Inductees named to Ronan Hall of Fame

The Ronan Hall of Fame Committee recently announces the members of the second class to be inducted into the School District #30/Ronan Hall of Fame. The new members will be formally inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday, Feb. 11 at the Ronan Community Center.

Inductees are:

Distinguished Athletes: Bob Camel and Monica VanMaanen. Camel was a three-sport star for the Chiefs and a 1978 graduate. He was named to All-State teams in football and basketball and was a state champion in the 180-yard low hurdles.

VanMaanen, a 1991 grad, competed in cross-country, girls’ basketball, volleyball, and track for the Maidens. She was crowned a state champion as an individual eight times in the sprints and was a member of the state champion 1600-meter relay team.

Distinguished Coach or Staff Member: Crystal Pitts, who was the first woman in Montana hired as the head coach of both boys’ and girls’ high school track programs. She spent 33 years coaching in the track program, 24 years as head coach.

Distinguished Alumni: Gary Hughes, a 1960 RHS graduate, worked from 1966 to 2000 for the University of Montana coordinating ticket sales and athletic events including Montana High School Association championship competitions. He became just the third-ever recipient of the Grizzly Lifetime Honors Award in 2021 and was inducted into the Grizzly Hall of Fame.

Distinguished Community Contributor: Dr. Joe McDonald came to Ronan as high school principal in 1968 before leaving to start Salish Kootenai College in 1977. The college now has an enrollment of over 600 students and 70 full-time faculty members.

Distinguished Team: The 1974 Class A State Champion football team finished the season with a 10-0 record and defeated Glasgow in the State Championship title game (see separate story).

More detailed information related to the accomplishments of these inductees will soon be available on the Hall of Fame website, ronanhof.touchpros.com.