The newest inductees into the Lac La Biche County Sports Hall of Fame will share some of the spotlight with NHL Hall of Fame players tonight at the Portage College Scholarship Fundraising Night.
Randy Wowk and Ken Scullion — Randy for his multi-sport involvement and his role as a sports referee, and Ken for his founding role and extensive work with the Lac La Biche Boxing Club — will be recognized at the Portage College gala, where NHL legends Doug Gilmour and Kevin Lowe are guest speakers.
Scullion and Wowk are the 2023 inductees into the Lac La Biche County Sports Hall of Fame, nominated and selected after community wide campaigns raised their names, profiles and experience into the spotlight.
Scullion, who began the Lac La Biche Boxing Club 40 years ago — and continues to coach, train and mentor young athletes — was surprised to be selected. Humbled.
He does it for the kids, he said, not for his own recognition.
"I was overwhelmed about the whole thing, and I certainly appreciate the people that nominated me, and I’m humbled by it all,” said Scullion. “But you know, that was certainly not the reason why I did it — It was just more about giving back to some of the youth in our community here in Lac La Biche... it just happened to be through boxing.”
Wowk said the recognition is a privilege to receive. One he too thinks is more about the community, the support around him, and the young athletes.
"It’s more of a privilege than an honour,” he said, “My biggest saying to anybody is to get involved with kids because they keep you young and they keep you young at heart - and that's important.”
Sports Hall of Fame
The Lac La Biche County Sports Hall of Fame began in 2017 and has a current roster of 10 community members who have been athletes carrying the community banner, behind-the-scenes community builders, officials, and supporters of local sports.
Staci Lattimer, manager of Recreation and Culture with the Lac La Biche County — the department that created the recognition program — said both of this year's inductees have been a long-standing, dedicated, and diverse members of the local sports sector.
She said the community support for both Wowk and Scullion was awesome, with Lac La Biche County councillors making the formal decision on the induction earlier this year.
Scullion and Wowk join a list that includes Barry Chwedoruk, Grant Tkachuk, Eugene Lebas, Rene Bourque, Rene Schaub, Edgar Ladouceur, Maurice Richard, Bonnie McDonald, Jules Owchar and Andre Contant.
A recognition wall of biographies and photos of the current members is located in the. upper foyer area of the Lac La Biche Bold Center.
Tickets
The Portage College Scholarship Fundraising Night is an annual community event raising funds for internal college scholarships and student awards. Tickets or sponsorship opportunities may still be available for the event. Details can be found at the Portage College website.
