Final five of most fascinating ‘Loopsians for 2011

Look, when I call them the 10 Most Fascinating Kamloopsians of 2011, I mean they’re cool because of the connection between who they are and what they did, not that they’re perfect.

On Tuesday I began with Tina Lange in the Number 10 spot, and worked through Richard Wagamese, Terry Lake, Violet the purple dog, and Carl Anderson, offering, in my books, a pretty convincing argument for each.

So, onto the top five of the top 10.

5. DYLAN ARMSTRONG — The hefty shot putter has been at the peak of his game during 2011, spreading the word about Kamloops as he travels the globe blowing away his competition. He was named overall athlete of the year, most outstanding athlete in field events, and most outstanding performance of the year by Athletics Canada. And, he set a Canadian record. That’s what you’d call heavy lifting.

4. JOAN HUGHES — Whether it be a City bylaws officer giggling during testimony, cantankerous “freemen,” or noisy partiers disturbing their neighbours, it’s just another day at the office for Justice of the Peace Joan Hughes. Last year, she presided over the infamous “skateboard mom” case, and was the subject of a review by the chief provincial court judge of B.C. over the way she chastised the defendant. While 2011 has proven more sedate, she’s had a stream of oddball cases in front of her that continue to make her courtroom an interesting place to be.

3. BONNIE MARCHAND — Who knows how Fate conspired to put Bonnie Marchand in Erwin’s Bakery on Dec. 7, looking to buy a loaf of bread. Instead, the short-on-cash Marchand bought a $5 lottery ticket and won half a million bucks. How quickly a life can turn around. What did she do first? Bought new trucks for her two sons, of course.

2. MARK RECCHI — Home-town hockey hero, part owner of the Blazers, he was the consolation prize for the Tournament Capital after he and the Bruins beat the Canucks in the final. Then he blew a major chunk of that good will by capping his 22-year NHL career with pointless cheap shots about the Canucks supposedly being “arrogant” and “hated.” Which, in turn, earned him adjectives such as “Insensitive” and “classless.”

Which brings us Numero Uno, the Top of the List, the King of the Kamloopsians. And he doesn’t even live here; probably has never even visited.

1. HERBERT WIRTH — Never heard of him, have you? But you will. He’s CEO for the Polish state-owned mining giant KGHM, which has the majority financial stake in the Ajax project. Or, at least, he was at this writing. There have been media rumours over the past week that he’s about to lose his job because the Polish government isn’t happy with his opposition to a planned new mineral tax. As this goes to press, though, Wirth carries on making new deals for KGHM in Canada and China. If he does get the boot, somebody else will have to take his place when the first ceremonial blast is set off south of town. But whoever that might be, you’ve got to admit he’ll be a fascinating Kamloopsian, even if he doesn’t actually live here. He’ll likely ante up for a summer home in Aberdeen anyway.