85905_bus of curling q6

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FEBRUARY/FÉVRIER 2006
Volunteer of the Year
by Joe Pavia
ou can blame it on her kids.
When
Suzanne
Bertrand’s
children entered grade 7 in the
Whitehorse, Yukon school system, the
elementary school teacher thought it
Y
would be a good idea for them to
try after-school curling figuring
the family could play in some
bonspiels together.
She ended up teaching
the program.
When the after-school
league instructors had to
relinquish their duties
Suzanne jumped in
with both grippers. She
enrolled in a technical
course (she now has
Level Three) and away
she went. However, it did
not stop there.
The 58 year-old retiree is
the CCA’s Volunteer of the
Year for 2005.
According to Derek Charlton,
the Manager of the eight-sheet
Whitehorse Curling club and the person who submitted her nomination,
“Every time the Board needed something
done Suzanne jumped. She’s nuts, let’s
put it that way.” On a serious side, he is
adamant that “Suzanne is the epitome of
what this award stands for and is the perfect nominee to receive it.”
After moving to the Yukon in 1967
from St. Louis, Saskatchewan (where she
began curling on natural ice when she
was 12), she involved herself in curling
in her new city. As the years progressed,
she served on the Board many times, organized events, instructed in leagues,
helped out wherever she could.
Then she retired from teaching two
years ago. By ceasing her full time employment, she spent more time at the
club - if that is possible.
Last year, Bertrand (“with lots of help”
she insists): co-ordinated the weekly
Monday night bingo that injects $75,000
into club coffers annually; she headed up
the Tuesday night Junior League; she led
the kids in the Saturday morning
“Rocker” program; she organized the
Monday to Thursday school visit program (When interviewed right after that
program. Suzanne gushed, “I just had
some lovely grade six students.”); she
acted as the Board's secretary and is the
Board's Junior Coordinator. She also
headed the Volunteer and Entertainment
Committee for the 2006 Canadian Mixed
Championship and assisted on four
bonspiels including the Club’s
annual International Bonspiel.
In her 'spare' time she is the Technical
Director for the Yukon Curling
Association.
“I ask people if they have a day job and
they run away from me.,” she laughed.
This whirlwind does get tired she says but
she keeps giving.
As for her children, they continue to
curl. Her 37 year-old son Chad Cowan is
the skip of a competitive men’s team. He
has appeared at two Briers, three junior
nationals and two mixed nationals. Mom
is the team coach. She feels her coaching
strength at this level is mental training.
Her 36-year-old daughter Michele, who
now lives in Saskatchewan, continues the
curling pedigree having participated in
three junior nationals and one Scott
Tournament of Hearts.
Over and above all of this, Bertrand is
also preparing the Yukon’s junior squads
for the Arctic and Canada Winter Games.
The City of Whitehorse honoured her
in 2005 with their Volunteer of the Year
award.
Will the avid camper, golfer and
wannabe world traveller keep at it? “I
have two grandchildren, six and three
years old. I want to stick around to see
them curl.”
She just may be coaching them at a
National.
Volunteers Continued on page 2
Go Curling in Collingwood!
the club, outlines
what the club did to
bounce back. “We
realized that the
Town was becoming
a mecca for retirees”.
Collingwood
is
located only 160
km
north
of
Toronto and while
the community has
a permanent population of 16,000,
he Curling Club of Collingwood,
Ontario has realized membership
increases of 25% each of the past
two seasons. There are several factors
which influenced this increase, but all
were focused on the same goal. Identify
a market, and work to meet its needs.
In the 1960’s and 1970’s, the economy
in the Town of Collingwood was stable,
and curlers were plentiful. Built on the
shores of Georgian Bay, the shipbuilding
industry was the main employer. In 1986,
that era ended. The shipyards closed, as
did two other major employers. With
this decrease in population came the inevitable slide in curling membership. By
the year 2001, the club was holding on
by a shoestring, with only 100 members.
But this season, the club boasts a membership of 370, not including an 18-team
rental league. John Brown, secretary for
T
that increases
substantially on
weekends and
during the summer
months.
The setting is
beautiful, and
recreation
is
abundant.
Retirees have decided that this is
the place to be.
In 2001, people
aged 45-74 comprised over one-third of the population.
(Statistics Canada 2001)
In the late 1990’s, the wave of new retirees took a leadership role in club operations. The Board of Directors recognized
that retirees were looking for activity.
“Collingwood is a very social community,”
By Leslie Kerr
indicates Dave Erler, Club President. “It’s
not hard to promote curling.” The Board
decided to try some strategies to
attract these retirees. The most successful
campaign was starting a Jitney league. A
membership fee is paid, and members
can come out to play on as many Jitney
days as they desire. The club started with
one Jitney day; now there are four.
