GRAND NATIONAL CLUB INSIDE 3 President’s Letter 3 Nominating Committee 4 Warming Up at Bucks County 5 World University Games The Official Newsletter of the GNCC December 2017 | Vol. 28, No. 3 News 5 Second Century Fund 6 GNCC Junior Camp Report 2017 USCA Volunteer of the Year: 7 First-Ever LGBTQ Bonspiel Cameron Dunn of the Peachtree Curling Club 7 GNCC Senior Women’s by Bob Hogan 8 Blazing Leaves Bonspiel 8 Ray Turnbull Obituary Every club has a core group of people that a dusty and dirty endeavor. Cameron was 9 Ross Tarlton International always seems to be ready to help trouble- there for all of it. She led, organized, and shoot, make decisions, and ensure things motivated us. We saw her drive home from 10 Cape Cod Summerspiel run smoothly, and Peachtree is no exception. the rink covered in red Georgia clay, paint, 10 Colaccio Receives Award However, if there was a “Volunteer Hall of fiberglass insulation, cement, glycol, and 11 GNCC Wheelchair Clinics Fame” for those dirt. Sometimes she 11 Paralympic Team USA among that core sported the distinct group who take scent of diesel from 12 Peachtree 8-Ender their dedication and the Bobcat or the 30- effectiveness to the foot Genie extension next level, Cameron lift. GNCC 150th Anniversary Dunn would be one Much more space of the inductees. is needed to list Book is Now on Sale We are blessed with everything she numerous, very has done, but here The 150th Anniversary Committee is talented people who some key examples. pleased to announce that the 150th donated massive Cameron taught anniversary book, “1968-2017 A History amounts of their herself how to drive of the GNCC and its Member Clubs” has time and expertise to a Bobcat, which been published and is now available for ensure our club was she used to build shipping. This 268-page, limited-edition, built and is a continuing success. Cameron a 150- by 12-foot sand foundation for the hard cover book is $49.95 plus shipping not only helped build to our facility, she also concrete slab that would represent part of and handling of $13.65 for a total of helps to run it. our viewing area. She researched and hired $63.60 each. To order, please send a Before beginning construction, we talked the concrete company that poured the slab. check (payable to the GNCC) to Peter to numerous clubs that have been through She researched methods to waterproof Lyons, GNCC Treasurer, 171 Taylor Street, this process, and without fail everyone said our leaky walls, bought the material, and Nashua, NH 03060. the most critical element was to have a few helped apply it. She researched exterior “dedicated” people who refused to take spray foam that was needed to insulate and no for an answer, because there would be waterproof an adjoining roof, which was roadblocks and unforeseen speed bumps. poorly designed, and then helped spray the Cameron personifies that “dedication.” foam. The rink’s original foundation was demolished and removed (10 dump truck Our existing building needed an upgrade loads), so we could rebuild the foundation to produce the quality of ice we demanded, for three flat curling sheets. Cameron was so our project was going to be a very labor one of the Bobcat operators that loaded the intensive refurbishing mission—the floors, trucks. When we brought in 10 dump trucks ceiling, and walls would have to be rebuilt. of sand, to rebuild the foundation, Cameron Working inside the building was hot and helped level the sand by hand. She was part sweaty during the summer months and cold during the winter months. It was always continued on page 2 Cameron Dunn Message from the President Grand National Curling Club continued from page 1 by Gwen Krailo-Lyons Officers and Directors of the crew that cut and placed all the new media outlets. During our Housewarming An incredible year is summer. Delivery clinics, sponsored by President Gwen Krailo-Lyons insulation, the vapor barrier, and nearly Bonspiel last March, she coordinated our winding down as the the Mentor Program, were held at the 1st Vice President Charlie Brown 400 cooling tubes we had to install. She Friday dinner by recruiting members to GNCC wraps up our Mt. Washington Valley and the Peachtree 2nd Vice President Benj Guzman recruited her friends to help move the four donate and prepare over 20 crock pot meals. 