The Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame would like to extend a sincere thank you to all of our wonderful sponsors. The planning and execution of our three exciting 50th anniversary projects would not be possible without all of their support.
Interested in becoming a sponsor? Contact Sheila Kelly, [email protected] or 306-780-9232.
MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT SCOTT WATERS
We are officially more than one quarter through the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame’s (SSHF) 50th year. While we have already started celebrating this historic anniversary, some of our biggest events are still to come.
I would first like to remind everyone that we will not be having a formal induction this year. However, we have many exciting events on the horizon that will give everyone in the province a chance to celebrate our anniversary with us. These events will include a traveling exhibit, a one-woman play and a gala, which will all be explained in detail throughout this newsletter.
It is our hope that, in doing so, we will be successful in celebrating the phenomenal sports history of all 505 inductees, including: 223 athletes, 158 builders and 124 championship teams, whose stories have been housed inside of our walls for all these years.
The staff has also been hard at work planning and executing the first four events in our “12 months, 12 Events” series. The two most recent of these events were prepared in conjunction with major sporting events happening in the province. Our February event saw the staff, along with 15 curling inductees, travel to Swift Current – the host site of the 2016 Ford World Women’s Curling Championships.
Our fourth event saw us team up with The Keystone Cup, a prestigious Junior B Hockey Championship that was being hosted in Regina for the first time. The tournament was a great excuse to bring a handful of our inductees together. 2015 SSHF inductee Cliff Koroll flew in from Chicago, while two members of the 1968 Team Canada Olympic Team, Morris Mott and Terry O’Malley, joined us as well.
Fans in attendance during both events were given the opportunity to ask questions of our inductees, get autographs and pose for pictures. I would like to specially thank the Ford World Women’s Curling Championship organizing committee, The Keystone Cup organizing committee and our event MC’s Taylor Shire and Candace Woodside for helping to make these events possible.
On behalf of the SSHF Board of Directors I would like to wish you the best for the remainder of the spring season and upcoming summer season. Please stay in touch and stay connected with the SSHF (and encourage friends and family to do the same) through our Social Media channels.
Website: www.sasksportshalloffame.com
Facebook: SaskSportsHF
Instagram: SaskSportsHF
Twitter: @SaskSportsHF
Review us on TripAdvisor
Best wishes,
Scott Waters, President
To find out more on our latest happenings at the SSHF, download the full version of the newest For The Record, right here:
Each year, the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame strives to preserve and promote the history of sport in Saskatchewan, and 2015 was no exception. The Government of Canada named 2015 “The Year of Sport in Canada” and encouraged all Canadians to celebrate the role that sport plays in their identity.
Our 2015 Annual Report will highlight some key redevelopment, awareness and self help strategies. It will also recap the addition of new staff members, partnerships, exhibits and events that have helped position the SSHF for a very exciting and successful 50th year in 2016.
Special thank you to all members of the Hall of Fame, your support over the past year has been overwhelming. We look forward to celebrating our 50th anniversary with you.
You can download a copy of the 2015 Annual Report here:
Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame Annual Report 2015
Throughout 2016, the SSHF will be selecting one special event each month to feature in our “12 Months, 12 Events” 50th anniversary project – dedicated to all 505 of our inductees and Saskatchewan’s rich sport history.
Our fourth event of the year served to celebrate The Keystone Cup in Regina.
A fan forum and autograph session celebrating the 2016 Keystone Cup Championship was hosted on April 15 and 16, 2016 at the Co-operators Centre in Regina. Since the Cup’s inception, 2016 represented the first time this prestigious junior B hockey championship had been decided in Regina. The Extreme Hockey Regina Capitals hosted the 2016 Keystone Cup at the Co-operators Centre from April 14-17.
In attendance to help celebrate the Championship and our 50th anniversary were the following inductees and special guests:
The SSHF would like to sincerely thank the Keystone Cup organizing committee and our Master of Ceremonies, Taylor Shire, for helping to make this event possible.
Don’t miss your chance to help celebrate our 50th during our next special event!
The SSHF is extremely excited to be involved in the Heritage Fairs held throughout the province this year. For the first time in the history of the Fairs, a Sports specific award is being presented to a student during each Regional Fair (Regina, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw and Swift Current), and at the Provincial Fair held in Regina. We are thrilled about the opportunity for a standalone Sports Award and look forward to involving inductees in the presentation and judging of the awards.