‘Snowbirds’ were also an issue. People
were reluctant to sign up for the entire
season as many of them travel south at
some point in the winter. To address this
What’s
Inside
Emo Curling Funspiel
Well-Received..................................2
2005 CCA Curling Club Volunteer of
the Year Finalists ............................2
Go Curling in Collingwood! con’t ........3
Lights Out! ..............................................3
Playing Your First End ..........................3
CCA Curling Development Fund ........4
Web site Hosting Offer to Member
Curling Clubs....................................4
Team Sponsorship Calendar 2006......4
Guy Hemmings
Rockin’ the House Tour..................5
Get them in – What does it take? ....6
issue, the Board divided the season into
three sections, allowing people accommodate both curling and travel.
Mixed curling makes up the largest
portion of the membership, with draws
six out of seven days of the week. Only
Continued on page 3
The New Year’s CHEO Speil................7
Business of Curling 2006
Curling Club Symposiums..............8
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FEBRUARY/FÉVRIER 2006
Back in Business!
By Heather Ogilvie Staff writer Fort Frances Times
aybe they fell down once or
twice, and perhaps most of
their rocks didn't make it over
the hog line.
In fact, many had never curled before,
but that didn't stop young and old alike
from having a blast during the funspiel
at the newly-renovated curling club in
Emo on Boxing Day.
'It was really good and everyone
seemed to enjoy themselves,' said Coun.
Gary Judson, who had taken the initiative to organize the event after spearheading the recent $100,000 renovation
project at the club. Work included adding
a new white tin roof, installing plug-ins
throughout the main area, and pouring
a cement floor for under the ice. "It's a really nice facility and will bring connection to the community," Coun. Judson
noted.
He said he'd like to revive the sport of
curling in Emo, as well as be able to use
the curling rink for other functions, such
as dances or flea markets. With a newlypoured cement floor and plug-ins, he
stressed that will be possible.
The project was only just completed,
with the funspiel meant to mark the facility's re-opening both to let people see
the changes and to remind them how
M
much fun curling is. "I think people are
pretty keen to get curling going again,"
Coun. Judson remarked after seeing
Monday's turn-out.
The funspiel was definitely well-received, he added. "I didn't hear any negative comments. In fact, I was told by one
person that he had never curled on such
good ice."
Ten teams took part in the event, with
Doug, Colleen, Ashley, and Jeff Cross
capturing first place on the 'A' side. Peggy,
Lianie, Karen, and Rob Johnson earned
top honours in the 'B' event. Peggy
Johnson noted everyone got a prize,
which were donated from businesses in
the community, and that everyone
seemed to have a good time.'It was a
good start for people to begin curling
again,' she added.
Danny Schulzki, who said he hasn't
curled in nine years, also enjoyed the
day. Although he hasn't been a big
curling fan in the past, Schulzki said
he's now looking into joining a
league. "The funspiel kind of got me
hooked," he remarked, adding he'll
be looking for a place to curl in
Winnipeg. "We didn't even win a
game and I still liked it," he enthused. He also said he understood
curling was a big deal in Emo
about 15-20 years ago. "The funspiel
showed that the interest is still there,
he added.
"Everyone seemed fired-up to get it
going again." Jeff Cross agreed, noting there was a solid turn-out with a
good mix of skills and abilities.
"There were some who curled a lot
and some who were just enjoying
themselves," he said, adding the
ice surface is much better than before and the whole rink is more
up-to-date. "I'd definitely go back
to curling regularly if they got some
more events going," Cross said.
The revival of the Emo CC was spearheaded by local councillor Gary
Judson. "I took it on as my little project," he said. "We don't want to start
letting things go because people don't
want to live in a community where
there is nothing to do". He mentioned during last week's Emo council meeting he had been speaking to
people around the community who
wanted activities, such as curling, available in the village.
"It's something that's been done for the
people, especially the kids at school," he
explained, noting the location next to
Donald Young School should get some
kids interested in curling again. "It's a
great thing for young people."While he
admits it might take a while to regenerate interest in the sport, he noted it's important to have things for people to do in
a community.
(Editor's Note: The Emo CC was awarded a
CCA Curling Development Fund grant of
$8,000 in 2001. Curling had ground to a halt in
the fall of 1999 in Emo (40 km west of Fort
Frances, Ontario). When the
refrigeration technicians arrived to start up the
plant for the local arena and curling club, they
informed the club that the chiller had to be
replaced. Upon further investigation it was
determined that the brine pump also needed
extensive work, and at least one, if not both
compressors had to be rebuilt. All told, the cost to
get the club up and running was at least
$25,000. With only $1,500 in the bank, the
executive decided to close the three-sheeter for
that season. 100 members were affected by this
decision. The town worked hard to revive the
sport of curling and their club and, with the help
of the Development Fund, rocks are once again
rumbling down the ice in this northwestern
Ontario town.)
Here are the finalists for the 2005 CCA Curling Club Volunteer of the Year Award
and a short description of their accomplishments. Each finalist will receive a customized souvenir sweater.
