Niagara Children's Centre honours parasport leaders with legacy award

June 19, 2025

Niagara Children's Centre honours parasport leaders with legacy award

Jim and Loretta Davis recognized with the Dr. Orr Tribute Award for a lifetime of advocacy, coaching and mentorship

St. Catharines, ON – For Jim and Loretta Davis, Niagara Children’s Centre is more than the place where they first received therapy as children—it’s where they learned to believe in themselves.

Nearly 50 years after their journey with the Centre began, the organization has announced the couple as recipients of this year’s Dr. Orr Tribute Award. The honour recognizes their exceptional dedication to community service, advocacy for inclusion, and lifelong support of children and youth with disabilities.

As former clients of Niagara Children’s Centre, Jim and Loretta’s story is one of coming full circle—turning the support they received as children into decades of mentorship and leadership for others.

“We’ve always felt like this community gave us so much,” said Jim. “Some of my best memories come from my time at the Centre. Giving back here just feels right.”

Both Jim and Loretta attended the Centre in the late 1970s and 80s, receiving therapy and education that would lay the foundation for their future. It’s also where they met—kindling a lifelong friendship and partnership rooted in mutual respect and a shared desire to make a difference.

They founded the Brock Niagara Penguins Parasport Club in 2006, creating a multi-sport program for youth and young adults with physical disabilities. Thanks to their vision and leadership, athletes have access to a wide range of adaptive sports: swimming, sitting volleyball, wheelchair basketball and racing, handcycling, boccia, para-hockey, and inclusive summer camps.

They are also both accomplished parasport athletes—Jim is a nationally ranked boccia player, while Loretta is a competitive wheelchair basketball player. Loretta was also named Parasport Ontario’s Coach of the Year in 2017 and holds National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) credentials. Both are deeply respected across the provincial sport community, and together they were instrumental in planning the 2025 Ontario Parasport Games, held recently here in Niagara.

Over the years, they have become familiar faces at the Centre, most notably through their work with Volt Hockey, a competitive adaptive sport for youth with disabilities. Their presence as coaches has offered more than just instruction—it has created a sense of possibility for participants and their families.

“At a tournament recently, a parent told me, ‘You and Loretta made me realize my kid will have a life,’” said Jim. “That’s what it’s all about—showing families what’s possible.”

The couple credit mentors and staff from the Centre—including their former teacher, Mrs. McAdams, and recreation therapist Karen Natho—for shaping their outlook and encouraging their involvement in adaptive sport and community leadership. Today, they pass those lessons on to a new generation.

“Hopefully, the kids we mentor now will grow up and give back too,” said Loretta. “That’s how change happens.”

Their impact stretches well beyond the walls of a gymnasium. Through their involvement in sport, education, advocacy, and public speaking, Jim and Loretta continue to challenge stereotypes and promote opportunities for children with disabilities. They encourage parents to let their children take risks, explore passions, and pursue active, social lives.

“I really hope we inspire others to be just a little more independent and to give back however they can,” said Jim. “It doesn’t have to be sports—it can be anything that connects you to your community.”

Niagara Children’s Centre created the Dr. Orr Tribute Award to honour individuals or groups who have demonstrated an enduring commitment to the Centre’s mission of helping children and youth with physical, developmental, and communicative delays reach their full potential. The award is named after Dr. William Orr, a founding supporter of the Centre and a pioneer in pediatric rehabilitation in Niagara.

“Jim and Loretta embody everything this award stands for,” said Oksana Fisher, CEO of Niagara Children’s Centre. “Their journey from clients to changemakers is a powerful reminder of how early support and inclusive communities can transform lives.”

The award was presented during the organization’s annual employee recognition dinner, held June 18 at the Stone Mill Inn in St. Catharines.

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About Niagara Children’s Centre:
Niagara Children’s Centre provided rehabilitation and support services to nearly 5,900 children and youth last year across the Niagara Region with physical, developmental and communicative delays. The range of services include: physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language services, augmentative and alternative communication, family services and therapeutic recreation.

Media Contact:
Mike Morrison, Marketing & Communications Officer
Phone: 905-688-1890 ext. 260
Email: michael.morrison@niagarachildrenscentre.com

Photo caption:
Jim and Loretta Davis received the Dr. Orr Tribute Award from Oksana Fisher, CEO of Niagara Children’s Centre, during the organization’s annual employee recognition dinner on June 18 at the Stone Mill Inn in St. Catharines.