St. Catharines, : The Grape Growers of Ontario’s Celebrity Luncheon marks the opening of the Niagara Grape and Wine Festival by showcasing Canadian personalities and celebrating the annual grape harvest. This year, in partnership with Meridian, Ontario’s largest credit union and the third largest in Canada, we are proud to welcome one of the most decorated female athletes in Olympic history, Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser.
Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser is a four-time Olympic gold medalist, six-time Olympian in two sports (hockey and softball), and a trailblazer in the world of sport and leadership. Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a first-ballot nominee, Wickenheiser has also made history as the first woman to register a point in a men’s professional hockey game and to participate in or coach at four NHL development camps.
Today, she serves as the Assistant General Manager of Player Development for the Toronto Maple Leafs, while also practicing family and emergency medicine and inspiring audiences as a bestselling author, speaker, and leader. Recognized globally for both her athletic excellence and community service, Wickenheiser has been named one of Sports Illustrated’s “Top 25 Toughest Athletes in the World” and twice appeared on their “Power 50 in Sports” list. She is a recipient of Canada’s highest civilian honour, the Order of Canada, and has been inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, Canada’s Walk of Fame, and the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame. Her commitment to giving back is reflected through her involvement in numerous charitable organizations including Right to Play, Jumpstart, Project North, and KidSport, and through her founding of the Canadian Tire Wickenheiser World Female Hockey Festival, which mentors young athletes from around the world. Wickenheiser also holds several honorary degrees and a Master’s in Kinesiology from the University of Calgary, where she studied medicine. “