Manitoba
Quebec
Barry Rabe
Brandon Curling Club, Brandon
Glen Nobes
Royal Montréal CC, Montréal
Under Barry’s leadership as the chairman, the 2005
Target Provincial Junior Curling Championships resulted
in one of the more successful junior championships in
Manitoba history. The event drew upwards of 6,000
spectators and the committee turned over a cheque for
$22,419 to the Brandon CC. This unexpected source of
revenue allowed the club to spend time to properly create a strategic business plan for
future sustainability of the club. The planning is already paying dividends with men’s
curling operating at 104% capacity. All from hosting a junior championship under
the guidance of a capable and dedicated volunteer. Well done Barry.
British Columbia
Neil Paolone
Trail Men’s Curling Club, Trail
Mr. Paolone re-organized the manner in which the club
did business by changing the current three person
council of President, Treasurer and Secretary to a
structure of four teams of four people responsible for the
operation of the club. Neil undertook this task despite a
serious illness to his son spending countless of hours
between the club and the hospital.
2
The Royal Montréal Curling Club is the oldest in Canada
celebrating their 200th anniversary in 2006-2007. The
current arena or ice area was built 117 years ago in 1889 and
is the oldest of its type in North America; however it had not
been ‘spruced-up’ in more than 50 years and has been victim
to a series of patchwork repairs. Mr. Nobes spearheaded a
campaign to bring the shed into the 21st century while restoring its remarkable interior
structure of wood beams. The RMCC “was fortunate to have a marvelous member who
not only had the skills to do this job but who was prepared to donate months of hard
physical work to see it through….we still have our heritage building, and Montréalers and
all curlers have a unique piece of curling history to admire and enjoy”.
New Brunswick
Keith Muzzerall
Gladstone Curling Club, Fredericton Junction
A “keith-of-all-trades” was Mr. Muzzerall. During the 20042005 curling season, he led a team to investigate, purchase,
prepare the building and install a new chiller saving the
small 2 sheeter, thousands of dollars. He also helps out with
the Little Rock program as instructor, helps provide
instruction to juniors at a neighbouring club, is a Level 2
coach assisting junior teams during playdowns, officiated at the Karcher Canadian Junior
Championships, cleans, scrapes and pebbles the curling ice, bartends for a week once a
month, is the BBQ chief helping prepare great meals at the club, and cleans up after
special events often into the early hours washing floors and washrooms.
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FEBRUARY/FÉVRIER 2006
Go Curling in Collingwood! continued
two days have fixed teams for the entire
season. Daytime curling creates teams as
the curlers show up. For all other night
curling the club creates teams that play
together for the six or seven week draw
period. This flexible schedule meets the
needs of the members.
Another recruitment tool the club
utilizes is an open house the first week
the ice is in. The next week is a Free Trial
Week. People can try the sport at no cost,
and instructors are on hand to help out.
The delivery stick is also promoted this
week, and it has proven to be a great tool
to recruit new members.
After participating in a Business of
Curling Phase 2 workshop in April 2003,
another strategy to attract curlers was
formed. Erler took on the challenge
of developing a corporate league.
According to Brown, “Collingwood has
a very robust commercial community,
and is currently seen by investment
developers as a place to be.” Erler
approached several corporations and
professional organizations and succeeded in promoting a league where a company fields a team of ten to twelve players, with the guarantee that four will
show up to play each week. In 2003, the
season started with four teams, and grew
to six after Christmas. The next season
the league sported 12 teams. This year,
the league has 18 teams; to avoid byes,
two club teams participate to make the
draw an even 20
teams. Erler and his
wife Deb manned
the bar for a large
part of the first season. In Erler’s words,
“We took this on so
that we could get to
know the new
curlers, make them
feel welcome, and
ensure that they
were having a good time.”
Building improvements have also
helped with recruitment. Faced with an
aging facility, the Board took action. In
2001, a Trillium Foundation grant was received to help cover the cost of a new
cooling unit. More recently, the lounge
area and atmosphere were improved.
“We have a very energetic volunteer base,”
says Erler. “Most of
the work was done by
a very dedicated group
of volunteers, under
the supervision of the
Club’s
Building
Manager, Bill Hanke,
the volunteer of the
century
for
the
Collingwood Curling
Club”. The Christmas
Party, Awards Banquet
and Golf Tournament
are important parts of the club's social
calendar, and having an updated and
welcoming
lounge
helps
attract other social events.
With membership numbers growing,
and the facility being improved, the club
approached the Town with a proposal for
funding of a new floor, plant, and piping.
Recognizing a train in motion, the Town
jumped aboard. An agreement was
reached, and the plan developed into the
Town assisting with funding, and build-
Lights Out!
ing a new ice surface attached to the curling club. The plant is shared between
facilities. These improvements have led
the Board to approach the Town with another proposal to jointly fund continued
building improvements.
