Four years ago, St. Adolphe families were thrilled at the construction of a year-round outdoor sport facility on the north end of town. It provided an idyllic spot for kids to hang out, playing basketball in the summertime and hockey and pleasure-skating through the winter months.

And each winter, Leonard Larner can be found there, quietly spending his extra hours flooding and clearing the ice so the children can keep active on it.

Together with the Parc Pointe Coupee group, Larner has spent much of his time fundraising for improvements to the facility. Since then, he’s invested his own money into a Zamboni and Skid-steer to maintain it.

Like many residents, Evelina Pescitelli’s family has been enjoying the facility and the fruits of Larner’s labour for years. She says he never seeks attention for the many contributions he makes to the community, but to Pescitelli and other, Larner is an “earth angel” who needs to be recognized.

“Leonard is just a good person who wants his community to be a better place for all families,” Pescitelli says. “He is kind-hearted and one of the loveliest humans I am lucky enough to know. He doesn’t ever want anyone to give him props for what he does. He just does it for the betterment of the community. I just want him to know how much we all love and appreciate the time and effort he puts into the community. We see him and appreciate his constant acts of kindness.”

So, to Leonard and all of the other selfless residents out there, the community of St. Adolphe and The Citizen newspaper would like to say a heartfelt thank you!