Diamond Girls
Work continues on the development of this one-woman, one-act play written by Maureen Ulrich of Menagerie Productions. As with the majority of creative projects, changes are being encountered throughout the development process. Since the release of our February/March 2016 newsletter there have been a number of changes to the previously announced performance schedule. We would like to take the opportunity to provide everyone with a revised schedule in order to facilitate the planning of audience members to attend a performance in their vicinity. Full details with regard to ticket price and purchasing options will be released in early May.
Performance Dates (to date):
*unconfirmed
Throughout 2016, the SSHF will be selecting one special event each month to feature in our “12 Months, 12 Events” 50th anniversary project – dedicated to all 505 of our inductees and Saskatchewan’s rich sport history.
Our third event of the year served to celebrate the World Women’s Curling Championship in Swift Current.
A fan forum and autograph session celebrating the 2016 Ford World Women’s Curling Championship was hosted on March 21, 2016 in Swift Current. From March 19-27, Swift Current was home to the Championship for a second time. Speedy Creek also hosted the tournament in 2010, and efforts were made shortly after to bring the tournament back because of its success.
In attendance to help celebrate the Championship and our 50th anniversary were the following inductees:
1980 Marj Mitchell Curling Team
(Canadian and World Champions, Wendy Leach attending)
1970 Dorenda Schoenhals Bailey Curling Team
(Canadian Ladies Champions, Linda Burnham & Dorenda Bailey attending)
1951 and 52 Gary Thode Curling Team
(Canadian High School Boys Champions, Roy Hufsmith attending)
1993, 1994, 1997, 1998 Sandra Schmirler Curling Team
(Women’s Canadian, World, and Olympic Champions, Anita Ford attending)
1974 Emily Farnham Curling Team
(Canadian Ladies Champions, Emily Farnham, Linda Saunders, & Pat McBeath attending)
1983 Rick Folk Curling Team
(Canadian Mixed Champions, Dorenda Bailey attending)
2003 Nancy Kerr Curling Team
(Canadian and World Senior Women’s Champions, Linda Burnham & Kendra Richards attending)
1978 Bernie Yuzdepski Curling Team
(Canadian Mixed Champions, Bernie Yuzdepski attending)
1980 Rick Folk Curling Team
(Canadian and World Men’s Curling Champions, Jim Wilson attending)
2009 Eugene Hritzuk Curling Team
(Canadian and World Senior Men’s Curling Champions, Eugene Hritzuk, Verne Anderson and Dave Folk attending)
The SSHF would like to sincerely thank the World Women’s Curling Championship organizing committee, the Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame and our Master of Ceremonies, Candace Woodside, for helping to make this event possible.
Don’t miss your chance to help celebrate our 50th! Our April event will focus on the 2016 Keystone Cup!
Since the Cup’s inception, 2016 represents the first time this prestigious championship has been decided in Regina. The Extreme Hockey Regina Capitals will be hosting the 2016 Keystone Cup at the Co-operators Centre from April 14-17. Since 1983 the Keystone Cup has been awarded to the top junior B team from Western Canada and Northwestern Ontario. In total, 14 of our inductees have a connection to what is now the Prairie Junior Hockey League. The SSHF would like to celebrate these inductees through a number of initiatives to be hosted at the Co-operators Centre during April 14-17, 2016. Stay tuned for more details.
DIAMOND GIRLS
Throughout our 50th anniversary the primary goal of the SSHF is to celebrate our inductees and showcase their back stories and accomplishments for the people of Saskatchewan. One very unique opportunity presented itself when Menagerie Productions and playwright, Maureen Ulrich, proposed a one-act, one-woman play featuring the Saskatchewan connection to the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League as a project to be pursued through the SSHF’s Sport History grant. With the support of Softball Saskatchewan, Women in Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation, and Saskatchewan Lotteries the project has become a reality. Here is Maureen’s back story to this unique 50th anniversary project.
DIAMOND GIRLS: DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH
Writing a one-act, one-woman show about the rise and fall of a baseball league is challenging, especially when eighteen players plus officials, fans, and coaches are required to play an actual game. Diamond Girls focuses on the involvement of three Saskatchewan women – Arleene Johnson Noga, Mary Baker, and Daisy Junor – who participated in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) during the 1940’s.
My relationship with Diamond Girls began with a Leader-Post article about a dedication to Mary Baker at Central Park, Regina. A League of Their Own is one of my favourite movies – and I wanted to learn more about the role Mary and other Saskatchewan women played in the AAGPBL. 