To publicize all of the changes, a CCA
Development Fund grant was secured in
2004. “This helped our club advertise the
many positive changes to our facility, and
was helpful in bringing curling to the
forefront in Collingwood, and accelerating our growth,” Brown reports. The club
also decided to hire a website
designer to create their new and improved website which is now managed
by yet another volunteer. (www.collingwoodcurlingclub.ca)
But how to retain all of these new
members? One successful strategy has
been offering free clinics on the first
Wednesday of each month. Curlers can
improve their game, thus making their
curling experience more enjoyable.
Meeting the needs of the residents will
continue to be part of recruiting and retaining the membership. Continuing to
move forward with facility improvements
is also important. Both Erler and Brown
concur that people want to be part of a
successful venture, and the Curling Club
of Collingwood has certainly proven that
it is moving full speed ahead. Their goal
of 450 members by the 2006 -2007 season is certainly within their grasp.
PLAYING YOUR FIRST END
he CCA’s Your First End campaign
is in its second year as a pilot
project and it is designed to
encourage new customers to come to
your club to throw their very first rock.
As an organization, we are convinced
that our product is quite good and we
simply need to get new players/customers
on the ice for the first time and they will
be hooked on the sport!
Because curling’s exposure is at its peak
during national and international
competitions, this time of year provides
a wonderful opportunity to invite and
welcome new curlers to your club.
The Your First End theme is designed to
capture public attention by emphasizing
how easy and how much fun it is to get
involved in curling. The idea is to
encourage people to investigate and
experience the enjoyment of the game
first hand.
The key to success will be your club’s
efforts in organizing a Your First End or
open house event and inviting new
curlers to the club.
T
WHY DO IT?
Attracting new curlers is essential for
the survival and growth of every curling
club. Staging a Your First End campaign
will not only bring new curlers through
the door, it will revitalize interest and
awareness in the club and its activities.
YOUR ‘MISSION’ IS SIMPLE.
Decide on a day(s) or time when you
will make your club available for anyone
to come out and learn about the sport
and most importantly to throw a rock!!!
Spread the word about your planned
activities. Use the media, use your members, use whatever means necessary to get
the word out. A neat example of this
occurred recently at the Ottawa CC. Being
the nation's capital, the club invited
ambassadors from embassies whose
countries were participating in the
Olympics to come out and throw their first
rock. Eleven ambassadors showed up and
they had a riot!!!
Track every new customer. Welcome
them with open arms, give them a bit of
an orientation to the sport, show them
how to curl and then get their contact
information. Assure them you're not
going to sell this info rather you will want
to contact them over the summer to let
them know about upcoming curling
activities in the Fall.
Ensure their “first contact” with your
club is a successful one and that they are
suitably impressed!
TARGETING PROSPECTIVE
CURLERS
If you focus your attention specifically
on a group or demographic you want to
attract to your club, you will greatly
This game was being played on Sunday,
February 5th at the Newcastle Curling
Club in Miramichi, New Brunswick.
It was the club’s annual Mixed
Bonspiel. The two top teams met in the
“Section A” game skipped by Dodie
Dickison and John McIvor.
It was a close match, with Dickison
leading 5-4 playing the eighth and final
end of the game and having hammer.
All other games had been completed so
it was the only match going on. Dickison
was about to throw his first rock when
the lights went out!!
They waited a while but the power was
not restored. The icemaker, Albert Scott
and a club member, Joe Hawkes came
out with battery- operated lights.
One was held over the third and the
broom and the other light followed the
sweepers down the ice. Dickson’s first
rock was a guard that over curled;
McIvor’s last rock, and his team needing
one for the tie, drew top four foot.
Dickison followed with a take out and his
team prevailed the winner.
It was an exciting finish to say the least.
What would have happened if it was a tie
- not sure!
Just as a note of interest, our club is
closing at the end of this season and we
are moving to a new club. This story will
be talked about for sure!
by Darlene O’Donnell
enhance the possibility of success.
Determine your membership’s strengths
and weaknesses and concentrate your
efforts in those areas where you may be
weak.
For example, consider the following
sectors: mixed couples, families, women,
commercial league curlers, occasional
renters, or any group that will increase
participation and build membership in
your club.
Look ‘into’ your community to see if
there are any other opportunities. In other
words, look for groups of people that are
not using your facility but could be if the
invitation was extended and someone
made it attractively easy (i.e. Chamber
of Commerce, 4H Clubs, Girl Guides,
church groups) to get them organized.
Knowing who you’re hoping to attract
and concentrating on specific target
groups makes it easier to choose and plan
activities.
MEMBER-GET-A-MEMBER
A successful practice in any non-profit
business is to ask current clients (members)
to recommend prospective new customers.
