‘50 years’: London volunteer has dedicated his life to helping children with disabilities

Murray Howard, president of hockey operations for the George Bray Sports Association was recognized for his 50 years of volunteer work with the organization.

It was a standing ovation for a beloved Londoner.

Murray Howard, president of hockey operations for the George Bray Sports Association (GBSA) was recognized for his 50 years of volunteer work with the organization.

‘It was a big surprise,” said Howard, who held back tears throughout the special presentation.

At their 57th annual banquet, Howard had no idea they were going to stop the show to honour him.

“It’s been 50 years of my life, which sounds insane,” said Howard.

He was given special gifts (a hoodie, personalized YETI, and an engraved fire pit) for his five decades of service to GBSA, which helps kids with physical and mental challenges play hockey.

“It was so hard to keep it a secret and we did such a good job,” said Michelle Ryan, who handles media for the GBSA and helped invite more than a dozen former GSBA volunteers. “I’m so proud of everybody. He had no idea whatsoever that this was going to happen and to see all his old colleagues come in and every one of them, when we reached out to them, were like, ‘Oh my gosh, yes, absolutely, I want to be there.’”

It was 1974, six years after Bray started the organization, that Howard stumbled across GBSA, providing structured hockey to children and youth with learning, emotional and/or social disabilities.

“I offered to help a friend of mine take her nephew had special needs,” said Howard. “His parents didn’t know anything about hockey and I said ‘I don’t mind, I’ll take him to hockey.’”

“Next thing I know, I’m opening up a door to get them into the rink and on the bench. The next thing I know, the coach hands me the clipboard and he was moving. The rest is history,” added Howard.

Five decades later, he’s impacted thousands of children.

“For those of us fortunate enough to have played here, Murray has always been more than just a president or a leader,” said Jordan Allison, who started in GBSA as a child, and now is a 30-year-old parent.

“He has been a mentor, a guide and most importantly, a constant source of inspiration. He’s been there for every player, for every family whether celebrating victories, offering encouragement in tough times, or ensuring that everyone, no matter their physical or mental abilities, felt like they belonged.”

After his emotional speech, Allison gave Howard a hoodie with the words “When you give a child a hockey puck, the game of life begins.”

That’s when the tears started flowing.

Howard, 69, just celebrated a birthday. He has no plans on giving up as he’s helped grow GBSA to 652 players.

“It’s always on his mind,” said Ryan. “It is always the first thing he thinks of when he wakes up. It’s the last thing he thinks of when he goes to bed. He eats, breathes and sleeps George Bray.”

Each one of the players, treated like his own children.

“There’s so many kids that come up to you that are eight and nine years old and they give you a hug on your legs, and they thank you for running a program so they can play hockey,” said Howard. “That just can’t be beat.”