A handful of local reporters were anticipating a political announcement, instead, they left a bit bewildered, like they had been hit with a flying elbow off the top turnbuckle.
That’s a way to describe the unusual, highly anticipated press conference scheduled for 4 p.m. at a quiet location on Bond Street off Gormanville Road Monday afternoon.
Deputy Mayor Sheldon Forgette lured the media to the event, saying he was fulfilling a childhood dream with this announcement.
But the only thing political about this was Forgette used his title - and admitted so - to lure the media to an event that was all about charity wrestling.
“You want me to be honest, I am using my status as deputy mayor to get your attention to come here today but after that, that is it, you can report the story and it is what it is,” Forgette admitted during his post-event press conference.
Forgette, joined by his former Big Brother Norman Fischer, and wrestling promoter Dann Pigozzo, announced that they will be holding a charity wrestling event in late August.
Forgette says his company, North Bay Computer Doctors, will sponsor the event and all Big Brothers and Big Sisters involved in the program from anywhere in Ontario will be able to come to the wrestling event for free.
Forgette, who is on the local Big Brothers & Sisters Board, feels its important to give back to a program that helped change his life.
“My Big Brother and I talked about going to a wrestling event together our whole lives and we never got to do it,” Forgette recalled.
“It is really cool because Norm has been a mentor to me, I used to be in trouble all the time at school, in the principal’s office a lot, but when he was introduced into my life it completely changed my world.”
The event will take place on August 26th at the North Bay Granite Club.
Northland Wrestling has taken pride in helping other charities in previous events.
“I have always felt that Northland Wrestling has the ability and the forum, we can do something to help we should do something to help. We have a forum and we need to use that forum,” said Pigozzo.
Forgette will attend as a guest referee at the event, much like actor Jerry O’Connell did at a Northland Wrestling event last summer.
His training for the role starts today.
“I have reached out to a personal friend who does personal training and she is actually going to train me because I have not worked out since I started running for council,” he said.
“I have been too busy with wife, kids, business, council, life.”
