‘Jonesey’ coaches the Petes
Pleasant Manor resident’s wish
comes true
Tuesday February 25, 2003 Natalie Miller NORWOOD When ‘Jonesey’ woke up at Pleasant Meadow Manor Friday, he slipped on his official Peterborough Petes jersey with his name on the back.

It was a close game the night before, with the Petes securing a 3-2 win over the Belleville Bulls on Josh Patterson's goal with just 40 seconds remaining in the third period.

Jonesey offered some sound advice to the players.

“Stay with your man, play good hockey and no fighting,” he told the team.

While the Petes nicknamed him Jonesey, to his friends at Pleasant Meadow he’s Chris Jones, a resident who had his wish of coaching the Peterborough OHL team come true.

“He was ecstatic,” says Connie Garden, life enrichment co-ordinator at the Norwood home.

“It was pretty emotional.”

The home fulfilled its third wish for a resident Thursday, with the trip to the hockey game at Peterborough’s Memorial Centre. Pleasant Meadow staff introduced a wishing well to its home last year.

It was Chris Charlebois, a health-care aide, who first dreamed up the idea of making wishes come true for the elderly. Chris earlier told the OMNIway about a resident who planted the idea in her mind.

"We had a resident a couple of years ago and all he wanted was a steak dinner. That's all he would talk about, wanting to eat a steak dinner. So finally we made it for him, gave it to him… He couldn't chew it. He had no teeth. But he sucked that steak till it was dry and had the time of his life." She knew then she wanted to see the wishes of more residents at the home realized.

Chris and Connie arranged for a local community member to make a wooden wishing well. Residents themselves can make known their wishes by writing them on slips of paper and putting them in the well. But staff members and family members may also suggest wishes they think residents would like to see fulfilled.

In this case, Chris mentioned to a staff member during a walk past the Norwood Arena near the home, he would like to see a hockey game. Chris had been to a Petes game before, but not since he was a child. He has also been using a wheelchair since he was a little boy and has never had the chance to play hockey.

Four Pleasant Meadow staff members accompanied Chris to the game. While there, Chris was interviewed by a local television reporter and had the opportunity to meet some of the players after the game. That was when he was able to offer his advice to the team.

Chris says he wanted to coach the team because “it might be fun.” He also adds his favourite part of the experience was “talking to the Petes.”

Connie says Chris was “overwhelmed” by the experience.

“It was pretty special.”