It has been thrilling and sobering to get to know them through nonfiction books, newspaper and magazine articles, yearbooks, letters, photographs, and interviews with their families and Arleene herself. Mary, Arleene, and Daisy not only played in the AAGPBL – they were stars. Furthermore they didn’t stop competing when their pro baseball careers ended.
I deeply regret never starting down this path sixteen years ago when I first met Arleene – when many of the Saskatchewan ladies were still alive – but it simply did not occur to me. Nevertheless, Arleene, who played ball for six decades, has lost none of her passion or loyalty towards a league that sent her on countless road trips, many miles from home, to play in front of thousands of fans and set fielding records. In sportswriter Ned Powers’ words, “There are a few women who could play a position as well as a man, and Arleene was one of them.” Yes, Arleene has fueled my fire to get these three characters on stage as quickly as possible.
My first draft merely told their stories, but over time their competitive, vibrant, baseball savvy personalities have emerged, showing the audience how unique their experiences truly were. A process of continual revision has begun, as each word of dialogue and direction is carefully considered. How can I provide actress Colleen Sutton (RiderGirl) with the tools she needs to create clear and lasting images in the minds of her audience? After all she will be roleplaying multiple characters in a variety of settings – baseball diamonds and hotel rooms, even a television game show. Naturally I will lean heavily on Colleen’s comedic and dramatic expertise. It is our goal to make every “inning” of Diamond Girls (yes, there are nine!) funny, gritty, enlightening, or poignant.
Like the AAGPBL teams, Diamond Girls will be on the road most of the summer. Therefore, the set design must be minimal. Projections will be used at the beginning of the play both to create nostalgia and to acquaint the audience with the faces of all 25 Saskatchewan players. Two AAGPBL uniforms will be fabricated, as damage or loss of this important element would be devastating.
We are four months away from our first rehearsal in Estevan, but the groundwork for a solid, accurate, and entertaining story is slowly and carefully being laid. We hope you will see Diamond Girls if it travels to a community near yours. If you are interested in hosting a performance, please contact me or Sheila Kelly, as the tour schedule is still evolving.
I am indebted to the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame (SSHF), the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Softball Saskatchewan, Women in Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation, and Saskatchewan Lotteries for their enthusiastic assistance and support. I especially look forward to helping the SSHF celebrate its 50th anniversary year.
Maureen Ulrich [email protected]
*Current Tour Locations and Dates (subject to change):
Estevan (Souris Valley Theatre) – June 2016 (exact dates TBA)
Weyburn (Tommy Douglas Performing Arts Centre) – June 27
Assiniboia (Olympia Theatre) – June 28
Regina (The Artesian) – June 30
Regina Fringe Festival – July 6-10
Winnipeg Fringe Festival – July 13-24
Edmonton Fringe Festival – August 11-21
Saskatoon (Broadway Theatre) August 28
*UPDATE: Please note that dates have changed for Diamond Girls performances. Updated information will be released in early May!
MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT SCOTT WATERS
2016 is sure to be an exciting and a historic year, marking the 50th anniversary of the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame (SSHF). Celebrations are currently underway, having officially begun in January with the first of our 12 Months, 12 Events initiative. The SSHF is also planning a Traveling Exhibit, scheduled to visit dozens of communities across Saskatchewan between July and October. More details will be announced in spring, 2016!
The 50th anniversary celebration culminates September 30, 2016 with a formal gala, along with other events. Full details of the 50th anniversary celebrations will be updated regularly on the SSHF’s website at www.sasksportshalloffame.com. While the 50th anniversary celebrations are currently at the forefront, we also remain focused on regular day-to-day operations and are busy planning many other exciting events for 2017 and beyond. As mentioned in an earlier message the SSHF has undergone great transition and improvements in recent years, and the staff and Board of Directors remain focused on providing visitor enhancements to the SSHF, and continuing to deliver a great product to our members and to the public at-large.
I would like to formally welcome a new member to the Board of Directors, and also acknowledge and thank two long-serving members of the Board who recently resigned. Joining the board is Kevin Dureau of Regina. We look forward to working with Kevin and are excited about the passion, experience and perspective he will bring to the organization. I would also like to thank two board members who recently stepped down; Vance McNab and Hugh Vassos, who completed four and eleven years of service, respectively. During their tenure each contributed greatly to the SSHF, serving on several committees and in various roles, with Hugh Vassos recently serving as President and then as Past President of the SSHF.
