Niagara Riverhawks dedicate home opener to dearly departed volunteer

Tonight, October 7, 2021, The Niagara Riverhawks celebrated their home-opener against the Hagersville Hawks and also the life of a long-time dedicated volunteer, Claude Cloutier. “Claude started with the RiverHawks back in 1996 and he remained the team’s equipment managers until 2016. That’s 20 years of unparalleled dedication to the team and its players. Not only hard-working, but Claude could also light up the room with his humour and sharp wit and he seemed to Have an endless supply of jokes. Not only did the twins work hard at every home and road game and practice but they were renowned fixtures at Junior B and C arenas throughout the Niagara Region almost every night of the week. Claude and Andy were a shoulder to lean on for players during the long hockey season but they also helped mentor and guide challenged individuals with special work projects at the arena. It is with all of these wonderful attributes and memories that the RiverHawks would like to announce the renaming of their annually-awarded ”Unsung Hero Award” given out to a deserving member of our club at the conclusion of each season to the Cloutier Award forevermore” – quote taken from The Riverhawks puck drop ceremony, where they presented the award to Andy Cloutier, Claude’s twin brother.

Many Riverhawk alumni came out to the team’s home opener in support of their beloved equipment manager and to honour his memory at the ceremony.