Sheila Kelly was honoured with the CASH Legacy Award at the annual Canadian Association for Sport Heritage Conference in Red Deer on June 25,2026.
In her remarks to present the award posthumously to Kelly, Caitlin Dyer, President of the Canadian Association for Sport Heritage said:
“For more than three decades, Sheila Kelly was a passionate advocate, a respected leader, and a trusted voice in our field. Her work shaped institutions, strengthened communities, and inspired colleagues across Saskatchewan, across Canada, and beyond.
“As Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame for more than 30 years, Sheila provided steady, visionary leadership. Under her guidance, the Hall of Fame evolved with the times while staying true to its mission. She helped lead gallery redevelopment, digital innovation, virtual access to exhibits, education programming, and interactive visitor experiences that opened sport history to broader and more diverse audiences.
“Her impact extended far beyond one institution. Sheila supported satellite sport halls across Saskatchewan, helped emerging organizations find their footing, and became the person so many in this field turned to for advice on governance, finance, funding, policy, and programming. Again and again, colleagues described her as their first phone call — not only because of her extraordinary knowledge, but because of her generosity in sharing it.
Caitlin Dyer, left, president of the Canadian Association for Sport Heritage presents the CASH Legacy Award to Sheila Kelly’s daughter Heather.
“Sheila also gave deeply of herself in service to the wider heritage community. After joining the CASH board in 1990, she served for more than a decade and became President from 1995 to 1998. During her presidency, CASH undertook its first operational review, helping establish important direction for the organization’s future. She later served as President of the Museums Association of Saskatchewan from 1999 to 2001, and then as President of the International Sports Heritage Association from 2009 to 2010. To lead all three organizations is a rare distinction, and it speaks volumes about the respect Sheila earned throughout the museum and sport heritage worlds.
“She was also an innovator. Sheila helped the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame’s Sport History Project flourish, supporting more than 50 projects documenting the province’s sport history. She spearheaded a mobile exhibit trailer that brought stories and artifacts directly to communities across Saskatchewan. During the pandemic, she helped the Hall pivot thoughtfully into virtual and online programming, ensuring it remained relevant, resilient, and connected to the public. Those efforts were recognized through major honours, including CASH Awards of Excellence and international recognition from ISHA. Sheila herself also received the W.R. “Bill” Schroeder Distinguished Service Award in 2017, one of the highest honours in the sport heritage industry.
“But as impressive as those accomplishments are, they do not fully explain Sheila’s legacy. Her greatest contribution was people.
Sheila Kelly, right, poses with the Stanley Cup on its visit to the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.
“She mentored emerging professionals. She encouraged her peers. She helped other institutions become stronger. She combined strategic leadership with genuine warmth, and professional excellence with personal kindness. Those who knew her speak not only of her achievements, but of her friendship, her generosity, and the way she made others feel seen, supported, and capable. Her legacy lives on not only in exhibits, programs, and awards, but in the many people whose lives and careers she helped shape.
“The CASH Legacy Award recognizes individuals who have made lasting contributions to Canadian sporting heritage. Sheila Kelly embodied that purpose in every sense. She protected stories that mattered. She preserved history with care and professionalism. She promoted sport heritage with vision, conviction, and heart. And she did so at the local, provincial, national, and international levels.”
Sheila’s husband Dave and daughter Heather were on hand to accept the CASH Legacy Award on her behalf.