This concept can work well for Your First
End. It is very simple. Ask current members to identify individuals who may be
interested in attending your event(s). Offer
them an incentive to do so. You might be
surprised on how you make out!
Open the doors, be friendly and entertaining, let everyone throw a stone
or three....and you are on your way to a
successful awareness campaign.
3
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FEBRUARY/FÉVRIER 2006
CCA Curling Development Fund
The Canadian Curling Association,
under its event management system for
the Brier, Tournament of Hearts and
the Curling Trials (every four years),
has committed 10% of the net profits
from these events to promote and
develop grassroots curling through the
establishment of the CCA Curling
Development Fund.
Since the first grants were first handed
out in 1999, Canadian curling clubs and
member associations have shared in
more than $765,000 to help develop and
promote our sport.
Curling facilities in this country can
access the fund with the minimum
requirement that the club must be affiliated with their provincial or territorial
member association.
Here are the funding
guidelines for 2006-2007:
There are three types of grants available
to curling clubs:
The first grant is the
Business of Curling
Phase 2 workshop
which is a two-day
facilitated session
designed to help
your club’s Board of
Directors create strategic and long range
plans. The workshop will be granted to
clubs based on need: low or declining
membership; a serious financial
situation; or, a new facility in a
community previously without curling.
The second opportunity is for Club
Programs and Services. The maximum
amount available per club in this area is
$3,000. Grants will be awarded based
on applications targeting
(but not restricted to) the
following programs and
services:
a) projects designed to
recruit new curlers;
b) projects that will
contribute to the retention of current members;
c) training of novice and intermediate
curlers including youth, juniors,
adults and senior adults;
d) projects that will help in the recruiting and the managing of volunteers;
e) advertising or awareness campaigns
that will sell your product;
f) training programs (other than
Business of Curling) for Board
members, club managers, or icemakers;
g) the purchase of youth curling
stones;
h) training of Level 1 or Level 2 instructor/coaches.
Note: applications for funding are not
necessarily restricted to the above areas. We
are constantly looking for new ideas to
improve our sport. We encourage you to
share your creative projects by applying for
funding to help with implementation.
Finally, curling facilities have a third option with the Capital Acquisition grant
with the maximum amount available of
$8,000. The selection committee will
consider applications for funding of specific refrigeration equipment, critical improvements to the building, or other
equipment fundamental to the operation
of a curling club, i.e. ice scraper.
Grants will be awarded based on all or
some of the following:
a) financial need; or, by not going
ahead with the capital expenditure,
the survival of the curling club is in
jeopardy;
b) the potential to grow the sport in
the community;
c) the ability to pay at least 50% of the
cost of the acquisition;
d) a signed written quote from at least
one reputable contractor or supplier;
e) assistance from a third party, i.e. the
municipal government.
To download a complete copy of the
application forms, go to www.curling.ca
under “Business of Curling” or call the
CCA at 1-800-550-2875 extension 101 to
have one mailed out.
Finally, the
selection committee receives
many applications that are
similar in content. We suggest
you be as thorough as possible in describing your project.
Showcase your plans to develop membership or other activities. Simply asking for an ice scraper because you want
to improve ice conditions might not be
enough to make your application stand
out.
The CCA would also like to thank the
thousands of volunteers from the 2005
Tim Hortons Canadian Curling Trials
(Halifax), 2006 Scott Tournament of
Hearts (London) and from the 2006 Tim
Hortons Brier (Regina) for their hard
work and commitment that ensured the
success of their events and the success of
this fund.
The deadline for receipt of applications is June 2, 2006.
Web site hosting offer to member curling clubs
The package includes 10 e-mail
addresses which, for example can be used
for your staff and or board members: i.e.
manager@winnipeg.curlingclub.ca or
president@winnipeg.curlingclub.ca or
even jane@winnipeg.curlingclub.ca
It is almost a daily occurrence where a
Canadian curling club launches a web
site to promote their business and the
benefits of membership. To help save
your club some money and get free
access to a dedicated web site address –
without those annoying banner ads or
pop-up windows – we can help.
The Canadian Curling Association can
provide paid web hosting and services to
any member curling club for a one time
set-up fee of $40 and a monthly hosting
charge of $6.
(Year One cost would be $119.84 – GST
included. Year Two cost would be $77.04
– GST included)
You do not require a domain name
(or the annual costs of owning your own
domain name). The CCA has registered
www.curlingclub.ca and any club can use
this domain with our hosting package by
simply adding the club name, i.e.
www.winnipeg.curlingclub.ca.
You will not be connected in any way to
www.curling.ca or any other CCA affiliated site nor will you be required to host banner ads or any other form of advertising.
