Rudy Brown Honoured At Grand Opening Celebrations - Ridgetown ...

Surrounded by friends and family for this specialoccasion, Don and Hanna Pestell open thedoors to the new Pestell Auditorium, a doublegymnasium that will serve students’ recreationalneeds for decades to come.Paulette Samson (OAC Dean’s Office), JenniferWhelan (Don’s daughter), Hanna and Don Pestell(Don is a class of 1962 Ridgetown alumnus)The Thompson family of Blenheim has a long historyof support for Ridgetown Campus. In 1949, the late Hon.W.G. Thompson turned the sod for what was to becomea new residence for Western Ontario Agricultural School.The Hon. W.G. Thompson Stage is named as a tribute tohim through the generous support of his son anddaughter-in-law, Wes Sr. and Pat Thompson.Ken Monteith (Ridgetown Agri-Food Foundation andRidgetown alumnus), Ann Fisher (granddaughter of W.G),Frank Thompson (grandson of W.G.)Doors Open After One Year of ConstructionSod was turned for the new facility onOctober 18, 2005. Throughout the one-yearconstruction phase, the building team met everytwo weeks to review project developments.Key members of the building team included:John Brooks, Ridgetown Campus, ExecutiveOfficer; Chris Arnold, Agri-Urban Buildings Inc.,Site Manager; Paul Quiterio, Atrium ArchitectsInc., Lead Architect; Remo Pallottini, Universityof Guelph, Building Project Manager; andLou Cottreau, Ontario Realty Corporation,Project Manager.A generous donation from John Iacobelli (‘83),Director of Sales and Logistics for Sun-BriteCanning, led to the naming of the Sun-BriteClassroom.Dr. Ron Pitblado (Ridgetown Campus),Chris Renwick (Sun-Brite Canning FieldManager and Ridgetown alumnus)Absent: John Iacobelli, Sun-Brite CanningFour local John Deere dealerships (McGrail Farm EquipmentLtd., Kentown Limited, Podolinsky Equipment Ltd., and FullineFarm & Garden Equipment) partnered to sponsor the JohnDeere Boardroom. The Ridgetown Confederation ChapterIODE has furnished the new boardroom in memory of BettyWatson, a former IODE member.Jamie McGrail, (McGrail Farm Equipment), JasonPodolinsky (Podolinsky Equipment Ltd.), Dennis Jack(Ridgetown Agri-Food Foundation and Ridgetown alumnus)New Centre Now Open to ClientsFor information on using the new facility,please contact Marlene Morris, Conferenceand Facilities Co-ordinator at 519-674-1588or e-mail:mmorris@ridgetownc.uoguelph.ca.If you are a project donor and would like to seethe new building, we would be glad to give youa tour. Please contact Janet Nauta, AlumniServices Co-ordinator at 519-674-1504, or LizMeidlinger, Communications Managerat 519-674-1587 to set up a date and time.7