This year's Fan the Flame Awards Banquet and Gala offers the chance to see Scott Russell of Hockey Night in Canada fame give a keynote address. With the big night drawing closer, now is the time to get tickets.
The gala, hosted by Engage Sport North and presented by Canadian Tire, is set for Feb. 9 at the Prince George Conference and Civic Centre.
For tickets, contact Leslie Ann Wirth, executive director of Engage Sport North, at 250-960-5342 or via email (lwirth@engagesportnorth.com). Tickets are still available for the event.
Russell, from Oshawa, Ont., became widely known for his work on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada, which he first joined in 1989. Over the years, he has also filled commentary and hosting roles at multiple Olympic Games, including at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, where he hosted CBC's Olympic Primetime. As well, Russell is the author of three books: The Rink, Ice Time and Open House.
"Knowing Scott a little bit, he's so much beyond what you see publicly," Wirth said.
"He genuinely is this wonderful human being and the athletes are really drawn to him. Unlike so many of the other great sport broadcasters that we have, Scott hasn't attached himself to a specific sport and so he really does elicit the stories from across all sports."
The Fan the Flame Awards Banquet and Gala will celebrate athletic achievement and contribution to sport in the north for 2016.
Rising Star Awards will be handed out, as will 2015 Canada Winter Games Legacy Sport Difference Maker Awards.
Nominees (from Prince George except where noted) for Rising Star Awards are: Kaia Andal; Kyra Buchan, Quesnel; Alyssa Connell; Hannah Emmond; Hannah Esopenko, Madison Landry; Anna MacDonald; Avery Movold; Alia Wilson; Kayla Moleschi, Williams Lake; Meryeta O'Dine; Tianna Pius; Jordan Bax; Ryan Elden, Quesnel; Keanan St. Rose; Logan Sherba; Cole Turner, Williams Lake; Sava Yungman; and the senior boys basketball team from Dawson Creek's Ron Pettigrew Christian School.
Legacy Sport Difference Maker Award nominees are: Rich Abney; Murphy Abraham, Burns Lake; Melissa Boles, Quesnel; James Hudson; Logan Erickson, Fort St. James; Cathy Johnson; Carly Shaw-MacLaren; Angela Swyers, Quesnel; Crystal Thomas, Terrace; and the coaching team of Rory Allen and Andrea Ludditt.
This will be the second edition of Fan the Flame.
The first was held last February and saw Olympic champion speed skater Catriona Le May Doan give the keynote speech.