In addition, the following is list of
services that are included in this package:
a) data transfer of 2000 MB/month
b) disk storage of 25 MB/month
c) 10 e-mail Aliases
d) a sub-domain name featuring
the name of your club
www.yourclub.curlingclub.ca
e) e-mail technical support
f) unlimited FTP updates which
allows you to make changes to your
site 24/7
g) custom ASP/CGI scripts allowed –
this is for advanced users, applications like guest books, bulletin
boards, etc. are allowed.
h) detailed web statistic reports
i) Microsoft FrontPage extensions for
users who develop websites with
Microsoft FrontPage
j) daily tape-backup of your site – you
will never lose more than one day
of information!
k) Windows Media (audio/video)
l) MS Active Server Pages
m) Free CGI Script Library
n) MS SQL Server 6
o) ODBC database support
p) SSL Secure Server 7
Clubs currently in
the program:
Airdrie, AB
Assiniboine Memorial, MB
Atikokan, ON
Bathurst, NB
Beausejour, MB
Campbell River, BC
CFB North Bay, ON
Chinguacousy, ON
Coldwater, ON
Dalhousie Legion, NB
Deer Lodge, MB
Dixie, ON
Drayton Valley, AB
Elliot Lake, ON
Fort Frances, ON
Geraldton, ON
Halifax, NS
Langley, BC
Lunenburg, NS
Milton, ON
Morden, MB
Norwich, ON
Perth, ON
Peterborough, ON
Smithers, BC
St-Lambert, QC
Strait Area, NS
Sturgeon Falls, ON
Sydenham, ON
Trenton, ON
Whiteshell, BC
York, ON
For more information go to www.curlingclub.ca.
4
Advertorial
TEAM SPONSORSHIP
CALENDAR 2006
By Andrew Ferguson-Smith
With all the media publicity that
attended its launch in November which
continues unabated, it is unlikely that the
Ana Arce Team Sponsorship Calendar
has escaped your attention! It features 12
beautiful lady curlers, however, this is far
from being the typical trashy “girlie” calendar. Whilst provocative, it is also highly tasteful and artistic, elegantly presented in black-and-white on quality paper.
Professional photographer Ana Arce
(pronounced ‘AR-thay’), who plays third
for Spain and is herself
one of the models, is delighted with the positive
reaction to the Calendar.
“Curling suffers from a
rather staid and unappealing image which
deters many people,
especially younger
people, from giving it
a try. People should
be aware that this image
does our sport an injustice!”
Curling’s changing image is not the
only cause of Ana’s satisfaction. As its
title suggests, the principal purpose of the
Calendar is team sponsorship. Every
time a Calendar is sold in North America,
each of its twelve models receives 0.66
(~ Can$0.92) as sponsorship for her
team, and in Europe 1(~ Can$1.40).
“Since we are selling in the thousands
of copies, this represents some really
welcome sponsorship funding for our
models’ teams. In fact, our aim is to be
amongst the most generous initiatives
designed specifically to benefit women’s
curling, in the history of the sport!”
Meeting this objective, clearly, is
dependent on sales. “Since this is hardly
a Calendar you’d use to note appointments, we expect sales to continue well
into the New Year; in fact, we expect it to
become something of a collectors’ item.”
Individual calendars may be bought in
North America through The Curling
News (www.thecurlingnews.com), and
in Europe through the European Curling
Federation (ecf-web.org).
However, “in our under-sponsored
sport, we want all involved with the
Calendar to benefit by it, including curling clubs and other sports organizations”.
The North American bulk price for 50+
Calendars is 14.40 (~ Can$20.16) plus
delivery. The bulk-buyer is free to determine their own retail price, and hence
their own margin. As a further incentive
to get involved in this amusing but effective fundraising initiative, “we greatly
reduce the risk of our North American
bulk-buyers by offering to re-buy from
them any undamaged Calendar remaining unsold at end-June at a price of 7.20”.
For further details as how to place a
bulk order please contact Ana Arce at
ana@anaarce.com or visit the web site
at www.anaarce.com.
“Hey Ma!
Google knows curling”
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FEBRUARY/FÉVRIER 2006
Mayor of Iqaluit Elisapee
Sheutiapik,
throwing her first rock
Adult clinics are popular during the Hemmings
Tour Stops
t,
School in Iqalui
Inuksuk High
the
de
tsi
ou
r
ke
Exterior of the
opriate mar
pr
ap
e
th
ith
e
w
Nunavut
Tour visited th
uy Hemmings
school. The G
06
20
ry
in Februa
arctic city early
On the ice with the kids in Iqaluit
In the gym in Regina
tional Development
Bill Tschirhart (CCA Na
do some teaching at the
Coach) getting ready to
Callie club in Regina
Guy making ‘em laugh in Regina!
Throwing their
first rock in Iqal
uit
Working with 2006 Brier Committee to promote
both the Tim Hortons Brier and the sport of curling
Bill and Guy sharing their expertise with new
curlers in Regina
The Hemmings Tour ofte
n visits the Sick Kid’s
Wing at the local hospita
l. Here in Regina, the
Brier Tankard tagged alo
ng.