150th anniversary Curling Clubs in conjunction with a session Secretary Jennifer Bragg 500-pound header pipes into place. She She helped set up and tear down the tent we celebration. As the on rules and etiquette. Our anniversary Peter Lyons was in a boom lift when we installed the used, and she recruited members to donate Treasurer second-oldest curling book is currently being published and will Immediate Past new ceiling insulation about 20 feet above 20 baskets for the raffle, which was a huge organization in the world, the GNCC served be ready for Christmas. The Curl Up With President the floor. She helped install the new wall success for us. She even subbed for a team as the national governing body for curling A Partner program funded programs at Sally MacKenzie radiant and fiberglass insulation and interior that won the C-event. in the U.S. from 1867 until 1945 when Ardsley, Rochester, and Rutland Rocks. At-Large Directors Peter Ellis, fabric. She helped mix the glycol solution A week before our Housewarming Bonspiel, the mid-western states formed their own Other applications are still being processed. George Shirk, Maryann Vermeulen, and pump it into the chiller system. She one of the PVC chiller pipes developed a association (the USCA was not founded until On a personal note, I have been on the GNCC News helped us build the ADA entrance ramp and hairline crack and was leaking glycol. While 1958). The GNCC stretched as far west as bonspiel train, playing in Peachtree’s first is published by the the entryway. She helped us landscape the we were contemplating what to do, Cameron the St. Paul Curling Club and included three fall bonspiel and at the Bowling Green Grand National Curling Club of 150-foot alleyway. In short, she came by the went to the nearby Home Depot and bought Canadian clubs. From 12 clubs with a few inaugural bonspiel. My home club, Nashua America, Inc. The newsletter is facility three or four days per week to do any some band clamps and gasket material, dozen members, the GNCC has grown to 62 Country Club, is expanding into a new distributed free to members of the task that was required as well as determine which stop the leak and allowed us to host clubs and 5,000 members. Six new clubs four-sheet facility, we expect to be curling by Grand National Curling Club. The the strategy to accomplish many of the joined our ranks this year. our first bonspiel. January 1—and we’ll have four new sets of annual subscription rate for non- tasks, and she drove most of an hour each Our celebration year was marked with stones from Kay’s of Scotland. way, often in gnarly Atlanta traffic. Based on her experience with other members is $10.00 (US). Advertising nonprofit organizations she helped us write numerous events. Canadian Hall of Fame During my first presidency I visited every rates are available upon request. As we transitioned from the construction our club’s by-laws, and she recently joined member, Earle Morris was the featured club in the GNCC. I have not had that phase to the operational phase this past speaker at the GNCC Annual Meeting and our Board of Directors. opportunity in round two, but I am working All correspondence should be sent to: January, we started making ice, and she was returned in October to conduct a coaching Cameron epitomizes the personality of our my way through the newer clubs and hope GNCC Curling News on tap for almost every flood. She helped clinic in conjunction with the GNCC Junior to visit them all as part of the Mentor Team. paint the ice, and she operated the scraper club. The vast majority of our members have Camp hosted by the Broomstones Curling PO BOX 396 and deciphered some of the data output on fewer than five years of curling experience. Club. The GNCC Mentor Program hosted Good curling, everyone. Madison, NH 03849 the chiller. She helped redesign our website, Our common bond is a love for curling a successful Arena Club Symposium and bonspiel logos, and pins. She helped run our combined with an unselfish, volunteer spirit is planning an expanded version for next Communications Director Pete Ellis, Night of the Curling Dead Bonspiel as well that has created a true curling family. [email protected] as last March’s Housewarming Bonspiel. Thank you to Cameron and all the volunteers She also instructs during our curling clinics. that built and run our club. Editor George Shirk, She wrote our press release and sent it to the [email protected]

Nominating Committee Looking for Directors Art Director Jacki Temple, by Charlie Brown [email protected]

