User:Sgandour

Stephen Joseph Gandour (Steve Gandour)

b: Dec 12, 1977 h: Dunnville, ON

The Early Years

Stephen was born to Michael and Mary Gandour of Dunnville Ontario on December 12th, 1977. Steve was their second child. Michael Jr, his brother, was born April 6th, 1975. A girl was born after Michael but before Stephen. Unfortunately, Rose Elizabeth died at birth.

Stephen began attending St. Michael's Grade School in Dunnville Ontario. At first he was enrolled in Dunnville's Youth Figure Skating Program. He spent two years in the program, participating in multiple live performances. During this time he joined the Boy Scouts program, starting in Beavers and moving up to Cub Scouts and eventually Boy Scouts. By Grade five he had enrolled in Dunnville Youth Soccer programs. Playing first for Albright And Wilson's sponsored team, then later for J&R Sports team, he would play 4 years of soccer in Dunnville. Steve attended two soccer camps between grades 6 and 7, and grades 7 and 8. Steve was selected to attend leadership camp after Grade 7 and spent two weeks in Ottawa learning how to initiate action and gather support. Steve graduated St. Michael's school in 1991. Steve opted to chose Public School for his Secondary education rather then follow his friends to Lakeshore Catholic High School which was located next town over in Port Colbourne.

Steve began at Dunnville Secondary School (DSS) in the fall of 1991. He tried out for the Golf team but didn't make the cut, however he did make the Tennis team before it folded a few months in due to lack of interest from students. Steve continued his soccer for one more year before changing his extra ciricular activities. Steve began to focus on spending his free time as a volunteer serving his school and community. By Grade 11 Steve started a Math help room during the lunch hour to help students struggling in the subject. He helped out in the Special Education Games room with special needs students in his free time as well. He volunteered time to help DSS with its Bingo program fund raiser, he spent time helping with the clean up your community initiative, and he was a volunteer helping with the save the fish campaign where fish were painted on storm drains to raise awareness of the dangers of pouring things down storm drains.

Steve however was unsatisfied with his limited involvement in these partial programs and by Grade 12 joined a brand new group of students that formed called Stages. Stages was a student group designed to create activities and events for the youth of the town of Dunnville, to help keep them out of trouble. The group met regularly downtown at a business that graciously donated the room for the meetings. Steve also started to become a regular blood donor at this time after discovering his type of blood was both rare and in high demand as it could be used in anyone in need of blood.

Steve's academics had really began to shine in this period as well. Steve began to stand out in academic circles at a time when many started to get lost of frustrated. His average in Grade 11 finally earned him his first Honour Roll Award. By Grade 12 he was back on the honour roll again. He graduated but stayed on for his OAC (Ontario Academic Credit) year. In his OAC year everything came together. Enrolled in 9 OAC courses, Steve had straight A's, earning over 80 in all courses, including English, Algebra, Calculus, Finite Math, Computers, History, Geography, Physics and Chemistry. His grades along with his extra cirriculars earned him multiple bursaries and two Scholarship awards. It also earned him acceptance at all three University schools to which he applied.

In May of 1996, Steve applied to the University of Guelph in a Co-Op Honours Mathematics and Statistics program, to the University of Waterloo in a Co-op Chemical Engineering program, and to the University of McMaster in a Business Administration program. Although he was accepted to all schools, and with some awards from each school included, he opted for the University of Guelph. After touring all three facilities, he found the atmosphere at Guelph more comfortable, more familiar to the small town feel he grew up with. Ironically it was also the furthest school from his home.

Starting at the University of Guelph in 1996, Steve quickly got involved in all kinds of activities. Being a Math major who was good in English and enjoyed creative writing gave him an outlet for the tedious nights of numbers to follow. Steve quickly joined the University school newpaper, The Ontarion. While at University, Steve enrolled in the top level of competitive intramural sports. He joined the Men's Basketball team and coached the Men's Hockey team. It was his first forray into Basketball, and his first forray into coaching. The Hockey team went 11 and 1 in their first year under Coach Steve, and so began a legacy. His basketball career lasted 2 years but was never anything spectacular. He scored a few points, but not many. After struggling academically through his first year, Steve began to see improvements in year two. His coaching took on a new life as he was requested to coach several teams. The second year he opted to coach a weaker Hockey Team because more of his friends were on it. The team went 6 and 6 that year but Steve caught the eye of the Varsity coaching staff who inquired about his interest in joining the ranks in an advisory/assistant capacity. Steve however worried about his grades declined the invite to focus on his studies.

In the third season Steve finally started to get his grades to levels he had hoped for, and things with his writing were on a new level with two of his poems published, and his Ontarion articles drawing high acclaim. He had two different profs try to sway him into a change in his major (Economics and Journalism) but he stuck with his program. After the third year however tragedy struck.

