WILIAMSVILLE, N.Y. - Former Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff has certainly left his mark on the Clarence community. Monday, Ruff was named the first annual "Sportsman of the Year" by the Clarence Chamber of Commerce.

The Chamber had its 2013 Clarence Chamber Golf Classic during the day. Later at night, both Lindy and his son Brett attended a dinner that followed at the Westwood Country Club. There, Ruff was presented with the award.

Ruff currently lives in Clarence with his wife and kids. That's why this award was quite an honor to him. "My whole life has been Buffalo. I owe a lot to the city of Buffalo, the community of Clarence. My kids all grew up and were raised here and went through school. There's not many NHL coaches that can say that their kids went through one school."

CLARENCE, NY - About 275 mourners attended a funeral service Monday for Patrick S. Conway a Clarence High School Senior who died suddenly in a motorcycle accident while on his way to school last Wednesday.

"We come to this moment with a lot of conflicting thoughts," said Monsignor Frederick Leising, who lead the service at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church. "We have to grieve, we have to let the hole in our heart have its time and its place, but we have to move on," he said.

Conway, 18, died about a quarter mile away from where his funeral was held on Main Street.

New York State Police say that on the morning of June 5th, after he had been pulled over for not having a license plate on his new motorcycle, Conway suddenly -- and inexplicably --took off at a high rate of speed, crashing into an oncoming vehicle.

(Welcome to our pet column, courtesy of Pet Connection Programs Inc. of Marilla. We post a new article each week, so be sure to check back on a regular basis!)

These days, everyone is searching for ways to save money and stretch budgets. Consumer experts advise people to sniff out deeper discounts, saving opportunities and additional ways to cut costs. For pet owners, it can feel challenging to cut costs without compromising on care.

Being vigilant is key, according to pet expert, Charlotte Reed.