The Jackson County Athletic Hall of Fame was established in the 1970s to honor past county athletes.

The member body each year receives nominations and votes on the inductees with the induction ceremony held every July.

The group generally inducts four to five past athletes every year, and portraits of those athletes have been on public display at Western Sizzlin Restaurant for years.

Tragically, Western Sizzlin was destroyed in a fire Feb. 23, and although the restaurant is currently under re-construction, the portraits were a total loss.

The Altus Times is now working in cooperation with members of the Hall of Fame to replace as many of the portraits as possible.

In order to do this, the Altus Times is asking anyone with photos of past inductees who would be willing to share them with the Hall of Fame, to bring them by The Altus Times office at 218 W. Commerce. Aside from being a drop-off point for photos, the Altus Times will scan the photos and save them electronically, with a copy going to the Jackson County Athletic Hall of Fame.

A full list of past inductees will be published at a later date.