The Ashe County Sports Hall of Fame will hold its Fifth Annual Banquet and Induction Ceremony on April 28, 2012 at Ashe County High School. This year’s class of athletes included four outstanding individuals, Kayla Nicole Richardson, Arvill Gwyn Cornette, Jack Warden Little, and Earl Junior Roland, II.

The Ashe County Sports Hall of Fame Banquet will begin at 6 p.m. with a catered dinner by Smoky Mountain Barbeque followed by the induction ceremony.

The Keynote Speaker for the 2012 Ashe County Sports Hall of Fame Banquet will be Roman Gabriel III. Mr. Gabriel graduated in Speech Communications / TV Radio and played college football at the University of New Mexico. He was selected to play in the Senior Bowl All Star Game in 1982. Following his collegiate football career, he went on to play professional football as quarterback in the NFL for the Oakland Raiders and the Boston Breakers in the USFL. Mr. Gabriel is also spearheading a program in the High Country entitled Sold Out School Drug and Alcohol Assembly. This program seeks private funding and teaches drug and alcohol abstinence, life skills: responsibility, accountability, nutrition, and goal setting. In addition, the program works in conjunction with existing programs to bolster greater education about them, and encouraging parents and schools to take full advantage of after school programs, and extracurricular activities.

The Ashe County Sports Hall of Fame consists of the following Committee members: Mike Badger, Charlie Bowers, Graham Caddell, Marc Payne, Scott Grubb, Dr. Hank Clay, MaryAnne Moore, Tony Eldreth, David Miller, Bobby Hudler, Michael Vannoy, Jody Brown, Tim Carter, Shane Simmons, Billy Smith, and Doug Spell.

Tickets to the dinner and induction ceremony are available for purchase from the Ashe County Chamber of Commerce, WKSK, Peoples Rexall Drug Store, or a Committee member. Tickets prices are $20 per person for adults, $15 per person for ages 18 and under.

For additional information please call Doug Spell at 877-6693 or Graham Caddell at 246-6001 or contact any other Committee member.