Max Keeping facts for kids

Winston Maxwell "Max" Keeping (born April 1, 1942 – died October 1, 2015) was a famous Canadian TV personality. He worked for CTV in Ottawa, Ontario. Max was the main news anchor for the local evening news from 1972 until he retired in 2010. He was also a special "community ambassador" for the TV station until 2012.

Max Keeping: A Canadian TV Star

Max Keeping was a well-known Canadian broadcaster. He was the vice-president of news and public affairs at CJOH-DT, the CTV station in Ottawa. Max was loved by many for his work on TV and his efforts to help the community.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Max Keeping was born in Grand Bank, Newfoundland. He started his news career when he was very young, in the late 1950s. At just 16 years old, he became the sports director for a newspaper called Evening Telegram in St. John's. After that, he worked at radio stations like VOCM and CJCH in Halifax.

In 1965, Max moved to Ottawa. He became a reporter for the parliament, first for CFRA radio. Later, he reported on parliament for CTV News.

Becoming a News Anchor

In 1972, Max Keeping tried something different. He ran in a federal election as a candidate for the Progressive Conservative party. Even though he didn't win, he returned to Ottawa after the election.

Because of his political campaign, he couldn't go back to his old job at CTV. But in November 1972, he joined CJOH. He became the local news director and, most famously, the station's news anchor. He held this job from November 1972 until March 2010. This made him one of the longest-serving TV news anchors in Canada!

Helping the Community

During his more than 40 years in Ottawa, Max Keeping became a local hero. He was very active in many charitable drives. He helped raise money through his news station and on his own time.

He was the long-time host, or Master of Ceremonies, for the CHEO telethon. A telethon is a long TV show that asks people to donate money for a good cause. It's believed that Max helped collect over $100 million in donations for the Ottawa area. This amazing work earned him a special Gemini Award in 2003 for his humanitarian efforts.

Max also received an honorary degree from the University of Ottawa. He became a patron for "Learning for a Cause." This group helps high school students write and publish their creative stories.

Health and Retirement

In 2003, Max shared on TV that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Later that year, a part of the CHEO hospital was named the Max Keeping Wing. This was to honor his huge support for the hospital.

On December 3, 2009, Max announced he would retire as news anchor on March 26, 2010. After retiring, he took on a new role. He became the TV station's "community ambassador," continuing his work helping people in Ottawa. Max Keeping passed away on October 1, 2015.

Awards and Special Recognitions

Max Keeping received many awards and honors for his dedication:

• He received the Ontario Medal of Good Citizenship in 1983.
• He became a Member of the Order of Canada in 1991. This is one of Canada's highest honors.
• He was given the Key to the City of Ottawa in 2000.
• In 2003, he won a Gemini Award for his humanitarian work.
• A new part of the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario was named the Max Keeping Wing in his honor in September 2003.
• He was added to the Canadian Association of Broadcasters' Hall of Fame in 2004.
• He received honorary doctorates from the University of Ottawa in 2007 and Carleton University in 2009.
• He was awarded the Order of Ontario in December 2007.
• An important road in Ottawa was named "Max Keeping Boulevard."
• The pedestrian bridge over the Queensway at the Vanier Parkway was named the Max Keeping Bridge in January 2016.