Co-workers, friends, family and the lacrosse community will resume an annual tribute to the life of Thomas Haydon on Saturday, June 11 at the Ladner Leisure Centre (LLC).
It starts with the return of the Thomas Haydon Memorial Game following a two-year pause due to COVID, honouring the lifelong Ladner resident and Delta firefighter who, at 36, lost a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer in the fall of 2018.
Haydon not only left behind a young family, but a lacrosse community where he had contributed to greatly.
Haydon played and coached in Ladner for more than 20 years. He was also the first captain of the inaugural Delta Junior “A” Islanders in 2002. His playing career included helping the Ladner Pioneers win the President’s Cup national senior “B” championship in 2004.
The fundraising Memorial Game will get underway at 4 p.m. and will include a beer garden and a barbecue. The activities will lead into the B.C. Junior “A” Lacrosse game between the host Islanders and Port Coquitlam Saints that starts at 7 p.m.
During the intermission, the 2022 recipient of the Thomas Haydon Memorial Award will be presented to a Delta player.
The award was created by some of Haydon’s closest lifelong friends and is affiliated with Delta Lacrosse. It comes with a $2,500 scholarship. The winner receives a custom Haydon axe, reflecting his career as a firefighter. A larger version of the award and tribute to Haydon is now on permanent display inside the LLC.
“Thomas exemplified many amazing characteristics and was an outstanding member of the Ladner community,” said his friends in a prepared statement. “Our hope is to help a Delta lacrosse player who demonstrates some of his admirable qualities (hard work, loyalty, courage, and respect) to pursue post-secondary education, work in the trades, or benefit from financial assistance.”
