CORNWALL – On the heels of publishing a book, what better way to raise money for the Children’s Treatment Center than to poke a little fun at a Cornwallite with a storied career.
Scores of people packed a Best Western Parkway Inn ballroom Friday night for a $100 a plate fundraising dinner and roast of Doug Carpenter.
The 74-year-old is the former coach of the New Jersey Devils and Toronto Maple Leafs and also led the QMJHL’s Cornwall Royals to a Memorial Cup in 1980.
The roast featured speakers Gilles Leger (an NHL scout), Steve Ouderkirk (a Cornwall Royals trainer for two decades), Marc Crawford (Assistant Coach of the Ottawa Senators) and Gilles Renaud (Cornwall judge and author).
Wearing a loud, plaid jacket and an unlit cigar in hand, the Cornwall and South Stormont Sports Hall of Famer seemed to take all the jokes in stride.
The first roaster, Gilles Leger, highlighted their history of playing baseball together and also made some musings about Doug’s love of gardening.
Steve Ouderkirk, trainer for the Cornwall Royals, touched on the Royals’ dress code. “A guy that dressed like that had a dress code?” Ouderkirk said to laughter from the audience.
Marc Crawford, assistant coach for Ottawa Senators and former coach of the L.A. Kings, Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche, said Doug had “done a remarkable job of shaping people,” who would move on to be professional hockey players or top executives.
Gilles Renaud, judge and Island 17 neighbour of Carpenter, took a long time in convincing Crawford to have a book written about his life called “A Royal Career: Conversations with Doug Carpenter.”
Renaud ended up going to “she who must be obeyed” – Carpenter’s wife, Marcia. Cue the laughter from the audience.
“I really thought that I was perfect,” Carpenter quipped jokingly in his rebuttal to the roasters.
Carpenter spoke about coaching the Cornwall Royals to a Memorial Cup. “It was a real treat to coach these types of players. (It was) a big feather in each of the player’s hats.”
As for the fundraising book and roast, Doug said it “really gives you a good feeling” to help the center for abused children.
All the proceeds from the book and the roast are going to the Children’s Treatment Center, which helps children suffering from physical, sexual and psychological abuse.
The center helps around 200 children a year and has an operating budget over $500,000 – all raised within the community.