A Vernon teacher has captured the remarkable story of hockey trailblazer Larry Kwong in a childrensa国际传媒檚 book that will be the focus of the first instalment of a new event series.
The Museum and Archives of Vernon, in collaboration with the Vernon branch of the Okanagan Historical Society (OHS), have announced the launch of their speaker series, Hometown Histories. The inaugural event in the series is set to take place May 25 from 1 to 2 p.m. at the museum.
The first featured speaker is local teacher Chad Soon, whose presentation will focus on the life and legacy of Vernonsa国际传媒檚 Larry Kwong, who broke the colour barrier when he became the first player of Asian descent to play in the National Hockey League in 1948.
An expert on Kwong and his place in hockey history, Soon offers a unique perspective on the historical significance of the Vernon icon.
Attendees can expect an engaging exploration of Kwongsa国际传媒檚 experiences, with particular emphasis on his formative years growing up in Vernon in the 1920s and sa国际传媒�30s.
sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e honored to welcome Chad Soon as our guest speaker for this special event,sa国际传媒� said Gwyneth Evans, museum archives manager. sa国际传媒淗is insights into Larry Kwongsa国际传媒檚 life will undoubtedly deepen our understanding of Vernonsa国际传媒檚 rich cultural heritage.sa国际传媒�
Soon released his co-authored childrensa国际传媒檚 book, The Longest Shot, in February. Copies of the book sa国际传媒� which also involved the contributions of fellow author George Chiang and illustrator Amy Qi sa国际传媒� will be available for cash purchase during the event.
Proceeds from book sales will support the Larry Kwong Memorial Hockey 4 Youth program, which expanded to Vernon last year and gives disadvantaged kids a chance to take part in Canadasa国际传媒檚 national pastime, regardless of their place of origin or their familysa国际传媒檚 income.
May is Asian Heritage Month, and Soon said the Vernon talk and book launch lines up nicely with this yearsa国际传媒檚 theme: preserving the past, embracing the future, and amplifying Asian Canadian legacy.
The Hometown Histories speaker series represents the first of several co-hosted activities that the museum and OHS Vernon hope to achieve in 2024 and beyond.
Since its founding in 1925, the OHS has been an advocate for the preservation of local history. Clint Evans, president of the Vernon branch, expressed enthusiam for the partnership between his organization and the museum.
sa国际传媒淭his collaboration presents a wonderful opportunity for our organizations to combine efforts and resources. We are thrilled to commence our revitalized partnership with a presentation by Chad Soon, whose dedication to local history embodies the essence of our mission,sa国际传媒� Evans said.
Tickets for the speaker series event are $10 and must be pre-purchased online at . Seating is limited, so people are encouraged to reserve their spots early.
For tickets and further information, .
Do you have a story to share that you think would be a good fit for the speaker series? Reach out to Gwyneth Evans at gwyn.evans@vernonmuseum.ca.
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