The Board of Directors and staff of the SSHF held their annual retreat January 8th and 9th at Manitou Springs Resort and Mineral Spa at Manitou Beach. Much was accomplished and a good time was had by all. We had the added delight of being joined for lunch by SSHF inductee Leroy Coates and his wife, Marlene who currently reside in nearby Watrous.
On behalf of the SSHF Board of Directors I would like to wish you the best for the remainder of the winter season and upcoming spring season. Please stay in touch and stay connected with the SSHF (and encourage friends and family to do the same) through our Social Media channels.
Website: www.sasksportshalloffame.com
Facebook: SaskSportsHF
Instagram: SaskSportsHF
Twitter: @SaskSportsHF
Review us on TripAdvisor
To find out more on our latest happenings at the SSHF, download the full version of the newest For The Record, right here:
For the Record February/March 2016
*UPDATE: Please note that dates have changed for Diamond Girls performances. Updated information will be released in early May!
SSHF CELEBRATING 50 YEARS IN 2016!
We Need Your Help! And Our Time Frame is Very Short.
The Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame is looking for your favourite “Mosaic Moment”. What makes you smile when you think about attending an event in Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field? It doesn’t have to be a football moment. In fact, it doesn’t have to be a sport moment. We just want to know what has made a lasting impression on you.
Please send us a quick answer giving us a few specifics about the event. What was it? When was it (maybe it’s a specific date or just an estimated year)? Was there a specific individual involved? A couple of sentences or a short paragraph will get us on our way. Your memories will become part of our historical timeline as we work to capture all that comprises the popular culture surrounding Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field.
We are appealing for an immediate response. If you can share your memories in the next 48 hours that would be much appreciated!
Thank you for helping to keep Saskatchewan’s sport history alive.
Please send your favourite Mosaic Moments to [email protected].
Feel free to forward this message on to any interested party.
We are currently in the midst of our 50th year at the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame! By now most of your have probably heard that we will not be having a formal, stand-alone induction in 2016. Instead, we will be having multiple events during the year, throughout the province of Saskatchewan, in order to celebrate all 505 of our inductees and Saskatchewan’s rich sport history.
While some of our big announcements will have to wait to be unveiled, others are already in motion:
12 Months, 12 Events: Throughout 2016, the SSHF will be selecting one special event each month to feature in our “12 Months, 12 Events” 50th Anniversary project. Our first event of the year will be held at Peak Performance Hockey, inside of The Co-operators Centre in Regina. This event will serve to celebrate Hockey Day in Saskatchewan and will take place on January 15 from 5:00pm-7:00pm. It will also act as a pre-game event for the University of Regina Cougars game happening at 7:00pm that night. We will have many of our hockey inductees attending this event, including 1974 Memorial Cup Champion, Ed Staniowski, as well as other local hockey figures.
51 Sports in 52 Weeks: A virtual celebration of our inducted sports on a week-by-week basis. This social media experience will highlight key inductees and artifacts of each sport throughout the week. It will also include a special “where are they now” update on a featured inductee every Wednesday.
#SSHF50: For our 50th year we also wanted to implement a special hashtag for use on social media. Please feel free to search the hashtag #SSHF50 on both Twitter and Instagram to see all of our posts pertaining to our 50th year. Getting involved in this is easy! If you are at one of our events throughout the year, and post something to Twitter or Instagram about it, please include our hashtag at the end to share your experience!
2015 was a great year, but 2016 will be even better! Please join us at every opportunity to celebrate our 50th!
Don’t forget to like and follow us on all of our Social Media accounts to stay up to date:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SaskSportsHF
Twitter: @SaskSportsHF
Instagram: @SaskSportsHF
SSHF CELEBRATING 50 YEARS IN 2016!
Throughout 2016, the SSHF will be selecting one special event each month to feature in our “12 Months, 12 Events” 50th anniversary project – dedicated to all 505 of our inductees and Saskatchewan’s rich sport history.
Our first event of the year will serve to celebrate Hockey Day in Saskatchewan.
What’s On at the SSHF – Celebrate Hockey Day in Saskatchewan with Us!
We are pleased to invite you to join us in celebrating Hockey Day in Saskatchewan.
We will have many of our hockey inductees attending this event, including 1974 Memorial Cup Champion, Ed Staniowski, as well as other local hockey figures. Please review the attached invitation for all of the event information, or note the basics below:
WHEN: January 15, 5-7 p.m.
