A former Canadian rodeo champion who is now an advocate for the disabled, and a student leader at École Innisfail Middle School have been named as the community choice medal bearers for the 25th Anniversary Rick Hansen Relay’s stop in Innisfail next year.
Duane Daines, who was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2004 following a 17-year professional career, and IMS Grade 7 student Joel Ray were announced as the final medal bearers on Nov. 15.
After a 1995 rodeo accident left him paralyzed from the waist down, Daines became a rodeo commentator, motivational speaker and an advocate who raises money for research into spinal cord injuries.
Daines will be the final medal bearer when the relay stops in Innisfail on March 1 for a community celebration at the town’s new library. He called the news “a real honour.”
Those who suffer spinal cord injuries have their world turned upside down, explained Daines.
“If I can represent them in a good way or positive way, that’s what I intend to do,” he said, adding it was an honour for Innisfail to be chosen as a stopover community.
Heather Fletcher, a community facilitator with the Town of Innisfail, said the organizing committee felt Daines was the perfect choice to be the final medal bearer on day one of the relay’s trip through Innisfail.
“Duane is a great community member,” she said of Daines, who also sits on the committee. “He’s well known. He continues to contribute to the community and he has since his accident.”
Ray, a multi-sport athlete both inside and outside of school, was nominated by IMS Principal Jay Steeves, who said his leadership qualities are unsurpassed.
Steeves said he looked to see which students were engaged and involved in the school and always bring their best to the classroom.
“Joel’s one of those kids that just exemplifies that,” Steeves explained. “He shows up to the building every day with a smile on his face (and) he’s here to help. He’s helpful for the teachers, he’s helpful for his classmates.”
In addition to playing volleyball and basketball at IMS, Ray also plays football, hockey and badminton, and has an integral role in the “Mustang Gang,” the school’s leadership group, Steeves said.
Ray said the news of his selection left him at a loss for words.
“I was pretty overwhelmed (when I found out). It felt like a really great honour to be chosen,” Ray, 12, said Nov. 17. “My family were pretty proud of me and my friends are supporting me.”
He will be the first community medal bearer when the relay leaves Innisfail following a morning celebration on March 2.
