredge Toope resides in St. Barbe and is a career information assistant/administrator with the Community Education Network. She is a cross-country ski coach and is the coaching co-ordinator for the Newfoundland and Labrador Cross Ski Association. She officiated at the 1999 Canada Winter Games in Corner Brook.

Ms. Trickett resides in St. John�s and is an administrative assistant with the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. She has assisted with pre-games preparations for a number of Canada Games. She has attended two previous Canada Games as a mission staff member in the role of administrative assistant for the Team Newfoundland and Labrador Mission Office.