A Happy Halloween

The call to an early-morning breakfast at the majestic Vancouver Club on Hastings Street this week was billed as a salute to celebrated NHL goaltender Cesare Maniago and the launching of his book Hail Cesare!

But alas, it was a charming lady by the name of Filomena Nalewajek who stole the show and Maniago applauded longer and louder than anyone in the room.

Nalewajek is the executive director at Canuck Place Children's Hospice and her presence at breakfast Tuesday was to thank Maniago and author Jason Farris for directing a portion of book sales to Canuck Place.

But Nalewajek couldn't help but share her latest story from Monday, the day before Halloween, about how the local NHL players light up the hospice kids who face life-threatening conditions.

"Markus Naslund and Matt Cooke brought along three of the new Canucks -- Taylor Pyatt, Rory Fitzpatrick and Alexandre Burrows -- to carve pumpkins," Nalewajek said. "Markus had his two daughters and son with him; Matt brought along his son and youngest daughter and Rory had his little boy with him. I stood back and watched as one of our children, who was in a wheelchair, got busy carving as Markus held his hand to help direct the artwork. All the children and their parents were really into it, like nobody else was around. It truly was a magical moment."