I've had a few requests to publish the poem I recited at the Christmas Dinner announcing the new 2023 Hams Of The Year, Lorne VE7LWK and Wilf VE7OHM. Congratulations to both!
Enjoy! Michal VE7MHX / VE7TMZ
2023 HOTY Poem
In the North Okanagan, where radio signals go far and wide,
NORAC's "Ham of the Year" nominations brought us here tonight,
With many deserving hams, all held in high regard,
Their contributions to us all,
So many, like radio waves bouncing off the sky.
Upon giants' shoulders, they find their stand,
Nicholas, Grace, Michael, Terry, and Brad
Robert, Aaren, Muriel and Robert, and Dorothy
With Blake and others, they'll leave a lasting legacy.
Gary Garbutt, VE7EIY, our chief repeater warmer,
In the world of ham radio, he's the true charmer.
With his signals strong and his frequencies clear,
He's the one we trust to keep our messages near.
In the world of ham radio, Wilf's a star,
VE7OHM, near and far,
A super nice guy, with a heart so warm,
A true friend, in the ham radio swarm.
With persuasion and grace, he took the lead,
Convinced JVCKENWOOD Canada Inc. to fulfill the need,
For NORAC, a gift, a repeater so fine,
A state-of-the-art gem, in the radio line.
With Alex by his side, countless hours they spent, with dedication,
Programming and testing, pure fascination.
Terry, VE7TRZ, with mastery refined,
Programmed the repeater controller, with a tech-savvy mind.
In the realm of signals, his code takes control,
Guiding radio waves with precision, an electronic patrol.
Lorne, VE7LWK, the electronics wizard, so wise,
Helping all with a smile, fighting home QRM all the while
SilverStar Mountain's VE7RSS, his constant care,
A repeater connecting us, a legacy so rare.
David, VA7SZ, a pioneer with knowledge so deep,
The technical committee's secrets, he'd always keep.
His workshops on antennas, their transmit and receive bandwidth so wide,
Connecting Hams across the world, with a great sense of pride.
Cary, VA7MXY, a runner-up so true,
With dedication and bad jokes, he stands out in the crew.
A beacon of support, in the technical role he's cast,
NORAC's future is brighter with him, unsurpassed.
Ritchie, VA7RLX, our president, a guide,
With leadership and wisdom, he'd always provide.
For the club, he steered us, year after year,
In his footsteps, NORAC held no fear.
But, a choice had to be made,
A most challenging decision at stake,
As Ham of the Year, in this final act, I stand with pride,
To reveal the next Hams of the Year by my side.
I bestow this honour on Wilf and Lorne as the next in line,
Please carry the torch, and let your talents shine.
With hearts of pure gold and dedication that inspires,
They've stoked the ham radio community's fires.
Our two new Elmers, on one side of a transceiver, they'll always be,
In NORAC's story, a shared legacy below the maximum usable frequency!
Please give a hand to Wilf and Lorne,
In the world of ham radio, they've truly lived.
For "Ham of the Year," there is no peer.
Together, let's share this honour with this heartfelt cheer!
* co-written with ChatGPT Artificial Intelligence