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Polished to a brilliant hue, Lord Stanley's cup shone in the sunlight as it arrived in Lumby's Oval Park for the Hockeyville celebrations on Saturday.
An audible gasp was heard among hockey fans who had gathered for the moment, with hundreds lining up for a chance to have a photo taken with Canada's most cherished sports trophy.
The Stanley Cup was placed on a table in the park by gloved hands and flanked by two local RCMP officers in red serge before the orderly crowd was allowed to move towards it in ones and twos for pictures.
“This is phenomenal and the sun held up which is all we were hoping for,” said Angie Clowry, a local organizer who spurred residents of the village and people across the province to vote for the small North Okanagan community in the battle for the 2016 Kraft Hockeyville title. “This is just a party celebrating and getting everyone involved whether you got a ticket to the game or not.”
“This is amazing,” said Adam Turnbull, an Edmonton Oilers fan, who had his picture taken with the Stanley Cup, along with his wife Lyndsay and two-year-old son Cooper.
He said that since Lumby's big win, the atmosphere in the village had changed.
“It's definitely more of a fun, uplifted community. Everybody's always talking about it.”
Inside the aging Pat Duke arena, which is getting a $100,000 facelift due to Lumby's win, past NHL players held training sessions for local hockey kids.
Those on the ice included Eric Godard, who played on the 2009 Stanley Cup winning Pittsburgh Penguins, as well as former Canuck Aaron Volpatti and Vernon native Jerred Smithson who scored a game winning goal for the Nashville Predators during the 2011 playoffs.
Later, NHL officials, including Vernon-raised Tom Kowal, will hold a session for local referees and linesmen in the arena.
As well, select Los Angeles Kings players are expected to arrive for a question and answer session at the White Valley Community Centre starting at 7 p.m.
On Sunday, a pre-season NHL game is being held at Vernon's Kal Tire Place starring the Kings and the Edmonton Oilers. Many of the tickets have gone to residents of host Lumby.
