Last week’s look at Timmins history told us about Kathy Kreiner winning Olympic gold in downhill skiing in 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria.
This week, museum director-curator Karen Bachmann talks about the big celebration waiting for them, when Kreiner and fellow Olympic skier sister Laurie arrived home.
The winter carnival was on, so they were named Princesses of the Carnival. Also in town was the live TV production of the Wintario lottery draw.
“So of course, Kathy Kreiner was there and was presented with all kinds of things from the Wintario committee and they made a big deal about it,” Bachmann recounts. “So the girls for two solid weeks were the toast of the town.”
“They became the first two women members of the Jaycees in the community. They were at schools. Kathy paraded around with a ribbon given to her by the mayor at the time that said ‘Timmins’ Queen Forever’.”
That mayor was Leo Del Villano.