Reward Offered For Mann's Medals

By Michelle Cyr-Whiting

Harold Mann with The Exploration Place’s Tracy Calogheros and Tom Dielissen

Local sports legend, Harold Mann, says he didn’t realize how much his boxing medals meant to him until they were stolen from The Exploration Place back on May 29th...

Mann was on-hand at the museum this morning as Executive Director Tracy Calogheros announced a $5000.00 reward for the return of the four gold medals.

Ben and Elaine Meisner of Opinion250, Randy and Joyce Lloyd of Cycle North, and Craig Wood of Wood Wheaton Chev Olds have  each contributed $1000.00 towards the medals’ safe return.  Carlo and Dawn Calfa of Riverstone Bar and Grill and Steamers Pub have put in $500.00.  And The Fraser Fort George Museum Society has rounded out the total with a $1500.00 contribution.

Calogheros says the reward will hopefully act as an incentive "for some folks to come forward and do the right thing and bring the medals back."  She says the outpouring from the community has been remarkable, as the loss of the medals seems to have struck a chord with so many people.

"Harold and his accomplishments are something that this community is very proud of and looks up to and to have this sort of a theft - it’s an assault on the history of our community, it’s an assault on our citizens and it’s just not right."

For his part, Mann says he appreciates everyone’s efforts to get his medals back.

"The people who offered the reward - they’re all good friends of mine - and I must say thank you again.  Thank you to everybody for helping."

Mann says, "I want them back.  You know, it’s a part of my life."

The medals can be returned to The Exploration Place or the Prince George RCMP Detachment.

Tracy Calogheros says the RCMP investigation into the theft is ongoing.

The President of the Board of Trustees at the Exploration Place, Tom Deilissen, was on-hand for today’s announcement.  He says the museum hasn’t had anything like this happen before.  "It’s certainly devastating to Exploration Place and devastating to Harold Mann," says Deilissen.  "The community has suffered a great loss here - these medals should come back."

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