ADDING INVOLVEMENT TO INJURY

Despite a serious knee injury, Moose captain Jimmy Oligny remained steadfast in his commitment to the Winnipeg community. Jimmy Oligny was emotionally crushed. The defenceman was completing a routine workout over the summer in preparation for his season with the Manitoba Moose when he severely hurt his knee. It was a substantial injury that spelled months of arduous rehab before Oligny could even think of setting foot on the ice again. Despite the grim outlook, the St. Michel, Que. product met the challenge with positivity and determination. In addition to his grueling rehab, Oligny channelled his energy into a cause he was extremely passionate about: being a driving force in the Winnipeg community. In that spirit, Oligny took it upon himself to create his own unique program in conjunction with the Kinship and Foster Family Network of Manitoba. The organization provides kinship and foster parents with training, guidance and assistance to enhance their capacities, knowledge and skills to provide quality care. Oligny’s initiative and compassion impressed Madison Cardinal, community relations co-ordinator with True North Sports + Entertainment. “Jimmy has always gone above and beyond in his off-ice contributions. Starting this program was completely his idea, I just worked on the logistics with him,” Cardinal noted. “He followed up and was invested and excited in the program and it was amazing to see his passion shine through.” As part of his program, Oligny hosted a foster family at Moose home games. The foster children and their caregivers received Moose merchandise, tickets to the game and met with Oligny post-game. “Taking the families down after the games have been some of my favourite moments from this season,” commented Cardinal. “The parents constantly say what a great program this is and how much fun their whole family had. It’s been special knowing Jimmy is making memories for these families.” “I’ve always loved to go into the community,” stated Oligny. “This year, it was unfortunate that I got injured, but at the same time it gave me an opportunity to have more time and to be here more often. This let me do some more work with the community, like going to schools, visiting St.Amant or helping with Project 11.” Oligny dove headfirst into his community duties, something that earned him this season’s Yanick Dupré Memorial Award, also known as the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year award. This year marked Oligny’s first time winning the award, but the fourth time he has been nominated for the award over the span of his AHL career. Oligny is only the second Manitoba Moose player to win the award after Moose alum Jimmy Roy in 2003. Additionally, the defender was named the team’s winner of the EPRA (Electronic Products Recycling Association) Julian Klymkiw Community Service Award. Oligny won the award in consecutive years and his three total wins tie him with Roy for the most all-time. Alongside the new Kinship and Foster Family Network of Manitoba program, the father of three divided his time among many different causes close to his heart. The defenceman spent time at St.Amant, where he met the tutors who carry out programming to give children with autism the best chance to succeed once they enter kindergarten. Oligny played games, built puzzles and read books with the students. Oligny also volunteered his time with the team at Siloam Mission’s drop-in centre to assist in meal preparation. Siloam Mission provides a variety of services with a priority of reducing chronic homelessness and providing a support system for those in need. As part of the team’s Stick to Reading initiative, Oligny attended Balmoral Hall School to read with an elementary class and answer students’ questions. A Project 11 ambassador, Oligny was also an important part of the Moose Project 11 School Day Game, supporting the mental wellness messages of the True North Youth Foundation’s in-school program. The 30-year-old created bilingual content with P11 students that included sharing his own coping mechanisms for dealing with stressful situations. Oligny was also happy to have the chance to engage with students through a P11 school visit along with teammate Thomas Caron. The two made the classroom lessons more relatable by sharing stories from their own lives and reinforcing the importance of making mental health a priority. The Moose captain played a hand in the Manitoba Moose Pride Game too. Oligny met with the night’s puck drop participants following the game to learn more about programs and resources available to the 2SLGBTQ+ community and how they aim to make a difference. “Jimmy’s community involvement this year has been outstanding. He’s constantly showing his leadership by always being open to volunteering for community events,” remarked Cardinal. “This makes it easier from a community relations standpoint by having someone who is so involved, because it not only makes the experience fun, but also meaningful because he is so passionate about giving back.” For Oligny, it comes second nature and is something he views as an important part of being a professional athlete. “It's really fun to get into the community and hang out with people who support us,” said Oligny. “It’s part of our job to go out there and help. We get to work with the kids – kids who are looking up to us. It’s fun for us and it’s fun for them at the same time. I really enjoy doing that.”