What a ride it has been.
First, Lumby was nominated for Kraft Hockeyville and then it made the top 10 list, kicking off mass voting by thousands of people over two days. That was followed by the news Saturday that the village had cracked the top two.
And during Sunday and Monday, thousands of people once again took to their computers, casting ballots over and over again for Lumby.
Earning a spot as a finalist automatically means $100,000 will go towards upgrades at Pat Duke Memorial Arena, and that will particularly benefit female hockey players who have been coping with inadequate facilities.
What everyone is now waiting to learn is whether Lumby earns the Kraft Hockeyville title and a pre-season NHL game.
This has truly been a team effort and everyone has rolled up their sleeves to make the campaign a success, but some individuals deserve special credit. They include Stephanie Mccluskey-Davyduke, Kim Leach, Rhonda Catt and Angie Clowry, as well as Lumby’s mayor and council and MLA Eric Foster.
From Grindrod to Oyama and from Cherryville to Falkland, residents cast aside artificial borders and proved that we are all one region, one community, by putting their support behind Lumby.
No matter the final result April 2, everyone in Lumby and the entire North Okanagan should be extremely proud of themselves.
You successfully took on the country and demonstrated what we have always known, that the North Okanagan is a great place to call home.
A job well done.