HawthorneVillager.com

fetajr · Joined: 02 Aug 2006 Posts: 400

How about something more miltonian:

Tailgater Elementary School

Steve & Kelly · Joined: 06 Mar 2005 Posts: 737 Location: Milton

I am just glad that the school is finally being built and will be up and running later on this year.
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Steve Camilleri
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Scotian Lotion · Joined: 16 Feb 2009 Posts: 896

Mike_Cluett · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 855 Location: Arthur's Way

Not that this decision needs to be defended, but I'll put in my 2 cents worth.

I have absolutley no problem with the name chosen for the school. All of the contenders, so to speak, were highly qualified to have their name adorne the school walls.

Both Tiger Jeet and Tiger Ali Singh were named as inaugural members of Milton's Walk of Fame...an honour highly deserved.

The Tigers (Hans family) have grown up in Milton over the course of many many years. They were residents of this town long before many of us were called Miltonians. During this time, they have given back to our community. One of the Hans' sons is a member of the Halton police force, serving and protecting our community. Many stories in the past of what they had to endure from "rabid wrestling fans" and others alike who made life for that family almost unbearable. Too many stories that this family is too proud to talk about. Lets just say life wasnt made easy for them. Yet they stuck it out.

Tiger Jeet Singh is a world renowned wrestler and a classy gentleman who doesnt hesitate to offer his help whenever its needed (Troys Diner and other charities) I remember during the Canada Day Celebrations of Milton's 150th anniversary talking with him and listening to his acceptance speech was moving. More moving still was his son's speech (Tiger Ali) and the pride that both of them felt for their home town. They felt the honour they received by being inducted to the Milton Walk of Fame was the highlites of their lives...and given the careers both individuals had, thats saying something.

I had the privilage of being the soccer coach of their grandson and despite hectic schedules and travelling all over the world where they are still in demand, he made it to most of his grandsons soccer games.

Through all of this they call Milton their home and they burst with pride when they do so.

There are a number (way to many too count) of Miltonians who have lived here and currently live here that deserve the honour of having a school named after them and Tiger Jeet Singh IS one of those people.
_________________
Milton Council Candidate for Ward 6
www.mikecluett.ca | mike@mikecluett.ca | Cell (647) 888-9032 | Home (905) 878-1327

thepowells · Joined: 28 Jul 2006 Posts: 436

That's pretty eloquent Mike - I appreciate the post.

As always I'm the first one to admit overzealousness. The thing is - this school is going to be an amazing place regardless of what it's called - the people here in our community and the admin and staff in Milton are second to none. My intent was merely to have some fun to see if we could get the Board to change their decision Wink

I think it's great that you took the time to make sure everyone knows some of the things the Hans have done to help their community. I guess we should all be so willing Smile

Kiddan · Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 1208

Craig & Suzanne · Joined: 31 Oct 2005 Posts: 32 Location: Phase 14A

AlphaMale · Joined: 10 Jul 2006 Posts: 1905 Location: Milton - HV

SA_guy · Joined: 20 Apr 2009 Posts: 7

I am an Indian and I must say it’s a bizarre name. Infact it’s a funny name. A school name should not a funny wrestler name. Imagine if it would have been “under taker elementary school or Holk Hogan high school”? They should atleast take the word “Tiger” off from it. if I would tell this name back home they would only laugh. What a shame. I was planning to put my daughter in this school but looks like that I would have to sell my home now to get away from this.

JBCII · Joined: 04 Mar 2010 Posts: 2

To those who are interested in knowing why the Board made the decision it did, please find pasted below my remarks in support of the naming of the school for Tiger Jeet Singh.

Below it, I have provided you with his philanthropic and humanitarian efforts, so far.

The decision had nothing to do with his athletic endeavours -- he was recognized for that by the Town of Milton in 2007 when he was inducted into Milton's Hall of Fame.

With respect to Mssrs. Coates and Deacon, both have been recognized through the naming of local roads for them. Undoubtedly, that will happen for Mr. McCaw. His name is on the list for selection.

Tiger Jeet Singh is one of our community's 35 most significant local residents over the last 153 years.

I hope this helps. If you have any further questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to contact me by email at challinors@sympatico.ca or by phone at (905) 878-7638.

Thanks!

JC

P.S. I apologize for the formatting...

