NEWSLINE STORY

published March-April 2016

Voting Underway for Hall of Fame, Anticipating 2016 Inductees

by Vicki Winston, Hall of Fame Committee Chairperson

Materials needed to conduct the 2016 Hall of Fame voting have been sent to all members of the Hall of Fame committee. By the time you are reading this, voting will be well underway. Committee members must review a considerable number of bios each year before making their choices in each category. Making those choices can sometimes be a very difficult task. I am thankful for the individuals who are willing to perform this important service for the NHPA. If you are interested in knowing the names of the nominees who are being considered this year, a list has been posted on the NHPA website.

When I am able to make a public announcement of the 2016 inductees – which is after all inductees, or a family member, have been personally notified – I will post their names in the Hall of Fame portion of the NHPA website Forum. It is an exciting time as the ballots are returned and I tally the votes to see how many people I will get to surprise. When I call, I often ask the person if they are sitting down.

Although we don’t yet know who the inductees might be for 2016, I hope you will make plans to attend the Hall of Fame and Awards Banquet to be held at the Embassy Suites in Montgomery, Alabama, on Sunday evening, July 31. Ticket prices will not change from the previous year, and are $30. I encourage all members to take time and attend this banquet. Other NHPA award winners are also honored during the evening. At this time, I have tentative plans to travel to Montgomery, so will hope to see you there.

For the last few years I have been trying to see that the photo plaques of any new inductees are on display in the Hall of Fame prior to the World Tournament. This might be jumping the gun a bit, but since it is already public knowledge as to who will be honored during the induction ceremony, I think it’s nice to have things up to date for any travelers who might be stopping by the Hall of Fame at Wentzville, Missouri, on their way to or from the World Tournament.

This facility should be the pride and joy of every NHPA member and it would be nice if every member would take part in helping to maintain the facility. The NHPF plays a large part in the maintenance of the complex and your donations would be appreciated. I have always thought it would be a great idea if horseshoe clubs throughout the nation would each year designate one of their tournaments as a benefit tournament for the NHPF. My own charter designates a portion of every adult member’s dues to the NHPF on an annual basis. If these things were done on a nationwide basis, what a huge impact it would have in assuring us that our Hall of Fame complex will be there for many years to come.