Ozaukee Ice Center dedicates rental counter to Gene Wagner in honor of longtime member's 99th birthday
OZAUKEE COUNTY, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The Ozaukee Ice Center renamed its skate rental counter Tuesday, to the "Gene Wagner Skate Shack."
With 96 years of on-ice experience, it's hard to find anyone that's been on the ice longer than Gene Wagner. He turned 99 on Monday, May 18. He got a very special gift the next day.
"Well, it means I'll have to keep coming back and keep looking at the picture." Wagner said.
The "Gene Wagner Skate Shack" is a 99th birthday gift that will hopefully last another 99 years. All to honor the longtime Ozaukee Ice Center hockey player and rink guard.
"I just show up on Sunday and put on that jacket called 'rink guard' and away we go," he said.
"We have a lot of little kids that do a good job of skating, and good for them," Wagner said. "They're only about so high, but you have to look out for the little kids."
We've featured Gene a couple of times on CBS 58, most recently last year on his 98th birthday, as he kept playing hockey twice a week. Gene is a founding member of Ozaukee Ice Center's senior hockey club, The Bald Eagles.
This year, Gene couldn't skate with his Bald Eagles teammates, he's had some health issues. But his ice family and his family-family were all at the rink to celebrate.
As part of the dedication, The Bald Eagles donated $3,500 worth of skates to the "Gene Wagner Skate Shack" to make sure his legacy continues.
Next year, for his 100th birthday celebration at the rink, Gene promised a polka band. He said it'll be a good one, too.
