The Stanley Cup will descend from the sky onto the Island on Aug. 12.
West Coast Helicopters will land Willie Mitchell and the Cup on the field next to the Port McNeill Regional Arena, in which the Los Angeles Kings defencman grew up playing hockey.
North Island youth hockey players will line the field as Mitchell, accompanied by Mounties in red serge, marches the Cup into the arena. Port McNeill council has proclaimed it Willie Mitchell Day and has unanimously voted him a Freeman of the city.
After a brief speech by Mitchell, the official formalities end as the town said it wants a people's celebration with fans mingling with Mitchell and getting their pictures taken with the Cup.
There is seating for 700 in the bleachers and room for about another 700 on the arena floor. The overflow can still glimpse the Cup outside the rink.
"We're pretty excited by this because the Cup has recently been on the Island at Campbell River [when 2006 Stanley Cup-champion and Carolina Hurricanes captain Rod Brind'Amour brought it to his hometown that summer as a throng of 5,000 gathered in Tyee Plaza], but this is the first time it will come to the North Island," said a proud Port McNeill mayor Gerry Furney.
"As a former hockey dad and now a hockey grandfather, I'm really excited by this and I want all our children in the community to be inspired by this," added the former rugby player from Ireland who has been mayor of Port McNeill for 37 years.
"We welcome Islanders from Port Hardy, Port Alice, Alert Bay, Sointula, and as far as Victoria, to come join us in this celebration."
The Port McNeill public portion will run from 10: 30 a.m. to 1: 30 p.m., after which Mitchell will fly with the Cup by helicopter into Alert Bay for a ceremony.
The later part of the afternoon and evening will be Mitchell's private time with the Cup, where he may take it with family and friends to his favourite fishing spot in Telegraph Cove.