WHERE: Peak Performance Hockey, 2nd Floor Co-operators Centre
EVENT: Fan Forum with appetizers and a cash bar
RSVP: Requested to 306-780-9232 or [email protected]
We hope that you are able to confirm your attendance to this celebration. If you have any questions regarding this event, please do not hesitate to contact our Communications Coordinator, Autumn McDowell, [email protected] (306) 780-9203.
Important Save the Dates:
January 15 – Hockey Day in Saskatchewan Event at The Co-operators Centre
February 4 – Opening Reception for New Exhibit, “Exceptionally-Abled”
June 1 – Annual General Meeting
September 30 – 50th GALA
Hours of Operation
Gallery Hours:
Monday – Friday 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Saturday Noon – 5:00 p.m.
Closed Sunday & Holidays
Administrative Office Hours:
Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Spend your holiday with the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame!
Gallery Hours:
Monday – Friday 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, December 24 – close at 1:00 p.m.
Friday, December 25 – closed
Saturday, December 26 – closed
Monday, December 28 – closed
Friday, January 1 – closed
Saturday, January 2 – closed
Regular Gallery hours resume on Monday, January 4, 2015
Administrative Office Hours:
Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, December 24 – close at 1:00 p.m.
Friday, December 25 – closed
Monday, December 28 – closed
Friday, January 1 – closed
Regular Administrative Office hours resume on Monday, January 4, 2016
From all of us at the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame, we would like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. Please make plans to visit us in 2016 and help us celebrate our 50th Anniversary!
Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame Receives Sponsorship from
Information Services Corporation (ISC).
The Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame (SSHF) is very pleased to announce its newest All Star sponsor, ISC – an organization that passionately supports initiatives that preserve and promote the rich heritage of Saskatchewan. As the safe keeper of historical documents like land grants, titles, maps and photos, ISC recognizes the importance of preserving Saskatchewan history.
“Heritage is how we came to be, who we are today and what we will become in the future,” said Jeff Stusek, ISC President and CEO. “It’s our business to preserve and celebrate heritage, and it’s also our responsibility. That’s why the partnership with the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame is such a good fit for ISC.”
ISC’s sponsorship is already making an impact at the SSHF. With the help of their generosity, six video monitors have been installed at the SSHF. These monitors allow the SSHF to create multi-media presentations, providing for expanded exhibit capabilities of the collection, which physical space doesn’t allow for. Current feature exhibits all benefit from this new presentation format, which has also greatly enhanced the interactive visitor experience.
“On behalf of the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame, I would like to thank Information Services Corporation for entering into a partnership with the SSHF,” said Scott Waters, SSHF Board President. “A partnership between ISC and the SSHF will further the preservation and celebration of sport and sport heritage in Saskatchewan.”
The Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame was established in 1966 to honour outstanding Saskatchewan athletes, championship teams and sport builders. Currently, 223 athletes, 124 teams and 158 builders are inducted into the Hall of Fame.
For sponsorship information please contact:
Sheila Kelly, Executive Director (306) 780-9233 [email protected]
The Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame (SSHF) is pleased to announce that The Spirit of ’89: Memories from the 1989 Jeux Canada Summer Games, co-published by the SSHF and The 1989 Jeux Canada Games Foundation, has been awarded an “ISHY” from the International Sports Heritage Association (ISHA) as the best book publication in the industry for institutions with a budget greater than $250,000 US.
Publications are adjudicated by our peers in the industry on the basis of how well they feature a member institution, collection, resources and/or inductees of the Hall of Fame.
The SSHF is dedicated to the celebration and interpretation of sport excellence and preserving the sport history of our province. One of the means by which we achieve our mandate is through our Sport History Project (SHP) which allows us to capture the history of organizations or events through different mediums. The Spirit of ’89 was produced under the auspices of the SHP and was written to capture the history of a major sporting event in Saskatchewan and Canada; to showcase the spirit of the people of Saskatoon in hosting the Games; and to commemorate the significant legacy components of the Games. Not only did the Canada Games leave Saskatoon with a wealth of facilities after the Games, the prudent financial stewardship of the Games resulted in a net profit of $1,319,663 from a $24 million+ budget. These funds, invested wisely, have resulted in $100,000 worth of grants being distributed annually to amateur sport programs throughout Saskatchewan resulting in the continued development of sport and providing opportunities to future world class athletes. The legacy of the Games continues.
Ironically, in capturing the history of the 1989 Jeux Canada Games, The Spirit of ’89 also captured historical anecdotes for a number of our hall of famers. Forty-two inductees, out of 498 at the time of publication, are represented in the book.
