One of the region’s highest honours is set to see some new names in the coming days, all as four individuals are set to be named to Waterloo Region’s Hall of Fame.
Those local figures are set to join the more than 600 individuals and groups who have already been recognized through the Hall of Fame for making a positive difference in their various fields throughout Waterloo Region.
“This month, the Board of Governors welcomes our 2026 inductees into the Hall of Fame,” said Allison Jackson, Chair of the Board of Governors of the Waterloo Region Hall of Fame.
“We ask the citizens of Waterloo Region to share our appreciation for the outstanding contributions of these four individuals.”
For 2026, those four names set to be inducted include:
- Educator and local innovator, Dr. Murchison G. Callender
- Soccer player, Robert Benedetti
- Field hockey phenom, Brienne Stairs
- Arts Journalist and advocate, Coral Andrews
“Each year, both living and deceased citizens who have made a beneficial impact in Waterloo Region are singled out for their accomplishments and celebrated at an induction ceremony at the Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum, where the Hall of Fame is featured,” said the Waterloo Region Hall of Fame in a release.
“The Board of Governors, comprised of members of the Community Builders Research Committee and Sports Research Committee, reviews submissions and selects candidates to honour and celebrate each year.”
The list of individuals will officially be inducted into the Waterloo Region Hall of Fame on Sunday, Apr. 26.
Coral Andrews, Host of Afternoon Drive on FM 98.5 CKWR
Among those being inducted is Coral Andrews, who currently hosts Afternoon Drive and Coral Rockks on FM 98.5 CKWR.
“I was shocked, I was absolutely shocked,” said Andrews.
“I’ve been doing this for such a long time, so it’s just so natural to me. Then I looked at some of the other people on this roster, like Casper Braun, Anna Kalijas, Mel Brown, and I just couldn’t believe it. I’m thrilled.”
Andrews is being recognized for her years of journalistic efforts across the region, particularly her work in bringing local musicians, actors, and artists into the spotlight.
“A couple of years ago, I thought, ‘Why am I doing this?’ because all the artists have social media, they have their pages,” Andrews said.
“Then I talked to a friend of mine who was in an 80s goth band called Dead Can Dance, Peter Ulrich, and he said, ‘You need the objective voice, you need that voice.'”
She spoke of the changes seen over her over five-decade career as a local voice and journalist, pointing to not just the difference seen in the local music industry, but across the artistic journalism space as a whole.
“When I started writing for the Waterloo Chronicle, the word ‘alternative’ didn’t even exist. It was just all these local indie bands,” Andrews mentioned.
“I said, ‘Well, this band’s cool. It’s called X-Cess-Ive Ran-Cid-Ity.’ My editor went, ‘No, I don’t believe you. And I went, ‘Oh, yes, the band exists.’ So, I got a page and a half.”
Andrews stated that one key part of what has made her such a longstanding figure has been her ability to be adaptable, able to capture the stories found from artists and entertainment, to events, current issues, and more.
“You can’t specialize in just one area because then you’re in a corner,” Andrews stated.
“If you just do arts coverage and people want you to write about decor or cuisine or something like that, you really have to broaden your horizons if you want to stay in this business, that’s for sure.”
She thanked all those who had kept up with her journey over the course of her career so far, saying, “Thanks, thanks, and ever thanks to everyone that has supported me and, before the word was even coined, ‘followed’ me all these years.”
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