PRESENTATION TO
HALTON DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

MARCH 3, 2010

JOHN CHALLINOR II
LOCAL AUTHOR AND HISTORIAN

GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN, TRUSTEES OF

THE BOARD AND STAFF…

THANK-YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO

APPEAR BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING TO

DISCUSS THE NAMING OF THE LATEST

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO BE OPENED AT 640

YATES DRIVE IN MILTON…

I AM PROPOSING THAT THIS NEW SCHOOL BE

NAMED TIGER JEET SINGH PUBLIC SCHOOL,

FOR THE WORLD RECORD-HOLDING FORMER

PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER TIGER JEET

SINGH…

I COULD EASILY SPEND MY ALLOTTED TIME

AND PROBABLY THE REMAINDER OF THIS

EVENING RECITING TIGER’S LIST OF

ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENTS, WHICH HE

EARNED OVER A LONG CAREER IN CANADA,

THE UNITED STATES, JAPAN AND SOUTH-EAST

ASIA…

WHILE HIS ATHLETIC PROWESS HAS

AFFORDED HIM A HIGH PROFILE AROUND THE

WORLD DURING THE LAST FORTY YEARS, IT

ONLY TELLS A PART OF TIGER’S LIFE STORY. I

BELIEVE IT IS THE OTHER HALF OF HIS LIFE

THAT IS PERHAPS MOST RELEVANT TO YOU AS

YOU GO THROUGH THE PROCESS THIS

EVENING OF NAMING A NEW SCHOOL…

TIGER JEET SINGH HAS SERVED CANADA AND

THE WORLD AS A NON-GOVERNMENTAL

TRADE AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS

WITH A MANDATE TO REACH OUT TO SOUTH-

EAST ASIAN COUNTRIES…

HE CONTINUES TO SERVE AS THE WORLD-

WIDE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

AMBASSADOR TO MILTON, A COMMUNITY

WHERE HE MAKES HIS HOME AND HAS LIVED

ALMOST HALF HIS LIFE. IN 2007, TIGER WAS

HONOURED BY THE TOWN OF MILTON AS ONE

OF THE FIRST INDUCTEES INTO ITS WALK OF

FAME…

HE IS ARGUABLY THE MOST REVERED

MEMBER OF CANADA’S SOUTH-EAST ASIAN

COMMUNITY, AN INDIVIDUAL WHO EITHER

RECEIVES VISITORS AT HIS HOME WHO ARE

SEEKING GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT OR IS

REQUESTED TO TRAVEL ACROSS THE

COUNTRY TO PROVIDE SAME…

HE IS A DISTINGUISHED AND REGULAR GUEST

AT COMMUNITY, RELIGIOUS AND ATHLETIC

EVENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, OFTEN

HOSTING PRIME MINISTERS, PREMIERS AND

OTHER DIGNITARIES. OVER THE LAST THIRTY

YEARS, TIGER HAS BECOME THE WISE, OLD

UNCLE OF CANADA’S INDIAN COMMUNITY…

ON A SPIRITUAL LEVEL, HE IS THE FIRST AND

ONLY CHIEF PATRON OF THE PUNJABI SAHIT

SABBA OF ONTARIO – AN ORGANIZATION THAT

FACILITATES EDUCATION, CULTURE,

SOCIETAL VALUE AND GENERATION

PROMOTION OF SIKHISM – A VOLUNTARY

ROLE HE HAS PERFORMED SINCE ITS

ESTABLISHMENT IN 1976…

ON A COMMUNITY LEVEL, HE IS A ROLE

MODEL FOR HUMANITY AROUND THE WORLD,

A HUMBLE MAN FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

WHO WORKED HARD, ACHIEVED SUCCESS AND

NOW ADVOCATES TO THOUSANDS OF PARENTS

AND THEIR CHILDREN ABOUT DRUG AND

ALCOHOL AWARENESS, THE IMPORTANCE OF

STAYING IN SCHOOL AND THE NEED TO BE

PHYSICALLY FIT...

IN A WORLD WHERE SOME OF OUR

LEADERS AND TOP PERFORMERS HAVE SAID

ONE THING ABOUT THEIR LIVES WHILE DOING

SOMETHING ELSE ALTOGETHER, THIS TIGER

IS THE GENUINE ARTICLE – A MAN WHO

WALKS THE TALK…

HAPPILY MARRIED TO SUKHJIT FOR FORTY

YEARS, THEY HAVE RAISED A FAMILY OF

THREE BOYS WHO HAVE EACH GONE ON TO

ENJOY SUCCESSFUL CAREERS OF THEIR OWN.

