ALPENA – The Alpena Sports Hall of Fame announces Joe Gentry and Henry and Florence Stibitz as its Boosters of the Year.

All three will be honored alongside Class of 2025 Hall of Fame inductees Brian Stibitz, Becky (Jore) Rommel, Jaime (VanMassenhove) Bieber and Lisa (Gallagher) Datema and Team of the Year, the 1967 Huron Shores Little League team on June 6.

As the executive director of the United Way of Northeast Michigan and a member of the Board of Trustees at Alpena Community College, Joe already carries significant responsibility. Yet even with these commitments, he continues to give his time and energy selflessly to countless other community efforts.

Joe serves as race director for the Dork Brothers Fourth of July Race, the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot, and the Aliferis Memorial Races. These are not one-time events. The Fourth of July Race has been a community tradition for 47 years, the Aliferis Memorial Race for 25 years, and the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot for 23 years. Under Joe’s leadership, these races have generated thousands upon thousands of dollars, every dollar given back to the community he loves.

Joe was not only an outstanding athlete at Alpena High School and Alpena Community College, but he has also earned the title “Godfather of Running” in Alpena. He has poured his passion for sports into future generations, mentoring, encouraging, and celebrating young athletes along the way.

Many know him as the man who carefully clips local sports articles from the newspaper and mails them, along with a handwritten note, to the athletes featured. For some, those clippings became the foundation of cherished scrapbooks. More importantly, they became reminders that someone noticed, someone cared, and someone believed in them.

His impact reaches far beyond finish lines and race days. His legacy is written in the lives he has touched, the traditions he has sustained, and the community he continues to strengthen every single day.

Henry, known in the community as Doc, and Florence Stibitz were never ones to seek the spotlight, but their influence is woven into the very fabric of youth sports in the community.

Doc worked tirelessly behind the scenes–helping lay the groundwork for local skating and hockey, supporting the development of the original ice rink, and giving countless hours as a coach. He didn’t just teach the game; he taught discipline, teamwork, and resilience. As a physician, he went even further — caring for athletes on the sidelines, providing physicals, and making sure generations of kids were safe and ready to play. He was also a student of the game, bringing new ideas in hockey and conditioning back to Alpena, quietly raising the level of play for everyone.

And alongside him, Florence was a true pioneer.

She opened doors for so many young girls in this community–teaching them how to skate, encouraging them to step onto the ice, and promoting ringette as a space where they could compete, belong, and thrive. At a time when opportunities for girls in hockey were limited,

Florence made sure they had a place. Because of her, countless young women experienced the joy, confidence, and camaraderie that come from being part of a team.

Together, Henry and Florence didn’t just support youth sports–they built something lasting.

They created opportunities where there were none, mentored young athletes, and strengthened this community in ways that continue to ripple forward today.

Their legacy lives on in every player who laces up their skates, every team that takes the ice, and every life touched by their dedication.