
The Grape Growers of Ontario’s (GGO) Celebrity Luncheon marks the opening of the Niagara Grapeand Wine Festival by showcasing Canadian personalities and celebrating the annual grape harvest. This year, in partnership with Meridian, Ontario’s largest credit union and the third largest in Canada, the GGO welcomes one of the mostdecorated female athletes in Olympic history: Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser.
She is a four-time Olympic gold medalist, six-time Olympian intwo sports (hockey and softball), and a trailblazer in the world ofsport and leadership. Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a first-ballot nominee, Wickenheiser has also made history as thefirst woman to register a point in a men’s professional hockeygame and to participate in or coach at four NHL development camps.
Today, she serves as the assistant general manager of PlayerDevelopment for the Toronto Maple Leafs, while also practisingfamily and emergency medicine and inspiring audiences as a bestselling author, speaker, and leader. Recognized globally for both her athleticexcellence and community service, Wickenheiser has been named one of Sports Illustrated’s “Top25 Toughest Athletes in the World” and twice appeared on their “Power 50 in Sports” list. She is a recipient of Canada’s highest civilian honour, the Order of Canada, and has been inducted into Canada’sSports Hall of Fame, Canada’s Walk of Fame, and the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame.
Her commitment to giving back is reflected through her involvement in numerous charitableorganizations including Right to Play, Jumpstart, Project North, and KidSport, and through her founding ofthe Canadian Tire Wickenheiser World Female Hockey Festival, which mentors young athletes from aroundthe world. Wickenheiser also holds several honorary degrees and a Master’s in Kinesiology from theUniversity of Calgary, where she studied medicine.
The Grape Growers of Ontario’s Celebrity Luncheon is on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. at Club Roma in St. Catharines. Ticket order forms are available at www.grapegrowersofontario.com or by contacting the GGO Board office at (905) 688-0990 or info@grapegrowersofontario.com.
Source: Grape Growers of Ontario July 3, 2025 news release