The Winnipeg Jets.
THIS TEAM HAS HEART 
“The strongest steel is forged in the hottest fire.”
The Flowerman 
(Rob Ludlow) met Mark Chipman in the late ‘70’s in high school. Part of the St. Paul’s High School mission statement is “to educate students as whole persons to become men for others.” Mark obviously took this motto to heart. Mark became best friends with his classmate, my older brother, but always feeling he had room in his heart for one more Ludlow.
(Rob Ludlow) met Mark Chipman in the late ‘70’s in high school. Part of the St. Paul’s High School mission statement is “to educate students as whole persons to become men for others.” Mark obviously took this motto to heart. Mark became best friends with his classmate, my older brother, but always feeling he had room in his heart for one more Ludlow.Mark, always an athlete in high school knowing the positive impact that sports played in his life decided to invest heavily, decided to bring the Manitoba Moose to Winnipeg. With the success of that franchise, Mark decided to invest even heavier bringing the N.H.L. back to Winnipeg in 2011 to the delight of fans who rapidly purchased over 13,000 season tickets in 17 minutes when they went on sale on June 4th. I along with a group of friends secured a season ticket package for multiple years for 4 seats just above the lower bowl.
When Mark heard that I had decided to end my life, yet by the grace of God surviving this suicide attempt, called me on the phone while in the psychiatric ward. I’ll never forget those words offered “Rob, I have a prayer list beside my bed. I offer a prayer to all those I know who are struggling. When I heard you were struggling, you were moved to the top of my list.”
The emotion, the power of those words, the tears that began to flow will always be burned deeply in The Flowerman’s memory. That a man as busy as Mark Chipman is, would take the time at the end of his day to pray for me still leaves me with a sense of bewilderment yet an overwhelming sense of GRATITUDE and JOY.
memory. That a man as busy as Mark Chipman is, would take the time at the end of his day to pray for me still leaves me with a sense of bewilderment yet an overwhelming sense of GRATITUDE and JOY.MIND BLOWN, BODY TREMBLING, TEARS FLOWING
Soon after my discharge from the psychiatric ward, Mark invited me to lunch at his Shark Club restaurant and casino located within his True North Sports & Entertainment Complex (he picked up the tab too! lol). Yes, LEMON-AID was and still is the only car I have, so my 1966 Springtime Yellow Mustang convertible was what got me to all those lunches. It was at that lunch that Mark offered more support offering one of his favourite quotes “the strongest steel is forged in the hottest fire.” Sherrilyn Kenyon’s phrase is a metaphor for strength and resilience, suggesting that challenges and hardships can make people stronger. Mark and I would continue to meet for uplifting conversations at the Shark Club up until the time I moved away. God bless you Mark Chipman. We still talk on the phone regularly. If I send him a text message, he will always reply with a text or phone call within a day.
It was at one of those lunches that he told me about Project 11, an initiative near and dear to his huge heart. Honoring the life of Rick Rypien, Project 11 was launched. Rypien was a former Manitoba Moose player and contracted Winnipeg Jets player who sadly passed just prior to the inaugural Jets season in Winnipeg. Picking up on Rypien’s desire to help youth dealing with mental health issues, Project 11 was developed in partnership with the Province of Manitoba and Healthy Child Manitoba. The mental health awareness initiative is a curriculum based education and support program, promoting mental health for students in grades 5 to 8. It was at that lunch that I told him “Mark, you can take me off your prayer list. All your prayers worked. You can make room for someone else now.”
Mark Chipman, his entire organization, the city of Winnipeg, the province of Manitoba and the entire Country so deserve to go all the way in this years playoffs. The Winnipeg Jets deserve to win the STANLEY CUP this year, like no other team in the N.H.L. because from the top of the organization to the bottom…………………………
THIS TEAM HAS HEART
GO JETS GO!
Stay tuned!
JDTheFlowerman
Attached pictures of ‘LEMON-AID’ help to show the stunning beauty of Canada’s prairie provinces.
Yes. Permission granted moments ago to post this story from The Flowerman’s dear friend Mark Chipman. Mark, an incredibly humble man never toots his own horn.
dear friend Mark Chipman. Mark, an incredibly humble man never toots his own horn.But The Flowerman will.
will.
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