As part of the New Management Plan (NMP) I wrote about in the last newsletter, the Contributors Carol Arkelian, nominating committee has been formed to recruit the nine (9) new Managing Directors to Todd Benedict, Chris Bond, the board at our Annual Meeting in 2018. Charlie Brown, Nate Clark, The committee includes: Mary Colaccio, Tony Colaccio, Zac Gery – Philadelphia Curling Club Dean Gemmel, Jeff Hannon, Monica Lynn – Bucks County Curling Club Bob Hogan, Gwen Krailo-Lyons, Dan Machold – Schenectady Curling Club Alex Leichter, Fred Leichter, Matt Schiener – Ardsley & Long Island Curling Clubs Michael Ray, Mario Riveron, Dave Schmel – Bucks County Curling Club Michelle Sheffer, Andrew Stopera, If you are interested in serving on the GNCC board or know of somebody who would make Calvin Weber a great candidate, I ask that you reach out to one of these individuals directly or you can contact the group at: [email protected] Warming Up at Bucks County Curling Club Team USA Finishes Fifth at the World University Games by Michelle Sheffer by Alex Leichter, Nate Clark, Chris Bond, Calvin Weber, Andrew Stopera, and Fred Leichter

Curlers are generous kitchen, state-of-the-art audio/ Walking into a 12,000-seat stadium surrounded by cheering fans, about to get a visual system, comfortable stadium seating American athletes, and American flags is an unbelievable experience. whole lot cozier overlooking four of the GNCC’s fastest Of the many amazing moments at the Winter World University at Bucks County sheets of ice, and plenty of outlets to plug Games in Almaty, Kazakhstan this is the memory that shines Curling Club in in phone chargers, computers, and, yes, brightest. As part of Team USA, we lived in the athletes’ village for Warminster, PA. crockpots. (They can’t stray too far from their two weeks, with hundreds of world-class athletes. The people of This season, the roots.) The centerpiece of the warm room Almaty were wonderfully welcoming to all of us. From the hundreds Club is proud to is a bar built from reclaimed Bucks County of volunteers, to the people we met while exploring Almaty and the debut its brand chicken-coop wood, and a blend of neutral Zailiyskiy Alatau mountains nearby, everyone was happy to help us. new warm room, colors combine to make the space feel both We were blown away by the spectacle of the opening and closing built over a five- sleek and soft. ceremonies and the incredible job performed by the organizing month period from May to September 2017. The new warm room was built entirely within committee did every step of the way. We were also impressed by our Founded in 2010 as an arena club, Bucks the existing hockey rink structure, with no fellow athletes as we watched many competitions in figure skating, went dedicated in 2015 when they exterior expansion or alteration needed. ice dancing, hockey, speed skating, snowboarding, and more. commandeered the hockey rink they had Beyond the warm room, the Club added We curled in the brand-new Almaty Arena in a field of 10 been using. But while the ice was now keen a new cooling tower for its compressor, countries. During pre-game practices we were serenaded by a local and zamboni-free, the Club lacked a true but the ice shed remains otherwise nearly saxophonist, and during games there was a large crowd cheering warm room and hospitality facilities, making untouched, with its heckle benches and old especially loudly for the Kazakhstan teams. The highlights of our do with a slightly-less-cold room and an hockey side boards intact—a spirited blend week included wins over Sweden and Canada, after a couple of tight army of crockpots for its Crooked Billet and of old and new. A testament to the friendly losses we finished the week in a tie for fifth place, only one win away Big Buckin’ bonspiels. spirit of our sport, the project was funded by from a playoff tiebreaker. Lacking things has never stopped Bucks donations from so many of its club members The curling community stepped up in a huge way to help propel us to the event. Over 30 before. Following a surge in interest as well as from curlers across the GNCC. GNCC members donated to support our trip. We also received a large grant from the GNCC after the 2010 Olympics, Kevin and Jane What transformed the warm room from plan Second Century Fund, which aims to help grow grass roots curling, and the Boston Curling Stayer searched for an ice rink that would to reality was a 3:1 matching gift challenge Club. Thank you to everyone, especially the generous GNCC members, who supported and accommodate curling. After securing a offered by a local company. Thanks to the helped us take part in this once-in-a-lifetime experience in Kazakhstan! company’s incredible generosity, the Club willing facility, they borrowed an old set of Thank you! stones and a pebbler, built some primitive was able to break ground and has named hacks, and constructed a scribe to etch the