TIGER HAS NEVER USED DRUGS TO ENHANCE

HIS PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE. HE HAS

NEVER ABUSED DRUGS OR ALCOHOL IN HIS

PERSONAL LIFE. HE HAS NEVER BEEN ON THE

WRONG SIDE OF THE LAW. AND, ON THAT LAST

POINT, HE BETTER NOT – ONE OF HIS SONS IS A

MEMBER OF HALTON REGIONAL POLICE

FORCE…

PHILANTHROPICALLY, HE HAS GIVEN – AND

CONTINUES TO GIVE -- HUNDREDS OF

THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO HIS FORMER

HOMELAND AND HIS NEW HOMELAND, MONIES

EARMARKED FOR WATER AND SEWER

INFRASTRUCTURE, HOSPITALS, EDUCATIONAL

FACILITIES AND THE BASIC NECESSITIES OF

LIFE…

HE IS CURRENTLY CONSIDERING BECOMING

THE VOICE OF CANADIAN BLOOD SERVICES TO

CANADA’S SOUTH-EAST ASIAN COMMUNITY…

AND, HE AND ONE OF HIS SONS, ALSO A WORLD

RECORD-HOLDING PROFESSIONAL

WRESTLER AND A MEMBER OF MILTON’S

WALK OF FAME, ARE PLANNING AN ANNUAL

GOODWILL TOUR IN INDIA TO RAISE

AWARENESS AND FUNDING FOR LOCAL

CHARITIES, SCHOOLS, AND HOSPITALS WHILE

CONTINUING TO CARRY TIGER’S MESSAGE

ABOUT DRUGS AND ALCOHOL, EDUCATION

AND FITNESS…

NAMING THE NEW SCHOOL FOR TIGER JEET

SINGH WOULD AFFORD STUDENTS AND STAFF

AT THAT INSTITUTION REGULAR ACCESS TO

SOMEONE THEY COULD RELATE TO AND WHO

COULD MENTOR THEM THE WAY HE DOES TO

THOUSANDS OF OTHERS…

JUST AS RESPECTED FORMER EDUCATOR ED

FOSTER ADVISED THE STUDENTS AND STAFF

AT E.W. FOSTER PUBLIC SCHOOL IN THE 1970S

AND 1980S AND ASTRONAUT CHRIS HADFIELD

REGULARLY DELIGHTS ALL WHO ATTEND

CHRIS HADFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOL TODAY,

TIGER JEET SINGH HAS THE BACKGROUND,

ABILITY AND PASSION TO BE MORE THAN JUST

A NAME ON THE SIDE OF A NEW SCHOOL…

NAMING MILTON’S NEWEST SCHOOL FOR

TIGER JEET SINGH WILL BRING THAT

SCHOOL’S IDENTITY TO LIFE FOR AS LONG AS

TIGER IS PHYSICALLY ABLE AND WILLING TO

MENTOR THEM – AND HIS INVOLVEMENT MAY

ALSO HELP THE BOARD TO DEVELOP THE

NEXT-GENERATION OF LEADERSHIP LOCALLY,

NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY…

THANK-YOU…

Tiger Jeet Singh

Philanthropic Activities:

• $200,000 donation to community of Sujapur, India (1990) (money used to build water and sewer infrastructure)
• $100,000+ donation committed to Milton District Hospital Foundation (2006)
• $35,000 raised through his leadership with Kopz4Kids (monies were shared between Joseph Brant Hospital in Burlington and Halton Healthcare facilities in Georgetown, Milton and Oakville) (2008)
• $30,000 raised through his leadership with Troy's Diner Toy Drive (2009) (toys went to local Salvation Army and Sick Childrens Hospital in Toronto )
• $25,000 donation to Milton Historical Society to publish local book of history, Milton Streets (2008)
• Annual pilgrimage to India to donate money, including the following:
o Five buses purchased for various Sikh temples in Punjab, India, so that poor had transportation to worship (2009)
o Land purchased for college campus in Ludhiana, Punjab, India, so students could study locally as most couldn’t afford transportation to study out-of-town (2009)
o Donated monies for clothing and other items to unspecified villages (1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s)
• Raised money with professional wrestler Lord Athol Layton for Shriners Foundation (late 1970s)
• Raised money with professional wrestler Whipper Billy Watson to help expand Newmarket Hospital and raise visibility for plight of handicapped children (early 1970s)
• Anonymous large annual donor to numerous local charities (ongoing)

