Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School has named a former Olympian and a prominent Red Deer businessman to its Hall of Fame this year.
Speedskater Steven Elm, who holds a silver medal from the 2006 Olympics, and Ken Sproule, who is the president of Sproule’s Mountview Drugs, will be honoured on Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. at the Memorial Centre in Red Deer.
Elm graduated from Lindsay Thurber in 1993. He spent 13 years on the Canadian National Speed Skating Team and travelled to three Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, in 1998, Salt Lake City in 2002 and Torino, Italy in 2006, where he won a silver medal.
He was the world record holder for the 3,000 metres in speedskating in 2000-2001, came third in the Team Pursuit at the 2009 Salt Lake City World Cup, third in the 1,500 metres in the 1998 Milwaukee World Cup and he was third overall in the 2005-2006 Continental Qualifier.
Sproule graduated from Lindsay Thurber in 1951. He earned a bachelor of science in pharmacy in 1957 and graduated from the Canadian Civil Defence College in 1958.
His credentials include being the president of Sproule’s Mountview Drugs, the president of Gaetz-Cornett Drugs and on the board of directors of the Northwest Drug Co.
His involvement in the community has been extensive. Sproule is the president of the Eastview Community Association, a director with the Red Deer Chamber of Commerce, on the City of Red Deer Economic Development Board and an associate director of the Calgary Stampeder Football Club.
He served as the Red Deer Kinsman Club president from 1967 to 1968, is part of the Red Deer Shrine Club, the Alberta Chamber of Commerce and the Alberta Pharmaceutical Association. He was a director with the Westerner Exposition from 1977 to 1983, the Red Deer Rotary Club president from 1982 to 1983 and the chair of the Red Deer Regional Hospital Board from 1974 to 1977.
He received the provincial Bowl of Hygeia Award for Outstanding Community Service in Pharmacy in 1990.
Lindsay Thurber established its Hall of Fame program in 1992, including graduates of its predecessor, Red Deer High School. Inductees include former Gov.-Gen. Roland Michener, space engineer Garry Lindberg, city historian Michael Dawe and renowned journalist Marjorie Ann Nichols.
sobrien@www.reddeeradvocate.com