Editor,
I am sitting here this afternoon, reading through the Kraft Hockeyville website, on the last day for story submissions. I am absolutely amazed by the number of stories that people submitted and the support the community has shown for this bid. I never dreamed it would catch on like it has.
Not a day has gone by when someone hasn’t called my house to volunteer some time, or I’m stopped on the street or in the grocery store and asked, “How are we doing with that Hockeyville thing?” Our little town has rallied together in support of the Kraft Hockeyville bid and look what we have done! We have painted our windows, bought up every T-shirt we could find, knocked on doors, made phone calls, hung posters, took the time to write our stories, came out and “rallied” and best of all we have put Nakusp on the map. We currently have more than 360 stories posted on the Hockeyville website. In comparison to the rest of the country, we sit in the top five. This is an incredible feat since we only have 1,600 people versus the many thousands of people in the other nominated cities. Though the most stories posted doesn’t necessarily mean a win or even a top 10 finish, the quality of stories and the community spirit we convey is what makes us a contender!
I would like to say a special thank you to my husband and children for being so patient and supportive of me over the last month and a half. For there was not always clean socks, and the vacuuming might not have gotten done that week, and yes, even the odd forgotten lunch! I was immersed in Hockeyville and they just stood quietly and let me do my thing. Lisa Bateman, Kristy Robins, Kim Dupuis, Beth McLeod, Jen and Steve Marks, Bob Cliff, Rusty Reimer, all the local merchants and of course EVERYONE else who pitched in and supported the Hockeyville bid and helped make the “Rally in the Valley” a huge success. We wouldn’t be where we are right now if it hadn’t been for all of you!
If nothing else ever comes of this Hockeyville bid, we should all be so proud that we pulled together as a community, raised our spirits and pride and gave ourselves something to look forward to. I am so proud to be a part of this little town. No matter what happens on March 8 during the top 10 announcement on CBC, we are already winners and if hockey spirit and community spirit is what the judges are looking for, then we will be Kraft Hockeyville 2011! Thank you Nakusp!
Andrea Coates
Nakusp Hockeyville Campaign Coordinator,
Fundraising Manager, Nakusp Minor Hockey