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Sam’s mind is officially blown

Three hundred and seventy six stories and six hundred and sixty images. Let me say that again. Three hundred and seventy six stories and six hundred and sixty images.

Three hundred and seventy six stories and six hundred and sixty images.

Let me say that again.

Three hundred and seventy six stories and six hundred and sixty images.

That is, as of Monday, Jan. 31, 2011, how many stories and photos were submitted to the Kraft Hockeyville competition in support of Nakusp.

Let’s go back one week when I wrote my previous column on Jan. 23.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if by the end of the submission period there was more than 100 stories submitted into the Hockeyville bid for Nakusp.”

That’s a direct quote from one of my paragraphs last week.

Oh, Sam, Sam, Sam, Sam. How foolish you were back then. How little you knew. But if anyone is going to call you out on this, it may as well be your present self.

One thing I will give past Sam is this – I did expect it to go above the 100 stories submitted since there seemed to be a steady incline over the weeks, and I figured in the crunch time, another 40 or so stories would be counted.

However, I could never have predicted that in just a short week, the number of stories submitted would virtually multiply by six.

I’m not kidding.

Last Sunday, the number was at 62. Now it’s at 376.

What the hell happened?

Did some sort of mystical being ascend from the heavens and whisper gently into your ears whilst you slept that you better write a story in support of Hockeyville or you would be condemned to an afterlife of brimstone and hellfire?

Thank gosh I marked down the date of when I looked at the story submissions, or I would have looked mighty foolish by the time Wednesday hit.

I’m truly baffled by this outcome. I can’t stress enough how awesome it is to see such a small community rally together, both literally and figuratively, to try and show the nation just how much Nakusp supports its hockey.

If you haven’t yet, take a look to the letter over there on the left from Andrea Coates.

She organized the thing and can’t believe how much this has caught on.

From the first few days of window painting, to a greatly attended rally and to this final push bringing our town easily into the top five throughout the nation is nothing to scoff at.

I know of many of you out there who probably have sore fingers from typing up all those stories online (I’m looking at you, Val Hill, who has apparently been writing stories day and night for the competition).

Well, you’ve earned it. The almighty “rest.”

You can breathe easy now knowing you did absolutely everything you could to get Nakusp out there.

So, over the next month while CBC and Kraft and the NHL read over every submission, just know that win or lose, Nakusp has officially rocked the Casbah.

For those of you who have been following this, then be sure to tune into CBC on March 8 at 9 p.m. when they announce the top ten. And if we’re chosen, the next round of voting will begin.