space in the company’s honor. houses. The club is forever grateful for each and When they called the rink manager to tell every donation received, no matter how him the Club was ready to play, they were large or small, from member curlers and SUPPORT THE GNCC SECOND CENTURY FUND informed that the facility was closing. non-members, from the entire world-wide Undaunted and ever-committed, Kevin and curling community as well as our local non- curling community. No doubt, many of you already Amazon.com account on *The Amazon Smile Foundation is a 501(c) Jane contacted the bank that repossessed (3) private foundation created by Amazon use Amazon.com for on-line AmazonSmile. the rink and reached a deal to purchase it. Bucks is eager to continue growing its to administer the AmazonSmile program. purchases? AmazonSmile is That same make-it-work spirit has suffused membership and creating a culture where The GNCC is registered with All donation amounts generated by the a simple automatic way to and driven Bucks County Curling Club to the Club is not only seen as a place to curl, AmazonSmile and has already AmazonSmile program are remitted to support the GNCC’s Second grow from a small arena club to a four-sheet, but as a social center. They have a robust received its first $25 gift. the AmazonSmile Foundation. In turn, the Century Fund every time dedicated facility in just seven years. And slate of learn-to-curl events this season to As the GNCC president, I AmazonSmile Foundation donates those you shop, at NO cost to you. amounts to the charitable organizations it has also driven the Club’s commitment accommodate the new curlers that this next made an executive decision When you shop at smile. selected by our customers. Amazon pays all to raising money for a proper warm room Olympic year will bring. And Bucks County that any donations from the amazon.com you will find the same low expenses of the AmazonSmile Foundation; that fosters the spirit of community and Curling Club now has a stunning new warm AmazonSmile Foundation would go to the prices, vast selection, and convenient they are not deducted from the donation camaraderie that underpins the sport of room to welcome everyone—club members Second Century Fund, which benefits junior shopping experience as on Amazon.com, amounts generated by purchases on curling. and visiting curlers and wide-eye newbies curlers across the region. After all, juniors AmazonSmile. alike—into the roaring game. with the added bonus that the AmazonSmile are the future of our sport. Please consider The new warm room at Bucks County Foundation* will donate a portion of the using AmazonSmile and designating the Curling Club is an apt melding of form purchase price (0.5% of eligible purchases) GNCC as your charity. Thank you in advance. and function. The large space features a to the GNCC. You can use your existing 2017 GNCC Junior Camp Report Glitter Bombspiel a Tremendous Success by Dean Gemmell by Michael Ray

The 2017 GNCC Junior Camp was held at was completed with game scenarios played As the curling world gears up for the was well-received the Broomstones Curling Club from October with coach instruction. Sunday included an Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in February by the curling 20-22. It was attended by 30 curlers from 10 overview of the camp information and more 2018, the Potomac Curling Club hosted the community. to 20 years old. game play with on-ice coach instruction. first-ever LGBTQ curling competition in the Courtney Shaw, The camp started on Friday evening with a The entire group of campers were dedicated United States at its Laurel, MD, facility over bonspiel co- presentation by Earle Morris. Earle provided and enthusiastic throughout the weekend. the weekend of October 6-8, 2017. coordinator and insight into the development of his son, At the end of the camp, awards were The event, named the “Glitter Bombspiel,” is Vice President , and , two players presented. Anne Moran of the Norfolk a twist on the traditional word for a curling of Potomac he coached through juniors and into their Curling Club won honors as Most Improved, tournament, bonspiel, hosted LGBTQ curlers Curling Club careers as elite-level players. That was Addison Neill of the Broomstones Curling and allies from across the United States and said, “The curling followed by work on delivery mechanics on Club won Best Attitude, and Ethan Hebert of Canada. In attendance were 2016 Ontario community has the ice. the Broomstones Curling Club was the MVP. champion, Brit O’Neill, and four-time U.S. been so supportive. Olympian