Guy and Bill visited the University of Regina and
a first year marketing class. They answered
questions about curling and the marketing of the
sport.
my first rock
André Proulx, Photographer
5
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FEBRUARY/FÉVRIER 2006
Get them in – What does it take?
By Mort Cooper
The four sheet Simcoe Curling Club,
located in southwestern Ontario near the
shores of Lake Erie and in the heart of
tobacco growing country, had been for
years, a bustling and successful operation.
Schedules were full day and night: bonspiels and parties were hosted nearly
every weekend. The waiting lists were
long to get into the very active
club.
There was certainly no need to recruit
new members. There was no room.
Then changes started to happen.
Older members were not returning to
the club. Younger members became
bored with the same old curling formats.
The economy took a down-turn; and
soon after the curling club waiting lists
dried up.
Over a few short years, the active
Simcoe Curling Club became a club with
lots of empty ice and the club struggled
to get new customers through the doors.
What was the Simcoe Curling Club
to do?
Enter Beth Stewart and Mary Reid, two
executives from the Evening Ladies
Section.
With ice time available on Tuesday
night, why not host a curling clinic they
thought. Not an earth shattering idea, nor
is how they reached out to the public to
draw new curlers in.
But they got results beyond their
wildest dreams. How did they do it?
Their great idea was to host a good
‘ol curling clinic during the month
of January, over four Tuesday nights.
Eight o’clock is the time selected and a
nominal fee of $25 would be charged.
6
Curl Ontario instructors from the area
came up with the mini clinic format to
grab and keep the new curler’s attention
for an hour each night and twenty keen
volunteers offered their time in support
to act as curling instructors.
The pieces were in place; now, how to
get the public to come out and try
curling?
Beth and Mary approached two local
newspapers, the nearby Port Dover Maple
Leaf and the Simcoe Reformer. Quarter
page articles noting the scheduled clinic,
the enjoyment of curling and a photo ran
in each paper the week before the first session. Word of mouth also circulated the
news of the clinic.
Those wildest dreams were soon realized when 64 brand new curlers showed
up to be taught on the first Tuesday
night!
Unfazed by the demand, Beth and
Mary put on their mini clinic, showing
video tapes, combined with on-ice instruction and then 2 end games. The
really keen ‘newbies’ stayed longer than
an hour; they couldn’t be dragged off the
ice. (Additional instruction was hastily
arranged for Sunday afternoons, to provide
even more opportunity to catch the
attention of these
potential new
members.)
On the second
Tuesday night,
58 of the original
group returned!
Who were these
new curlers?
They ranged in ages 9 to 65 years.
There were three families looking for a
family activity; there was a handful of
senior folk; and the rest were mostly
young couples. The percentage split
between men and women was 50-50.
Go figure!
What does it take to get them in?
No magic formula! It takes an IDEA,
some volunteer support, commitment
from the club and the dedication of key
people to move a project forward.
Congratulations Beth and Mary….
Thanks for showing us how it is done.
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FEBRUARY/FÉVRIER 2006
Changing
the Face
of Fundraising
By Audrey Reddick
T
he word
fundraising
has always been
associated with routine events
and an aging population. After 12
successful years directing the CHEO
BBQ (Children’s Hospital of Eastern
Ontario), a summertime fundraiser he
co-founded at 18 years old, Johnny
Hunt had finally realized the recipe for
changing the face of fundraising.
Enlisting a new committee of friends,
Hunt set out to copy the formula and
translate it into another unique fundraiser.
From the CHEO BBQs’ sunny, sandfilled outdoor paradise to the indoor, icy
curling club, the New Year’s CHEO Spiel
was created around the growing sport of
curling and as an alternative to numerous mundane New Year’s celebrations.
Why curling?
The CHEO BBQ attracts a huge
crowd not normally associated with
fundraising, that being the 19 - 30
year olds. The East
Ottawa event promised a good time with
lots of friends, great
food and music, all
with a hidden message
of support.
From
humble beginnings of
15 people to a massive
undertaking with 5000
guests, the CHEO BBQ
had become a formula
for success.
Hunt realized a unique trend developing in curling. It appeared that a lot of
younger folks were getting involved in the
sport, both recreationally and competitively, so Hunt set out to fill the need for
an end-of-the-year celebration geared
towards a younger, more hip crowd of
curlers.
The inaugural guests had an interest in
both curling and celebrating New Year’s,
coupled with a concealed effort to raise
money for CHEO. The first year (2004)
was a huge success with more than 125
people raising $500 for
the kids at CHEO. Hunt’s
interests were in growing
the support for this
event, and so the mandate for the second year
was simple - raise one
more dollar and attract
one more guest.
He could now focus
on growing the
fundraiser, establishing a niche market, and securing a sponsor to help pay for expenses.
