For more than 25 years Mel Andrews has been making a variety of contributions to hockey in Newfoundland and Labrador, especially junior hockey. There is no doubt that the sport has benefited from his efforts as he filled a wide range of vital positions with confidence and success. He has been an important worker for hockey since he first became involved in 1975 with the Grand Falls junior team. That effort followed many contributions to minor and school hockey by the native of Point Leamington.
He was junior vice-chair in 1977 to 1979 and moved to junior chair in 1980, a position he held until 1985 when he assumed the senior division chair. He was senior chair until 1997 when he took over the secretary-manager's position. All were important and successful efforts on his part. In all cases his understanding of hockey coupled with his dedication and determination combined to provide a game of hockey for more players and more fans. His ability to work with others was a foundation on which he built and the results were simply good for hockey.

The manner in which Mel Andrews operated was greatly appreciated and the great respect in which other hockey people held him is demonstrated by the many roles he has been asked to fill. He served extremely well at the local, provincial and Atlantic levels of junior hockey prior to achieving impressive success within senior hockey.

He has received the NLHA's Gold Stick in appreciation of his work that included senior hockey chair and the demanding secretary-manager's position. An important aspect of his contributions has been the great respect that he has earned at the national level and the successful manner he has demonstrated at Hockey Canada meetings and discussions.