Pending Philanthropic Activities:
• Annual Tiger Goodwill Tour to major cities through India to raise philanthropic awareness and provide funding for local charities, schools, hospitals, childrens’ hospitals, etc. (planned for 2010)

Humanitarian Activities:

• Non-governmental ambassador (trade) to United Nations with a mandate to reach out to South-East Asian countries (2000 - 2001)
• World-wide Economic Development Ambassador to Milton, Ontario (1980s, 1990s, 2000s)
• Drug, alcohol, education and physical fitness (Tiger-fit) awareness advocate in Canada, Japan, South-east Asia, addressing thousands of parents and students (1990s, 2000s)
• Chief Patron, Punjabi Sahit Sabha of Ontario (organization facilitates education, culture, societal value and general promotion of Sikhism) (since 1976)
• Recognized leader in Canadian South-East Asian community that members from across the country come to when in need of guidance and support (1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s)
• Annual guest of honour at major South-East Asian community religious, community, athletic events (1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s)
• Annual guest of honour at Canada Kabaddi Cup (typically alongside Prime Minister of Canada) (ongoing)

Pending Humanitarian Activities:

• Red Cross of Canada/Canadian Blood Services Official Spokesman to South East-Asian community regarding importance of blood donations
• Annual Tiger Goodwill Tour to major cities through India to raise plight of local charities, schools, hospitals, childrens’ hospitals, etc. and help to break down lack of empathy between social classes (planned for 2010)

Andrew Salmons · Posted: Fri Mar 05, 2010 1:47 am Post subject:

The Toronto Star has published a story about this.

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/775218--school-named-after-wrestler-tiger-jeet-singh
_________________
Andrew Salmons - Milton Council Candidate for Ward 1
www.andrewsalmons.ca | Facebook | Twitter | Donate

BrianR · Joined: 05 Mar 2010 Posts: 1 Location: Milton

I totally agree with the boards decision - Tiger has become a very good friend of mine and my family. Tiger is one of the most caring, giving and gentlest human beings I know. The work that his family does in the community is unmatched and if people would take the time to talk to Tiger and get to know the man - then they would learn what respect and commitment is all about. I am proud to say Tiger is a friend and am glad that the school is named after him and that future generations will learn what hard work and dedication to your craft can do to better their community. Congratulations Tiger -You deserve this .
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Brian R

Mike_Cluett · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 855 Location: Arthur's Way

Like I mentioned in my previous post, I barely touched the surface on the impact that Tiger and his family have made on Milton and the people who live here.

BrianR said it best when he said that he is "one of the most caring, giving and gentlest human beings" he knows. To see his persona in the ring as an entertainer (which some people have a problem with) and to see him in person, you would never think they are the same person.

When out at events like the induction ceremony of the Walk of Fame a couple of years back interacting with people, you can see his love for this town. As with other people in Milton who have had a school named after him (like Chris Hadfield ... another Milton Walk of Fame inductee) he plans on having a hands on approach to the school.

If theres anyone who can teach kids the right way of life, he is definately one of them.

To know his family, his sons, and his kids...the apple doesnt fall far from the tree. I had the privilege of coaching soccer with his son Gary. They are all warm, wonderful people and they all give back to the community. Tiger Jeet is the patriarch of a great family that have been proud to call Milton their home.

A very well deserved honour. Congratulations!
_________________
Milton Council Candidate for Ward 6
www.mikecluett.ca | mike@mikecluett.ca | Cell (647) 888-9032 | Home (905) 878-1327

thepowells · Joined: 28 Jul 2006 Posts: 436

I think there was a misrepresentation in the article about Milton not knowing the final list of names... it was more about a larger group of people not getting to vote on them. The joys of public office I guess.

At any rate... one of the things I love about this town (because of its size) is how easy it is for everyone to get behind personal issues and be vocal about them - and be heard. It ensures that very little gets by without some sort of scrutinizing, rightly or wrongly.

As I tried to be clear from the beginning, (but fear I may have failed at,) I have nothing but the highest regard for anyone that dedicates their time in humanitarian efforts in Milton - we were simply having difficulty wrapping our heads around the idea of wrestling (in general) and elementary school (in particular) being put together - nothing more. I trust that was understandable.

As a passionate supporter and volunteer in our schools, I can guarantee you that (as Mr. Singh does) we have every intent of making the new school an amazing place to be for all our kids.

Rick Di Lorenzo · Posted: Fri Mar 05, 2010 9:20 am Post subject: