Thursday, December 21, 2006

Jim's Keen Ice article as it appears in the Northern Light

Merry Christmas! Today is the pre-Christmas party for the afternoon seniors (Hanley’s Horde!) and I am sure that it will go well. This week is also the end of the 2006 curling. Play will resume with Monday night curling in the week of January 8th 2007.
Players tonight (Tuesday) and on Thursday are reminded to bring snack food for a pre-Christmas get together after curling.
The UCT Christmas party was held in the club on December 16th and a good time was had by all. Thanks to the UCT, the peel and slice brigade, the barmen and the cooks.
Remember to sign up for the Bayside Chrysler Family Bonspiel on Boxing Day, December 26th. This is a long-standing tradition at the club going back farther than my membership does. Enter your family team (the definition of ‘family’ is loose, by the way) and come out and enjoy a fun day at the club; all ages and all relatives welcome!
I believed the club to have started in November 1909, but on rereading the history, I am wrong. It was December 21st, 1909: Ninety-seven years ago come Thursday! The history says: “In1907, in traditional fashion, it was back to the roots of the sport and outdoor games were held on Kent’s Pond. Two years later, in 1909, a combined Curling and Skating Rink was built on St. Andrew’s Street on the site of the present club. (11) December 21st, 1909: “On motion E.P. McKay was elected Chairman” “On motion it was decided to proceed to organise a Curling Club” “On motion it was decided that the name of the club be ‘The Bathurst Curling Club’” The founding members were: “E.P. McKay, P.J. Veniot, Henry White, J. McNichol M.D., Jnr J. Harrington, H. Bishop, T.M. Burns, F.O. Landry, F.J. Melanson, J. Bennet Hachey, Cha’s H. Ellis, J.G. Stout, A. Gatain, H.H. Murray, William Gammon, George Gammon, A. O’Donnell, Gordon Read, Ernest Branch, Fred Gatain, J.B. Mullens, A.W. Ramsay, P.J. Burns, J.H. Kent, J.D. MacMillan, B.C. Mullens, J.P. Leger, P.J. Leger, R.G. Duncan M.D., Jake White, Jr. Arthur McKendy.” Thus, with a membership of 31 an annual fee of $0.25 and a ‘Rink Fee’ of $5 began the saga of our St Andrew’s Street club, now heading toward a centennial.
On December 10th, in UCT play, Raj Chettiar beat Andy Savoie, John Ferguson beat Val Saulnier, Roe Doucet beat Emery LeBlanc and Alvin Lavigne beat Albert Mazerolle.
In last Monday’s Competition (Dec 11), Michel Godin defeated Andy Savoie, Alvin Lavigne defeated Paul Laframboise, Bob Nicolle defeated Marc Imbeault, Joel Roy defeated John Ferguson and Omer Fontaine (Hurray – that’s my team!) defeated Pat Maher.
On Tuesday (Dec 12) winners were Wells Chapman, over J. LeBlanc, Ken Brown, over Terry Wilbur, Raj Chettiar, over Boucher, and Anderson over Comeau
Wednesday Evening Ladies, on December 13th, was sponsored by Catherine and Company and featured Meat Pie and dessert along with the usual fun evening: Sign up for the next one ladies, there is room for more participants and Moosehead is sponsoring East Side Steak Subs.
Thursday night (Dec 14) saw Biff Homiak (in absentia) beat Ken Brown, T Giberson beat O Fontaine, T MacDonald beat T Wilbur and P Assaff beat J-C Gagne.

I am off to see our grandchildren over the holidays so; Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night! Hopefully I will be back early January. See you on the ice.

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