By Charlene Tebbutt

Local volunteers help host national curling event

Jan 22, 2019 | 11:21 AM

More than 300 volunteers are lending a hand this week at the national junior curling championships and helping athletes and visitors from around the country get to know Prince Albert.

The 2019 New Holland Junior Women and Junior Men’s Canadian Curling Championships got underway over the weekend at the Art Hauser Centre. The event runs until Jan. 27.

Trish Bibby, director of communications with the event, said local volunteers are helping with everything from posting curling scores to selling souvenirs to welcoming fans at the door.

“They’re doing what they’ve been asked to do and they’re picking up the slack when it needs to be, and that is truly showing in the success of our event so far,” Bibby said.

Elaine McCloy is volunteering her time this week as co-vice chair of the curling event. A member of the Prince Albert Golf and Curling Club since 1973, McCloy said she was happy to help out when asked to participate. McCloy volunteered with various events over the years, including the 1987 Pepsi Juniors curling, and said she’s enjoying the Canadian juniors event.

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“It’s lots of fun and there’s lots of people that you get to know, and it’s exciting out there with the young curlers,” McCloy said. “We always have a good turnout for our volunteers from our club, they’re well educated on how to put on a show like this and they come out in magic numbers.”

Angus Hemsworth is also an avid volunteer with the golf and curling club and helped with the club’s various other events in the past as well.

“The curling’s been awesome, the ice is fantastic,” Hemsworth said. “This is great, I love it when we do this to the hockey rinks.

“This is our third time that we’ve done this over the last 15 years. It’s just fun, we’ve always done well and I’m sure this will be no different.”

Several draws are scheduled each day as part of the event. Semifinal games are scheduled for Saturday with the event wrapping up Sunday following the women’s final at 10 a.m. and the men’s final at 3 p.m. 

Charlene.tebbutt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @CharleneTebbutt