The Home of Champions Program will be celebrating its 20th anniversary with an induction ceremony Thursday evening at 6 p.m.
There have been 139 inductions over the last two decades and Thursday’s event will add another nine champions from the Greater Trail area.
Thursday’s ceremony, which is open to the public, will begin with a formal induction at the Riverbelle. Inductees are “piped” in to start the ceremony by Gordon Titsworth of the Trail Pipe Band. The Trail Firefighters Honour Guard will also be present for the ceremony.
Following that, all inductees, guests and attendees will be “piped” over to the Home of Champions Monument for a recognition and photo opportunity with their plaques.
This year’s inductees are:
GRAHAM KENYON – Environmental Health and Wildlife Conservation
Graham Kenyon was born in Leicester England and immigrated to Canada in 1961, settling in Rossland. He was employed by Cominco/Teck. Graham became active in local wildlife and conservation organizations and carried his dedication to environmental causes forward to the provincial and national levels. He became President of the Trail Wildlife Association, President of the BC Wildlife Federation, was a member of the BC Environmental Appeal Board, Director of the Canadian Wildlife Federation and founding Chair of the BC Conservation Foundation.
Locally Graham was a member of the Trail Lead Task Force, a founding member of the Trail Health and Environment Committee and a Director of Community Futures. Graham passed away in April 2015.
Graham is being inducted in the category of Lifestyle and Personal Achievement: Public Service.
DON FRESCHI – Business and Television Production
Don Freschi was born in Trail in 1961 and is President/Executive Producer/Host of the television program “Sport Fishing on the Fly”, which he founded in 1995. This sport fishing program is shown on television stations throughout North America.
He is one of the founding partners in the business Firebird Technologies and was its CEO. The firm was a world leader in Indium Antimode semi-conductors and high quality purity metals. He later became GM of 5N Plus who had purchased Firebird from the original owners.
Don is being inducted in the category of Lifestyle and Personal Achievement: Professional and Career Achievement.
RYAN HUSKA- Junior and Professional Hockey
Ryan Huska was born in Cranbrook in 1975 and attended elementary and secondary schools in Trail. He excelled in minor hockey and played for the Kamloops Blazers in the Western Junior Hockey League from 1991 to 1995, winning three Memorial Cups. He was drafted by the Chicago Black Hawks and played five seasons in the American Hockey League.
He was the Assistant Coach of the Kelowna Rockets from 2002 to 2007 and Head Coach from 2008 to 2014. Ryan was an Assistant Coach with Team Canada’s World Junior Hockey team in 2011 and 2012. In 2014 he became the Head Coach of the Adirondack Flames of the American Hockey League, a farm team of the Calgary Flames.
Ryan is being inducted in the category of Sports: Builder.
2013- 2014 BEAVER VALLEY NIGHTHAWKS- Jr. B Hockey Team
The Beaver Valley Jr. B hockey team has won seven KIJHL league championships in the last 14 years and five Cyclone Taylor Cups (BC Provincial Championship). In 2014, the team won the Cyclone Taylor Cup and went on to win the Keystone Cup beating teams from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and North Ontario. The Keystone Cup is recognized as Canada’s Jr. B National Championship.
The 2013- 2014 Beaver Valley Nitehawks are being inducted in the category of Sports: Team.
JOSEPH CECCHINI – Skeleton
Joseph Cecchini was born in Trail in 1982. From childhood he was involved in local sports and took up the sport of skeleton in 2007 while working in Calgary, Alberta. He joined the Italian National Skeleton Team in 2013. He is a two time Italian National Champion and has competed in ten World Skeleton Championships and numerous skeleton events in North America. He is currently ranked 22nd in the world in the sport.
Joseph is being inducted in the category of Sports: Athlete.
KIMBERLY JOINES – Paralympic Skiing
Kimberly Joines loved snowboarding at an early age however sustained a spinal cord injury resulting in her becoming a paraplegic. She took up the sport of paralympic ski<span class="Apple-co