Enter Paul Rushforth, an Ottawa based
real estate agent who had attended a
number of CHEO BBQ’s and who himself had children growing up in the capital. Mr. Rushforth stepped up as the title
sponsor. The money from his sponsorship would help pay for the website,
proper signage, ice rental, decorations
and a DJ for the event. This was great
news for the fundraiser and a sign that the
local business community had faith in
our organization.
Hunt could now focus on year two to
be held the last day of 2005 at the Rideau
Curling Club with over 150 curlers in attendance. Guests were treated to a day of
curling, a euchre tournament, a cocktail
reception, family zone, buffet dinner,
awards a huge New Year’s Eve party, all
the while raising money for CHEO.
Guests noted the fact they were raising
money was first and foremost to them,
but the farthest thing from their thoughts.
The experience of the fundraiser itself was
diversion enough to raise $2000 for
CHEO while promoting both the sport
of curling and the fundraising aspect of
this unique and exciting event.
Subconsciously the guests made a difference in the community while having a
good time doing it, all the while cementing our event as a popular spot for kids
of all ages. Ranging from 19 to 60 years
old, our guests were as diverse as the
tartans on the wall.
The New Year’s CHEO Spiel proved
that people of all ages can now make a
contribution to the art of raising money,
and are helping to change the face of
fundraising for many years to come. The
possibilities for next year’s CHEO Spiel
are endless, and there appears no limit to
the success of this fundraiser.
(Editor: we are constantly looking at ways curling
clubs can attract revenue sources outside of
membership and bar. Our sport is fast becoming
popular for this type of activity. Charities are
realizing that golf is not the only sport where they
can effectively fundraise while the contributors or
donors have a blast doing it.)
How can the secrets and strategies of great curling champions
be learned and taught? Is there more to their success than
technique? Curling champion Cheryl Bernard teams up with
curler and writer Guy Scholz to uncover the keys to success
both on and off the ice. Concentrating on the mental and
motivational aspects of the sport, Between The Sheets
spotlights the importance of team dynamics, mental
attitude, coaching, practicing and more. Drawing on
strategies, experiences and wisdom from legendary
curlers, great athletes from other sports and even
modern cultural references like The Matrix and Star
Wars, Between The Sheets will help you live, play and
perform at your best.
To order your copy today, go to:
www.betweenthesheetscurling.com
7
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Page 8
FEBRUARY/FÉVRIER 2006
BUSINESS OF CURLING 2006 CURLING CLUB
SYMPOSIUMS
“INVESTING IN YOUR
Where are they??
CLUB’S FUTURE”
urling
clubs
today
are
experiencing tremendous change
both within the culture of the
sport and its participants and the
environment in which they exist.
Demands in terms of financing, rising
utility costs, competition from many
more winter activities than ever before
and increasing consumer demand for
quality products and services are creating
new pressures in the business of curling.
The goal of the Business of Curling
Symposium is to bring together all curling clubs from the respective regions for
a weekend of learning and sharing in the
business of our sport. During this symposium, attendees will hear from a number of interesting and highly qualified
speakers who will offer their expertise in
several key business and operation areas
which all curling clubs face on a daily
basis.
C
April 21-23
Edmonton, Alberta
Northern Alberta Curling
Association
Marylynn Morris
Phone: 780.440.4270
naca@planet.eon.net
(In cooperation with the Alberta
Curling Federation)
April 28-30
Grande Prairie, Alberta
Peace Curling Association
Renee Sonnenberg
780-532-4782
peaccurl@telusplanet.net
(In cooperation with the Alberta
Curling Federation)
May 5-7 (Phase 2)
Sackville, New Brunswick
c/o Curl Atlantic
Karen Ouellette
902-229-2689
curl.atlantic@ns.sympatico.ca
(In cooperation with the
Newfoundland & Labrador, Prince
Edward Island, New Brunswick and
Nova Scotia Curling Associations)
September 15-17
Thunder Bay, Ontario
c/o Curl Northwest
Leslie Kerr
807-597-2108
plkerr@shaw.ca
(In cooperation with the Curl
Ontario and the Northern Ontario
Curling Federation)
September 22-24
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
c/o the Saskatchewan Curling
Association
Don Bacon
306-780-9202
edsca@sasktel.net
Last spring, the producers of This Is
Daniel Cook approached curling about
taping an episode on the sport with the
popular Daniel Cook. With only the
Leaside CC in Toronto with curling ice,
the timing was tight and the shoot
was pulled off with the expert and
capable help of Sherry Middaugh who
volunteered to guide Daniel with his
curling experience. The show was aired
this Fall and you can view a clip of it at
http://www.curling.ca/learn_to_curl/
youth_curling/little_rocks.asp
One way to build your business is by
developing relationships with other
activities. This is a program called Rock
and Bowl which is a partnership of a
curling club with a bowling alley and a
charity. It is extremely popular with the
kids and makes good money for Big
Brothers and Big Sisters.
8