The Rotary Club of Sudbury Sunrisers honoured Janis Foligno with the Paul Harris Fellowship Award on June 27 at the Caruso Club. Front row (sitting) from left are Natascia Marcantognini, Dan Carey, Lisa Foligno-Carey, Sister Stephanie Tosato (Janis’ aunt) and Mary Giacomin (Janis’ mother). Back from left are Marcus Foligno, Mike Foligno, Cara Foligno, Janelle Foligno and Nick Foligno.
Photo By Marg Seregelyi 2013
The Foligno Family
The Community Builders Awards applaud leadership, talent, determination, generosity and community spirit. The Foligno family, 2019 Hall of Fame inductees, have all these qualities, and serve as an inspiration to us all.
Mike Foligno, Sudbury’s most recognizable NHL export and current scout for the Vegas Golden Knights, and his children, Nicholas, Marcus, Lisa and Cara, and their partners have shown a commitment to our community wherever their successful careers have taken them. Marcus and Nicholas were both drafted by the NHL. Lisa and Cara both work in marketing.
Mike grew up in Sudbury and he played for the Wolves. A popular team captain, in 1978-79 he led the league with 150 points and was named to the OHA first all-star team. He went on to play with the Detroit Red Wings, the Buffalo Sabres, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Florida Panthers. He made Sudbury proud and was an inspiration to young players.
He married is high school sweetheart Janis Giacomin and the couple kept close ties to the city. In 2003 the Folignos returned to Sudbury when Mike became the Sudbury Wolves’ head coach.
Janis battled breast cancer and died at the age of 47 in 2009. In her memory, the family established The Janis Foligno Foundation. Its mission is to support Sudbury charities and research projects committed to finding a cure for cancer and to fund programs that provide care and treatment for the disease.
In 2013 the Rotary Club Sunrisers donated $117,000 to the foundation, Money was raised at the Paul Harris Dinner held posthumously to honour Janis. Other funds for the foundation are raised at various events such as restaurant promotions, the NHL versus Docs hockey game, and Beyond the Barbell competition.
The Janis Foligno Foundation has raised more than $500,000. The foundation has supported numerous charities and initiatives including the Canadian Cancer Society, Northern Ontario Families of Children with Cancer (NOFCC)., the Maison McCulloch Hospice, Meals on Wheels, House of Kin, the Northern Cancer Foundation and NEO Kids. The foundation also purchased an MRI breast coil for Health Sciences North.
The Janis Foligno Foundation also support CHEO - Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa.
Mike Foligno is the president of the foundation and his children are on the board of directors.
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