Evening Sun Report

PLYMOUTH – At Canasawacta Country Club’s season-ending banquet, two women were announced as inductees into the Greater Norwich Golf Hall of Fame. The late Vera Church, a longtime contributor to the course’s history, and Minnie Ellis, one of the prominent women’s golfers at C.C.C. for decades, were honored.

This is the first women’s-only GNHOF class, and the smallest induction class since the Hall’s inception several years ago. Below are profiles of each inductee:

VERA CHURCH

While she was employed with Norwich Pharmacal Co., Vera attended one of Ernie Taranto's clambakes which he was doing at Chenango Lake Legion Park in the late ‘40s. (Taranto was owner of the course for several decades.)  Vera became good friends with Ernie and the crew, and soon became part of the crew.  She took an immediate liking to the food and beverage business.  When Ernie and Casson Hazard bought Canasawacta in 1950, Vera left NPC and worked for the two owners in the capacity of waitress, banquet planner, employment director, and girl Friday.  As years passed and Casson left the club, it was just "Ernie and Vera,” and those two names were known throughout the city, county, and state.