They’re accomplished athletes and athletic supporters who are now recipients of the highest local honour.
The 2016 Central Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame inductees were revealed Tuesday in Kelowna.
Conny Stamhuis and Blair Horn were inducted in the ‘athlete’ category.
After a 48-year hiatus from his sport, Stamhuis started swimming again in her 60’s. Now 84, she has seven gold and four silver medals from the World Masters Swim Championships.
Horn was an integral part of Canada’s gold medal winning 1984 Olympic men’s rowing team. He was named to the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 2003.
Ron Rubadeau and Bob Giordano were inducted under the ‘builder’ category.
Rubadeau was the chair of the 2008 B.C. Summer Games and an integral part of creating community amongst sailors in the Central Okanagan. He helped establish the Central Okanagan Sail Boat Assoication in 1982 and was named Canada’s top race officer in 1998.
Giordano played a huge role in the development of hockey in the Central Okanagan in the 1950s and ‘60s. He was the manager of the Kelowna Packers and stood out for his volunteer efforts over the years. While Giordano passed away in 1965, his memory still lives on through an annual civic memorial award for sport volunteerism.
The 2007 Kelly Scott women’s world championship curling team is this year’s inductee in the ‘team’ category.
Along with the world title, Kelly Scott, Jenna Schraeder, Sasha Carter, Renee Simons and Michelle Allan claimed two B.C. ladies titles and two Canadian championships.
All this year’s inductees will be recognized at the annual induction gala, which takes place November 17.