say!get readyto haveyour sayour trust.our future.it only works with uThis yearwe are writinga new plan for ourcollective future, butthis won’t happen without you!Starting in April, we’ll be travelling throughout theregion to meet with you, listen and plan for the future.We’re also hosting online meetings, surveys and workbooks.This is your opportunity to share your perspectiveon how we can realize a better future for thisincredible region.join the conversationsee howourtrust.org/future1.800.505.89984March 2023 Discover Sixty-Five email: seniors@pennywiseads.com
Remarkable'Manny' Motaand his parents and 3 siblings movedto Trail from Portugal in the early seventies.John was 12 and an avid 'football'(soccer) player.Manny's dad, a carpenter, did notspeak a word of english when helanded in Canada. Nontheless, hestarted work at Celgar the day afterhe arrived, and remained employedthere for 38 years.Soccer was Manny's activity ofchoice, and that lasted a few yearsuntil he made the tranisition intobaseball. The transfer of focus tothis new sport proved to be a goodcall as nearly 40 years later, he is stillvery involved in the game. Baseballcame naturally to John, even gavehim his nickname "Manny" that hepicked up along the way, namedafter that other famous Mota –Manny Mota of the LA Dodgers. Aftera few years of minor baseball, hestarted playing for the senior team,the Trail Hotelmen who later becamethe Trail Orioles. Manny played mostlybehind the plate as a catcher andoccasionally patrolled 3rd base. Hislove of ball carried him into fastballfor a few years as well, and eventuallyhe eased into to the more socialslo-pitch scene where he stillplays competitively today. Mannyswitched from catching to pitchingfor slo-pitch and was an integral partof a very stacked Trail Steelers teamin the 90's. They had great success inmany tournaments throughout theProvince.Over the past 7 years Manny has representedthe West Kootenays in slopitchat the BC Senior games with ateam made up of players from Trail,Castlegar and Nelson.They won gold in Cranbrook, 2 silversin Kamloops and Maple Ridge and asilver medal last year in Kamloops atthe Nationals - where winners of theBC Seniors games advance to.Next year the senior games are inAbbotsford. Manny is hoping for successthere so they can qualify for theNationals again, which will be held inTrois Rivieres, Quebec.Manny never played hockey but hehas a deep passion for the game.In 1987, the Trail Smoke Eaters Seniorteam faded away. Trail's beautifulCominco Arena was home tothe minor hockey system, and therecreational hockey teams. Manny,along with five others, pooled theirmoney and borrowing abilities inorder to purchase the BellinghamIcehawks and relocated them toTrail. They joined the BCHL the nextseason. The community embracedthe team, renamed them the SmokeEaters of course, and when the loanwas paid off, the 6 sold the team tothe city of Trail who now runs this localtreasure. If you have never seenthe Trail Smoke Eaters play in thehistoric Comino rink, make time todo so. They have 6 games left before+55 Slo-Pitch GoldMedal Winners 2018,Cranbrook ~ Trail TimesThe Zone 6 West Kootenay 55+ mixed slo-pitch team captured a gold medal at the Senior 55+Games in Cranbrook beating the Vancouver Island Orcas 18-13 in the final. The West Kootenayteam was made up of players from Trail, Castlegar, Salmo, Nelson, Rossland, and Genelle. Fromback left: Mike Roch, Bob Murray, Nona Kucher, Bruce Borsatto, Barry Benner, Christine Wayling,Rick Loewen, Alta Pinney, Carson Eriksen, and Joe Capriglione. Front from left: Ken Haines, ColinMcLean Manny Mota, Chris Mota, Luree Gould, and Lorne Wuori. Missing: J.R. Ross.playoffs and 4 of them are at home.If you have been to a Smoke Eatergame in the last 22 years, you willhave seen Manny slaving away inthe Spud Shack where they serve thebest 'game watching health food' thatmoney can buy. If this is your firstgame... stop by the Spud Shack andsay 'Hi'!Today Manny lives with his wife inthe house they built in Genelle. Hehas 2 grown kids and is enjoying hisretirement. He sold his business of 36years, Mota Automotive, 4 years ago.When you see Manny - he is mostlysmiling and always has a story toshare... most often around the SmokeEaters or local baseball…He is still a prominant competitor, anavid volunteer and wiley businessman.Trail is in debt to Portugal for allowingthe Mota family to leave theircountry for ours.~ Karma HalleranTrail Smoke Eaters Remaining Home GamesMar. 3 Chilliwack VS Smoke Eaters Cominco Arena 7 pmMar. 4 Penticton VS Smoke Eaters Cominco Arena 7 pmMar. 10 Coquitlam VS Smoke Eaters Cominco Arena 7 pmMar. 11 Surrey VS Smoke Eaters Cominco Arena 7 pmDiscover Sixty-FiveMarch 2023 5
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