Don’t forget, send your nominations for the Steve McGibbon Trophy to me personally or by email to secretary@lvo.org.uk before the AGM tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon. If you’ve noticed somebody who you think has made a valuable contribution to the life of the club, give them a nomination as a thank you!

The Steve McGibbon Trophy

The Steve McGibbon Trophy is named in memory of a hugely respected orienteer and stalwart of Lagan Valley Orienteers, who unfortunately died in 2006 aged only 51.

The trophy is not focussed on competition performance, rather the award is considered as recognition of the person or group thought to have provided the most outstanding contribution to the club’s affairs in the previous year.

Nominations should be sent to the Secretary, Cecil Armstrong, secretary@lvo.org.uk or 078 1587 2010, in advance of the Annual General Meeting. Voting will take place at the AGM.

Background

Steve came to Orienteering through the original Queen’s University club and was a foundation member of LVO. Since then he was a permanent presence on the club committee serving as Honorary Treasurer, apart from a period as Chairman. But it was not his financial skills alone which made him such a valued member of the committee (he was, after all, trained in accountancy) but rather his down-to-earth attitude when collective flights of fancy were being taken on all sorts of topics. Steve was a man of few words but what he had to say was always worth listening to.

Steve didn’t aspire to achieving giddy height in terms of performance; he was rather a journeyman club member, playing a full part in all our activities and, with his sharp mind and knowledge of the technicalities of the sport, took on a large share of the planning and controlling functions, right up to Irish Championship level. It was a measure of the man that the week before he died in 2006 he was organising for staff at the Marie Curie Centre to come along and try an orienteering event.

Steve is survived by his wife Christine and sons David and Robert.

Previous winners

2017       Jeff Johnston / Harry Bell
2016       Mark Pruzina
2015       Colin Henderson
2014       Alan Elwood
2013       Alan Gartside
2012       Harold White
2011       Gordon & Marlene Stephens
2010       The Baxter Family
2009       Áine McCann
2008       Stephen Gilmore
2007       Ivan Millar