A successful PSHOF opening deserves many thanks
Posted 2 years ago
On Saturday, Oct. 6, the new Penetanguishene Sports Hall of Fame was officially opened. The event was a huge success and the reviews for the new display area and the night as a whole were a-two-thumbs-up!
Even those who had been initially skeptical of the concept and costs were completely won over that night as they visualized and experienced first-hand what our dream was all about.
There were many individuals to thank, some we acknowledged that night and some we inadvertently missed, and so we wish to do so here. A first thanks to former councilor Randy Robbins, for first suggesting to our committee to consider combining our new hall of fame with an arena expansion, and for your diligent support throughout the process.
Thank you to Mayor Anita Dubeau and Penetanguishene Town Council for sticking with our dream despite the unfounded and blown-out-of-proportion criticisms. To engineer Dave Lalonde for first helping us see our dream.
To the late John Desroches and the Bingo volunteers for fund-raising for over 10 years to raise over $200,000 towards the dream. A special thanks is deserved for Vince Moreau and the founding members of the Hall of Fame committee for starting the dream some 20 years ago.
To the Sports Hall of Fame Committee, past and present - for sticking with our plans and maintaining your support, enthusiasm and dedication towards a cause that benefits and highlights an important aspect of our town's history and heritage. Special thanks go to Anne Gagne and the Arena Enhancement Fundraising Committee whose commitment to help defer the arena costs should be supported by everyone in the town, especially those who use the arena.
To the Ontario Trillium Foundation, whose generous funding helped us to bring our dream of a beautiful display room to life. To curator Stephanie Meeuwse who created our dream through her awesome displays and graphic designer Mark Harrison for creating the beautiful and stunning new inductee plaques which awe everyone who sees them.
To Yvon Gagne for his many contributions with our carpentry requests and to Midland TimBr-Mart for the donation of lumber for displays.
Thanks go to: Barb & Doug Mundy for handling the tickets, the six Jr. C Kings for being servers, Bob Hicks for handling the silent auction, and Andre Boileau for singing the national anthem and entertaining us during dinner. Thanks as well to PenetangWine Cellar and Peter Garraway for the donation of the wine for the opening, and as well Larry Lalonde and ELM Catering for goods and services donated for the opening wine and cheese reception. Thank you to Renee Laurin and the Arena staff for putting up and helping us with our many requests. A great thanks is owed to: the Memories Oldtimers Hockey Team for running the bar, Jill St.Amant at BMO Nesbitt-Burns for their donation towards the Hall rental, Cheryl Desjardins of Dion's Flowers for the lovely bouquets, Arbour Flowers for the use of the flower vases, the local media for attending and covering the event, and last but not least, to inductee and MC Buzz Deschamps, who did such a fabulous job - Buzz, you were a real hit!
And so what next? To open the hall to the public for viewing of course. As it will be staffed by purely volunteers, we will endeavour to have the hall open on a regular basis for a few hours a week starting in November. We thank you for your patience and we know that you will be pleasantly pleased when you do see it. We are quite proud of it.
Again, Thanks to all, The Penetanguishene Sports Hall of Fame Committee