and 2003 World Champion, Goldline Curling On Saturday, two-time Olympian Jessica Many thanks to Ivo Petrov and Eli Clawson Supplies came to Schultz joined the camp, and worked on the for working as instructors throughout the Debbie McCormick, who teamed up with a pair of local curlers and won the event. support the event, ice with players, while also talking about weekend, and to the Broomstones Curling and I received her experiences at the 2006 and 2014 Club for hosting this event. Next year, the The tournament was a wonderful event for emails from other Winter Games. Dean Gemmell, who chairs camp will probably return to August dates— our club and the LGBTQ community. On clubs interested the camp, led a brushing clinic, and the day we’ll have more information on 2018 soon. Saturday afternoon, the club hosted a draw in hosting similar for our club’s young “Junior” curlers. Off the events. It was ice, the club’s warm room was decorated in a tremendous a wonderful display of rainbow streamers experience to and colorful giant tissue-paper flowers welcome curlers suspended from the ceiling. Saturday from across the United States and Canada, evening entertainment provided a much from Vancouver to Orlando, to our club for a needed break from the competition with a fabulous bonspiel.” performance from a local Dolly Parton drag queen. I am proud of my curling club for promoting acceptance through sport. I hope that other Although LGBTQ curling events have taken community sports organizations will follow off in Canada (http://www.gaycurl.ca/), an our club’s example and encourage inclusive LGBTQ-focused event had not previously membership and support for their LGBTQ been held in the United States. The event athletes.

GNCC Senior Women’s Championship by Carol Arkelian

The 8th Annual GNCC Senior Women’s Championship was held at the , in South Plainfield, NJ, on October 20–22, 2017. Fourteen teams vied for the title in the “Motown Comes to New Jersey” themed event. The First Event winners were Carol Arakelian, Penny Gallagher, Linda Pistilli, and JoAnn O’Connor from Cape Cod, with the runners up being Gail Knight, Cindy Vallier, Karen DeJong, and Mary Lou Mitchell from Plainfield. The Second Event was won by Naida Leslie, Kathy Morley, Jayne Beattie, and Pam Smith of Nutmeg. The runners up of that event were Linda Pecsi, Patty Heffner, Linda Carubia, and Kathleen Belschner, also from Plainfield. Blazing Leaves Kick Off Curling Season A Warm Ross Tarlton submitted by Jeff Hannon by Todd Benedict

What says Friday afternoon and lovingly watched over The Ross Tarlton Bonspiel was contested on Friday and Saturday, October in Saturday evening’s dinner, sleeping at the November 3 and 4, 2017. This was the 50th Anniversary of this New England club to make sure that everyone had ribs, storied event, which was contested between 16 teams from the better than brisket, and pulled pork. Dinner alone is Ontario Curling Association (OCA) and 16 teams from the Grand the Nutmeg worth the entry fee! National Curling Club (GNCC). Curling And the curling! We had a number of play The Ross Tarlton embraces the Spirit of Curling, building Club’s down teams curling this year from Juniors lasting friendships and camaraderie between Canadian and Blazing to Seniors and everything in between. This U.S. curlers. During this wonderful weekend, camaraderie was Leaves year’s winning team was evidenced in the play on the ice and in the interaction of the Bonspiel? Team Mooney, consisting of Mark Mooney players in the warm room. Each year, (), Nina Reiniger (vice), Don Arsenault The event was hosted by the Granite Club of Toronto, and all will teams from (second), and Linda Pesci (lead). all over agree that they were delightful hosts and provided excellent the country come to Bridgeport, CT to be a If you missed this year’s Blazing Leaves, curling ice. George Denier, our curling host, made us feel at part of this early season event. Besides the there’s still time to enjoy the hospitality home in the beautiful eight-sheet curling club. excellent curling, there is a fire pit, giant at Nutmeg. We will be hosting the Crystal The banquet and awards dinner was held in one of the club’s jenga (who knew this could be a spectator Snowflake (women) on the weekend of elegant function rooms. During the cocktail hour, many curling sport), and new this year, cornhole. Oh, and December 8–10, 2017, and the Golden memories were shared and the room buzzed with anticipation let’s not forget the best smoked barbecue Handle (mixed) on the weekend of about the outcome of the bonspiel. After the