A great roar of appreciation went up for Aaron Downey as he appeared at Shelburne's Centre Dufferin Recreation Complex Sunday.

Photo/JON YANEFF DRESSED FOR THE OCCASION: Five-year-old Brennan Kennedy of Erin showed up at the Alder Street Recreation Centre Saturday wearing a Detroit Red Wings sweater and got a chance to pose with his hero, Wings defenceman Kyle Quincey and the Stanley Cup, won by the Red Wings in the National Hockey League finals against Pittsburgh Penguins. The Detroit Red Wings right winger arrived in an cherry red convertible with his parents, Sandra and Doug Downey, grandmother Noreen Payne, and uncle Peter Downey. The arrival of Lord Stanley's Cup, mere weeks after the Red Wings captured it by edging Pittsburgh Penguins, was a dream come true for the hundreds of hockey fans who waited at the arena and lined the soggy streets of Shelburne.

Aaron told reporters that it was a "special feeling to come back to Shelburne."

"They are great people with great minor hockey, and it is an honour to bring the cup to Shelburne," he added.

He was generous with his time, carrying the cup onto the arena floor where he had played as a young boy, and letting fans take photos and touch the cup. Police Chief Kent Moore and Sergeant Mark Bennett of the Shelburne force were given their "moment with the trophy" in appreciation for the dedication the force was giving the event.

"It was great to see such a strong sense of pride in one of our local athletes and equally positive to have Aaron Downey share his excitement with our community," said Chief Moore. "Having the children participate in the celebration was a terrific way to instill the values and rewards of a strong work ethic and good citizenship that has been demonstrated by Downey throughout his career. Participants in the celebration were great to work with-overall an event in which Shelburne Police Service was proud to play a part."

The parade included several floats carrying young athletes from all over the area, including the Shelburne Wolves minor hockey team, the Shelburne Veterans Junior lacrosse team, and Shelburne figure skaters.

Aaron made sure to spend a few minutes with each team letting everyone join in the exhilaration of hard fought victory. The faces on the young members of the Wolves team were ones of excitement and reverent awe.

Around 1 p.m., the Wings star and the Cup climbed aboard a float carrying family members, and headed out on to the streets where eager onlookers greeted him with enthusiasm, and cheers of appreciation each time the Cup was raised above his head.

The 6'1" player was signed as a free agent by the Red Wings in October 2007. It is amazing that his hometown of Honeywood, with only a handful of houses, has produced two NHL players; Bert Wilson was drafted by the New York Rangers in 1969. This was Downey's first Stanley Cup finalist playoffs, making the victory even sweeter. But nothing is sweeter than returning home a winner.

In Honeywood, preparations had been going on for days. Large canopy tents had been erected for the celebrations well in advance of the event. At 3 p.m., the floats arrived in the tiny village to literally thousands of screaming fans. Over 3,000 commemorative T shirts were sold and early estimates are that the crowd may have been almost double that.

Opening ceremonies included speeches by Mulmur Deputy Mayor Sue Snider, Melancthon Mayor Debbie Fawcett and Shelburne Mayor Ed Crewson.

Mayor Crewson likened Downey's arrival with the Stanley Cup to the "triumphs" held in honour of a victorious general in the ancient days of Rome. "The general would parade through the streets with the 'spoils of war' to the accolades of his people," the mayor said. "Aaron has brought glory to the community today. In the chariot, beside the general, rode a slave whose job it was to whisper in the ear of the general, 'All glory is fleeting.' Glory may be fleeting, but this day, in this place, the glory will remain in our hearts and memories forever!"

Celebrations in Honeywood went on through the night and into the early morning hours, with a live band, food and licensed bar.

Dufferin OPP Detective Constable Mark Taylor was one of many officers present, and said he was pleased with how the event went.

"It was a spectacular turnout and everyone behaved appropriately," he said, passing on congratulations to both the Downey family and all county officers who participated, many of them off duty officers who had volunteered their time to help in the smooth operation of the event.

"Aaron Downey went beyond his obligation to the public, not leaving until every kid got an autograph. He returned the welcome he received tenfold."

Aaron's father, Doug, said he and his wife were very proud of their son. "He signed autographs for six hours, and had time and a smile for every kid. The whole event was overwhelming for Sandra and I and our family. It was wonderful to be able to share with everyone the magical moment, the dream of dreams."

"It is such a good news story," continued the proud father. "It brought out smiles on everyone's faces. We were very impressed and proud of the people from the Honeywood, Shelburne, and surrounding communities who so willingly volunteered their help - the ambulance, fire, and police services, and all the sponsors.

"Together, with family and friends, they made this wonderful day a success."

The Stanley Cup arrived in Dufferin last Saturday when Red Wings defenceman Kyle Quincey "came home" hoisting the coveted trophy for an Alder Street Recreation Centre crowd in Orangeville that might have numbered well in excess of 1,000.

It was the first time in the long and sometimes turbulent history of Lord Stanley's tribute to the game that was invented in Canada.

Meant to honour Canada's athletic talent on the ice, it now spends a lot of time south of the border - often held aloft by players imported from Europe.

A century or more ago, teams winning the Cup were amateur. One report says the holy grail of hockey was once lost at Rat Portage (now Kenora).

Whatever. Enthusiasm for the cup and the hockey heroes who tote it around when they aren't on the golf course through the summer has never waned.