Curling for community
Team raising money for youth before heading
to Kelowna to compete in national championship
Robin Grant
Northern News Services
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The women's territorial club curling team was selling chili dogs and potato chips to hungry recreational curlers earlier this month to raise money for youth curling across the country.
The fundraising effort is part of Team Thompson's participation in the Travelers Curling Club Championship, an annual competition for club curling teams who have won their local championships.
While the competition is the main event, the championship tasks teams with raising money to support curling - whichever teams raise the most money wins a $6,000 grant to be used for improving their local curling club.
"The fundraiser is a great opportunity to increase awareness about curling and increase awareness about junior curling and obviously bring some funds in to win some money to help club improvements," explained team member Anneli Jokela.
This year, all the money raised will be donated to Curling Canada Rock and Rings, a program designed to introduce elementary school children to the Olympic sport.
As the program website states, it brings the curling rink to the school gym to reach children who would otherwise not have access to the sport.
Team Thompson will be selling food for the next two weeks during the Friday night recreational curling session at the curling rink.
Jokela said the fundraiser means a lot because the members who work to make the curling club happen in Yellowknife are all volunteers.
"We work really hard and we'd love to see some money come in and to be able to improve our programs and services to bring grassroots curling to more people in Yellowknife."
One such program is a new learn-to-curl program the curling club is offering for the first time beginning in January.
"We're really interested in promoting a more in-depth learn-to-curl program to get new people into curling," she said.
"But also give recreational curlers more opportunity to learn skill development."
The Travelers Curling Club Championship is a week-long event that offers an elite national championship experience to club curlers.
"The idea ... is to be able to give any curler the chance to experience what it's like to play on the national stage," Jokela said.
Last March, Team Thompson won the territorial championship qualifying them for the Travelers.
The championship is taking place from Nov. 20 to 26 in Kelowna, B.C.
