Local bonspiels looking for teams

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It was a successful ‘Welcome to Curling’ week at the Tillsonburg Curling Club. Many people took advantage of the opportunity offered by the club to get out and try the ice.

The ice is looking good thanks to the volunteers who were out to help Dale put on the finishing touches. There seemed to be a real mix of members and new faces getting practice on the ice.

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Local bonspiels looking for teams Back to video

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Nora Peter – From the Hack

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That new “keen” ice will be put to the test this week as most leagues kick off their first draws. Even though our Intro Week is over it doesn’t mean new curlers cannot be accommodated as most draws are not quite full. Don’t be shy get out and try curling!

Did you know – that the Tillsonburg Curling Club has been around since 1954 providing a great winter activity for the people of the surrounding area and community. At a time when many clubs in Ontario are facing the threat of closure, we are lucky to have this facility in town and the winter exercise and social activity it offers.

The club has struggled in recent years to figure out how to attract new members. At the same time the costs of providing a good curling facility are on the rise. We are able to continue operation of the club because so much of the work to keep things going is done by volunteers with only our ice technician Dale Fanset and our bartenders being paid employees. Looking around Ontario many clubs are facing the same reality and two major clubs – the 60-year-old Scarboro C.C. with 275 members and the Weston Curling Club have closed their doors. Other clubs have been put on notice.

Curling is a great winter sport, relatively inexpensive to get into, offering a social and active experience to all ages and different levels of competitiveness. And it’s played ‘indoors’ so it’s cold but not windy (lol).

I learned to curl over 40 years ago in a small town in Northern Ontario and have curled in Ladies, Mixed, and Recreational leagues. I’ve bonspieled and I continue to be able to curl today even though the knees are shot because of the ‘extender’ or ‘stick’. The best part of curling for me has been the social aspect – I’m always meeting new people and happy to spend time actively with old friends. It’s a sport I can share with both my husband and my kids who are also curlers. It gives me a reason to get out and do something in those dark and dreary winter months. Curling is a sport for everyone, and like I have said before, “get up, get out and go curling!’ You’ll be happy you did!

Les Peter, who is running the Community Service Bonspiel this year on Wednesday, Nov. 28, is still looking for Community groups to enter teams in the two draws – 2 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. Get a group together and enjoy some community networking, two games of fun curling, a good meal and a chance to win one of four cash prizes on each draw for your charity, group or project. Contact Les Peter at 519-688-2328 for more information or Chris Appleton at Good Redden Klosler 519-842-4246, a bonspiel sponsor.

The Mixed Open Bonspiel, sponsored by EE McLaughlin and Zeplyn Enterprises, runs on Saturday, Nov. 24th in the club and we’re still looking for entries to fill two draws in this Grey Cup weekend warm-up football-themed spiel. We are very close to commitments for the two draws to run so get your team together and get your entry in to LNPETER@gmail.com this week. More info is available at the club and people from out of town are welcome to participate. The cost is $160 and includes two games, lunch, dinner, fun and prizes. Hope to see you there.

More curling will be in the schedule for Sportsnet this week with the Masters being telecast from Truro, Nova Scotia starting Thursday at 10:30, 2:30 and 6:30. Ten days later the curlers will be in Thunder Bay for the Tour Challenge starting on the 6th of November.

Well that’s it for now, please remember our club is run by volunteers so don’t complain about what’s happening but be positive and offer to help and do your share. Curling Rocks!!