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The West Kelowna Warriors got some troubling news recently and decided to deal with it in one of the most classy ways possible.
Following the passing of community pillar Gary Brown Sr last week, West Kelowna has decided to dedicate their "Fan of the Year Award" after the long-time Warrior supporter. The accolade will now be called the "Gary Brown Sr Award" and will be given to the fan who exhibits the most support throughout the entire season.
Brown Sr was a Warriors fan since their inaugural season, keeping up with the team even after its relocation from Langley in 2006. He actually won the Fan of the Year Award during the Warriors' first season in West Kelowna.
"Gary and I were close," said Warriors President Chris Laurie. "He was there from the beginning and you could always find him standing in the same section in Royal Lepage Place cheering on the boys, win or lose."
"During the daytime, he was always around the rink helping local children learn to skate, giving his free time back to the community. Gary always loved to chat. I’m certainly going to miss his contagious smile and welcoming presence. We hope that renaming this annual award will help us remember Gary’s unwavering community support.”
Brown Sr is survived through his wife Sharon, son Gary, and grandson Zach.
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