The Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame is being spruced up.
Inductees from 2011 and 2012 are being enshrined in new cabinets, constructed by Harris Cabinets of Vernon, along the west wall of Kal Tire Place (formerly Wesbild Centre).
“It’s a great addition to Kal Tire Place and the hall,” said hall of fame committee director Stu Robertson. “The cabinets and displays are very professional looking.”
The shrines will include artifacts, photos and biographical information of the inductees, which includes the likes of swimmers Gary and Steven Vandermeulen, hockey pioneer Larry Kwong, skier Rob Boyd, and golfer Jackie Little.
Three Vernon hockey players with ties to the Detroit Red Wings – Ken Holland, Brent Gilchrist and Eddie Johnstone – were enshrined in 2012, and team owner Mike Ilich sent a cheque to the hall of fame for $5,000.
The money purchased two of the four new cabinets.
The Friends of the Vernon Museum (the museum oversees the hall of fame) and Terry Harris of Harris Cabinets sponsored the other two new display cabinets.
“We are looking to add more cabinets and we hope the businesses and community get behind us,” said hall of fame committee director Donna Hall.
A full cabinet sponsorship is $2,000 and that includes a plaque fixed to the cabinet with the sponsor’s name (you can go to the Vernon Museum’s website,www.vernonmuseum.ca and click on “Donate to the Museum” in the Quick links box to the left of the home page).
It’s also acceptable to donate a partial amount to a cabinet or sponsor a cabinet through a partnership (e.g., two or three businesses chipping in for one cabinet).
The hall of fame is looking for artifacts from all current inductees to add to the cabinets.
More information on the hall can be found at the Vernon Museum website by clicking on the Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame link.
Through that link, nomination forms for the Class of 2013 can be found.
The 2013 inductees will be announced at a later date and the induction ceremony is slated for noon on Friday, Nov. 1, at the Schubert Centre.
