About 30 people attended the Bentley Curling Club’s annual fall general meeting on October 7.
Updated brighter lighting that was added recently upstairs in the lounge was evident. Better lighting was also added in the lobby/foyer area, and a new additional strip of lighting was added down the center of the playing surface that will greatly brighten it up with less shadows.
Club members had helped barbeque for the Bentley Canada Day celebrations.
A fundraising raffle with three cash prizes is now underway. The top prize is $10,000 cash. There is a second prize of$3,000 cash, and a third prize of $2,000 cash. All members will have tickets to sell and some volunteers will be selling tickets at some malls throughout the curling season. The prize draw will be held at the spring meeting next April. The fundraiser was planned to help fill the void in funding until another casino/ lottery grant is available.
Bent Asham is the new ice technician. He worked under last year’s icemaker Joel Powlesland.
A lounge manager is still to be hired.
Interest was expressed in getting a junior curling program going and there was some discussion.
The scheduled start up date for curling in Bentley is October 26.
Curling fees remain the same with a base membership fee of $130 for all members, and an additional fee for each league played in. These fees do not pertain to junior curlers who are charged a flat $50 fee. This new type of membership feestructure was put in place last season.
Bonspiel dates have been set with the first bonspiel of the season being the Farmer’s Bonspiel on November 23-28. TheMen’s `spiel will follow in January 2016, the Seniors in February, the Ladies in early March, and the final Town & Country near the end of March 2016.
Volunteers to squeegee down the playing area after being hosed down by Tracker Steam & Oilfield Services out of Eckvillewere needed and more volunteers will be needed to help unroll and lay down the Hack-to-Hack artificial ice surfaces.
Presentations were made to last years league winning teams who were Ken Brown (Monday Seniors), Don Olson and Walter Lloyd tied (Monday Mens), Norm Rieu (Wednesday Mixed), Garry Sparrow (Thursday Seniors), Walter Lloyd (Thursday Mixed),and Garry and Mona Sparrow (the Friday Stick league).
Executive are club president Bonnie Muzylouski, vice president Bruce Millar, secretary Bruce Cartwright, and treasurer Tilly Wilson. Directors are Ralph Scarlett, Dawn Reid, Martin Wilson, Marilyn Lloyd and new board member Lonnie Bergstrom.
Contact any of them or call the curling rink at 403-748-4303 if you or a team would like more information. Either teams or individuals can sign up. Any interested junior curlers would be very welcome.