The ISHY Awards were announced at ISHA’s annual conference hosted this year by the World of Little League Museum in Williamsport, PA. Other 2015 ISHY winners include the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum, NASCAR Hall of Fame, Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame, San Francisco 49ers Museum, St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum, United States Golf Association Museum and Melbourne (Australia) Cricket Club.
ISHA is a membership organization incorporated in 1971 to assist sport museums and halls of fame to develop, operate and promote their facilities in the best way possible. Member institutions are currently located throughout North & South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT SCOTT WATERS & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SHEILA KELLY
With summer behind us the SSHF is embarking on what will be a very busy fall and winter season as we move into our 50th year of operations. An immediate change for us was the elimination of “summer” and “winter” hours of operation. Normally, with the passing of Labour Day, we would close on weekends for the winter. However, for the present time (for sure until the end of the calendar year) we are testing our members’ and the public’s interest in our being open on Saturdays from noon-5 p.m., just as we have been open all summer. With at least one special event planned in each month, there is always a reason to be coming back for another visit. And, with the waning of the outdoor golf season, don’t forget that you can keep your skills up in our multi-sport simulator. Members get free unlimited usage on a first come basis; however, it is a good idea to call ahead to ensure that we don’t have education tours pre-booked into the facility. Those kids don’t like to wait!
Setting the stage for the caliber of events that are to come was the 3rd Annual Saskatchewan Roughrider Alumni Autumn Golf Classic hosted on September 23 in Saskatoon. We are delighted to celebrate this continuing partnership with the Alumni as we work together to combine camaraderie and fun with the need to raise much needed funds for Saskatchewan’s sport heritage and other Alumni funding priorities.
You will have noticed that October 1 passed by this year without our usual call for inductee nominations and a lot of media attention to the fact that the submission deadline was looming. In anticipation of 2016, when we will spend the year celebrating our 50th Anniversary, the board has decided that we should focus those celebrations on the 505 inductees that we currently have. As a result there will be no new Class of 2016 inducted next June. We will take a pass until 2017 when we look forward to celebrating a brand new Class of inductees to launch us into our next half century of operations. In the meantime, we will continue to actively solicit and accept new nominations for evaluation in advance of the October 1, 2016, nomination deadline.
Among the priorities of the upcoming 50th Anniversary celebrations will be to actively engage our provincial mandate and develop new partnerships through special events and exhibit opportunities. The first of these events will start this month with our President’s Reception in Saskatoon on October 24 at The Willows Golf & Country Club. Those of you residing in the Saskatoon and district area should already have received your invitation (by email or via Canada Post) to this event. Please contact us immediately if you have not yet had an opportunity to RSVP. For those of you residing in Regina and district we will be hosting a President’s Reception at the SSHF on Saturday, November 21. Invitations to this event will be distributed shortly via email and Canada Post. Watch for yours! These Receptions are always a great opportunity to renew friendships, catch up on the most recent SSHF activities and learn a bit about what’s ahead. We hope to see you there!
Other events that are currently slotted into the calendar include our Halloween Birthday Party on October 31. Did you know that the SSHF was launched as the Molson Sports Hall of Fame on October 31, 1966? A week later the Saskatchewan Roughriders won their first Grey Cup. What a great week for Saskatchewan sport! November will see our sport simulator fired up for some serious competition as we host a series of participant challenges sponsored by Boston Pizza Regina & Emerald Park, culminating in “The Finals” on Friday, November 20 (National Jersey Day), and Saturday, November 21, which is RBC Sport Day in Canada.
The decision to feature minor hockey in Saskatchewan as the theme of our fall exhibit proved to be fortuitous. It appears that the Regina Symphony Orchestra (RSO) also has hockey on their mind and a new partnership was born. On December 6 we will be throwing open the doors (hopefully not all at the same time!) to 900 ticket holders of the RSO’s Kids Concert Series presentation of “The Hockey Sweater”. An afternoon of pre-concert activities are planned to inspire creativity and fun! Don’t have kids or tickets to the concert? No problem. We are open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. and Saturday noon-5 p.m. Stop by anytime and check out Breakaway with Minor Hockey at your convenience.
This is just a taste of things to come. We look forward to unveiling a year’s worth of activities in the weeks ahead. Make plans for a visit! It’s been 50 years in the making. We can’t wait to welcome everyone to the party!
To find out more on our latest happenings at the SSHF, download the full version of the newest For The Record, right here: