Terry Ryan - Terry Ryan is the latest Newfoundland hockey player to be selected by the national Hockey League. Terry is 18 years old. He was born in Mount Pearl. He is only the second hockey player from Newfoundland to be chosen by the Montreal Canadiens. Terry is five foot - six inches tall and weighs 205 pounds. Terry was named after his father who was also considered for the NHL. Terry scored 50 goals and had 60 assists last season in the Western Hockey League.

Chad Penney - Chad Penney was selected by the Ottawa Senators in 1992. Chad was born in Labrador City. He has spent most of his time playing for the club’s farm team, the Prince Edward Island Senators. He shoots left and plays left wing. Chad scored 20 goals and had 30 assists with Prince Edward Island last season. Chad is 22 years old. He knows it is going to take a lot of hard work to make the Ottawa Senators.

John Slaney - John Slaney has been a star player with Canada’s junior team and the Washington Capitals. He was Washington’s fist pick in 1990. John was born in St. John’s on February 7, 1972. He is six-feet tall and weighs 185 pounds. John shoots left and plays defense. John was traded to the Rocky Mountain Avalanche (formerly Quebec Nordiques) of the National Hockey League earlier this year.

Alex Faulkner is one of seven Newfoundland players listed as retired from the National Hockey League. Alex played one game with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1961 before being traded to the Detroit Red Wings. He played with Detroit for three years and scored 10 goals and had 17 assists. He also played 12 playoff games and scored five goals. Alex was the first Newfoundlander to play in the NHL. Other Newfoundlanders retired from the NHL include Joe Lundrigan and Doug Grant of Corner Brook and Tony White, Don Howse and Dave Pichette of Grand Falls-Windsor. Rob Gladney of Clarenville also played in the NHL.

Keith Brown of Corner Brook played 14 seasons with the Chicago Black Hawks. He was traded to Florida in 1993. Keith has played more than 860 NHL games, more than any other Newfoundlander.

Dwayne Norris was also a star player with Canada’s junior team. He has played with the Quebec Nordiques.

Other Newfoundlanders hoping to play in the NHL include Brad Brown of Baie Verte, Darren Langdon of Deer Lake, Gord Walsh of Conception Bay South, and Darryl Williams of Mount Pearl.

Labour Day is more than just another holiday. It is a time to honour people who work.

The first Labour Day celebrations were held in 1872 in Ottawa and Toronto. Workers in the United States didn’t start celebrating Labour Day until 1882. Labour Day is held in Europe on May 1. Canada also celebrated Labour Day in May until 1894. That’s when the Government of Canada made Labour Day an official holiday on the first Monday in September.

Parade organizers in Grand Falls-Windsor marked a special event this year. They held their 75th Labour Day parade. It is one of the longest running parades in Canada.

Labour Day celebrations began here in 1910, one year after the mill opened. Parades were not part of Labour Day celebrations in Grand Falls until 1912 or 1913. Parades weren’t held in the town during the First World War or in 1962 and 1963. Children held their own parade in the Exploits Avenue area in 1963.

Races, high jumps and speeches were part of the festivities. One of the special events included a baseball game between St. John’s and Grand Falls. Grand Falls was once called the baseball capital of Newfoundland.

Labour Day celebrations aren’t as popular as they once were. But a family outing, which is held on the Sunday before Labour Day, is still popular. Six hundred free hotdogs and soft drinks were given out to parents and children during last year’s event.