Canaan Sandy to Receive Estes Award at Independence County Sports Hall of Fame

 

The Independence County Area Sports Hall of Fame will induct its 2022 class of inductees on July 23 at 6 PM. For 34 years, athletes from the area have been honored during the Hall of Fame ceremony in Batesville, Arkansas. 

 

This year the class of 2022 includes Donnie Branscum, Arlonzo Childress, Bill Luster, Chris Westervelt, and Nicole Wilkett.

 

The Independence County Area Sports Hall of Fame will also be recognizing another Independence County native with the annual Estes Service Award. Named in honor of the late Mr. Bill Estes, one of the original founding members, this year the Estes Award recipient is Canaan Sandy. The Estes award acknowledges individuals who have contributed significantly to area sports by means of time, dedication, expertise or have brought distinction and pride in a positive manner to sports on a state or national level. 

 

“Personally I have witnessed Canaan supporting local area schools and following commitments to the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and he is not only a big supporter of the U of A school system, but to those who have committed to furthering their athletic careers for the university, says Lance Hall, board member and secretary for the Independence County Area Sports Hall of Fame. “He definitely keeps the road hot traveling and never meets a stranger along his journey. To know Canaan is to love him.”

 

Canaan Sandy grew up in the Independence County area, and resides in the Cedar Grove Community, and is well known by many in Arkansas. He attended his first football game when he was two months old. Canaan graduated from Cave City School in 2003 and was inducted into the Arkansas 4-H Hall of Fame in 2002. He is known as a devoted cheerleader for sports and people in general and has been inducted into the ESPN Fan Hall of Fame in Bristol, Connecticut, the University of Arkansas A Walk Hall of Fame, and the Cave City Sports Hall of Fame. 

 

Twice in 2022, Canaan has been honored by ESPN for his influence and dedication to college football. He is the only person ever presented lifetime tickets to every sport at the University of Arkansas. Highlights for Canaan include participating in one of the Razorbacks spring football games and scoring a 50-yard touchdown and throwing out the first pitch to open the season for the U of A Razorback baseball team. Canaan was also awarded a trip to one of the College Football Championship games by the College Playoff Committee. He has 18,000 twitter followers, and is well known on television and the media and was honored at the International Best Buddies Convention in Bloomington, Indiana where they played “The Cheerleader” as his theme song. No song could fit him more. 

 

This year’s hall of fame ceremony will take place on July 23, 2022, at 6 PM at The Loft on Main Street located at 267 E Main on the 3rd floor of the Independence County Library. Tickets are $25.00 and includes a catered dinner from Fred’s Fish House. 

Visit the Independence County Area Sports Hall of Fame for more information about this year’s ceremony and to purchase tickets to this year’s event.