Steve's father was diagnosed with Cancer near the end of Steve's third year. Steve had only been home a month for summer vacation when his father passed away of his illness. For Steve this was devestating. He wanted to quit school to help take care of the home, but his Mother talked him out of it, and he returned to finish his fourth year.

After Graduating from University of Guelph, Steve returned to his hometown and to a fulltime job in the grocery business where he had been working part time prior to University. Finding his full time job to be a best fit because of pay scale and low costs of living at home, Steve stuck with the job while looking elsewhere for work.

Steve had also begun to look within his community for ways to help pay back the town that had been his home. He took on numerous volunteer roles, helping out with Blood Donor Clinics, Polling booths for elections, and at the High School by being an advisor and mentor to many students just starting their post secondary careers.

Steve, who was an avid hockey fan and quite knowledgeable about the game he loved, was at a Leafs and Canucks game when he heard about the Air Canada Centre hosting the NHL Entry Draft. The need for volunteer helpers intrigued Steve, and he applied. Steve had been working for a year at Hockey's Future as an editor for the Maple Leafs prospect page. Steve enjoyed the opportunity to cover his favourite team, and to continue to express himself through creative writing. His segment "Under the Rock" became famous on Hockey's Future and he received lots of fan mail.

Upon receiving the callback from the Air Canada Centre staff, he learned he would be helping at the Entry Draft as a Draft Prospect and Family Guide. He notified his editor at Hockey's Future and they agreed he should cover the draft for the website. Steve attended the draft, and quickly had impressed the head of the NHL Central Scouting Bureau Frank Bonello with his hockey knowledge while helping on the draft floor. So impressed was Frank that he told Steve to send him a resume.

Within weeks, Steve found himself hired to work with Central Scouting on a part time basis. The opportunity to work for the NHL in their offices in Toronto had Steve on cloud nine. The dream job and opportunity of a lifetime saw Steve in his element. He enjoyed two seasons with Central Scouting before the NHL lost a year and laid off its staff. The lockout year was costly for Steve, who had not developped enough senority to ensure he was kept on and when the NHL had to cut half its staff, Steve too had to be let go.

Steve remained in contact with Frank Bonello and his staff, who tried to find ways to bring him back in but were unable to make it work. Steve returned to his old job which he had kept by working the NHL schedule around his full time duties. As he found some new free time in 2004 with no hockey, Steve took on a leadership role. He was asked by his Church to join a new committee to help make the Church's long standing Hall financially viable. In the first meeting he was elected to Chairman of the St. Michael's Parish Hall Committee. For a year he successfully ran the committee, fundraising with dinner plays, yuk yuk comedy nights and more to help raise more then enough funds for the Hall to sustain itself independent of Church funds. However shortly into the second year of the committee, the Church stepped back in and wanted to retake operation of the Hall. The Committee stepped down from its role. Steve however had done such a good job in his year in charge, he drew the interest of businesses in the town. He was asked to join the Credit Union to become a Board Director. Steve was nominated and Elected instantly and became a part of the Dunnville District Credit Union Board. Two years later, he ran for and won the position of Vice Chair.

His job had also taken a turn in 2004. The small town could not sustain the business required for his grocery chain, so they came in to shut the store down. Steve quickly got a better position in a similar grocery business and moved to the town of Welland to work, as Assistant Manager of Food Basics. Being now that he had two homes, his Dunnville home and his Welland home, Steve felt the need to get involved in the Community of Welland as well. Already Vice Chair of the DDCU board, he was elected to the Niagara Penninsula Chapter of Credit Unions board, organzing and planning events for other Credit Unions. His work earned him the Vice Chair spot on that board 2 years later.

Steve was honoured by the City of Welland, and named an honourary Citizen in 2007. Steve was thriving in his role as Assistant Manager, while continuing to thrive in his roles with both Credit Unions. He joined the Dunnville Chamber of Commerce, and was asked to join multiple committees including the Dunnville Arena Group but had to graciously decline due to lack of time and other commitments.

In 2008 another change occurred with his job, as Steve saw the Food Basics store he worked at taken over by the same company that he had started working for way back when he was 15. He was kept on in the Assistant Managers role with the promise of providing him opportunities to become Manager.

Steve currently resides in Dunnville, works in Welland, and is Assistant Manager at Food Basics. Steve continues to better himself through continued education opportunities provided by the Credit Unions, online courses, travelling to big cities for multiple work shops and seminars, and through week long training courses offered by Food Basics.

Steve continues to develop his love of writing through his poetry, and continues to serve as Vice Chair on both Credit Union Boards.

Related Sub Topics - Steve's formation of the Guelph Reapers Hockey Club - Steve's ongoing writing project Ice:  Dunnville Hockey Encyclopedia