head table was on the east coast. Our pit masters set up on January 5–7, 2018. piped in, everyone enjoyed a wonderful dinner, lots of laughter, and more spirited conversation. One of the great traditions of the Ross Tarlton is the presentation of the Collie Campbell Award, an Inuit soapstone carving. This honor is bestowed upon a member of the host Ray Turnbull Obituary country for their contribution to the sport of curling both on first published on the website. and off the ice. This year, the award was presented to Malcolm Marsh, a member of the Leaside Curling Club and a Trustee of The World Curling During his years as a player, he developed the Ross Tarlton Bonspiel. Congratulations Malcolm. Federation is deeply teaching techniques and was among the After dinner, the 2017 winner of the Ross Tarlton Bonspiel was saddened to learn of first to offer formal instruction for players finally announced. The event winner is determined based on the passing of its Hall and coaches, both in Canada and around the a cumulative score of all 64 games. The United States won of Fame member and world. the event by a very close margin of total stones: 413 to 394. 1965 Scotch Cup silver Turnbull became a curling analyst with Afterward, the last item to announce was the venue for 2018’s medallist, Ray Turnbull TSN in 1985 and stayed there until 2010, Ross Tarlton—Ardsley and the Nutmeg Curling Clubs will cohost. of Canada. becoming one of the sport’s most familiar Handshakes and hugs were exchanged among old and new Turnbull sadly passed and trusted voices. friends and, in traditional fashion, a rousing chorus of Auld away on Thursday 5 World Curling Federation President, Kate Lang Syne was sung. Thank you to the Granite Club, the OCA, October, aged 78. He Caithness, said: “It is with deep sadness that the Canadian Trustees, and to all the participants. It was a great was inducted into the I convey the sincerest condolences from the weekend of fellowship and curling. World Curling Hall of World Curling Federation and the curling Fame in 2015 along community worldwide to the family and with fellow Canadian friends of Ray. He did so much throughout Russ Howard and the years to grow the sport both on the ice Japan’s Hiroyuki Saito. and through his 25 years of TV commentary. Turnbull, a Brier winner in 1965, played a He was justifiably rewarded when inducted crucial role prompting the Canadian Curling into the World Curling Federation Hall of Association (now Curling Canada) to create a Fame. He will be sorely missed.” junior-age national championship. Of Politics And Curling Wheelchair Curling Gaining in Popularity first published by The Falmouth Enterprise by Tony Colaccio

In a chaotic world where cynicism reigns and While the finals were played, and the The focus on spreading the word about Sincere gratitude goes out to our member having a difference of opinion more often champions crowned on the final day of the Wheelchair Curling started early this fall clubs: Anthracite Curling Club (Jennifer than not leads to hostility, it’s satisfying to Summerspiel, the real highlight of the event season with the first in a series of scheduled Dobo), Nutmeg Curling Club (Sharon Giese), know that for almost the entire month of had come during the banquet the night Clinics in August. and Woodstock/Upper Valley Curling July Falmouth hosted an event that set an before, when team members from each of The Anthracite Curling Club kicked off Club (Paula Flanders and Sharon Besso). example for everyone to follow. the four countries represented proudly sang the season on August 26th when the And of course these events couldn’t take The annual Summerspiel at the Cape Cod their national anthems in front of a crowded Cape Cod Curling Club and Individual place without the wonderful adaptive Curling Club brings together people of all room. Naturally, those in attendance were Abilities in Motion collaborated together to sports organizations that bring such ages, backgrounds, and viewpoints for a bursting with pride when their national demonstrate how adaptable our sport can magnificent potential wheelchair curlers: celebration of competition and friendship. anthem was sung, but it was difficult not to be for folks in wheelchairs. Individual Abilities in Motion, Olyphant PA. be moved when players from other countries (Joseph Salva); Gaylord Hospital’s Sports It’s an event where no one cares about On October 26th, we were off to the political points of view, ethnic or racial sang their anthems. Association, Wallingford CT. (Katie Joly), Nutmeg Curling Club, where we again the VA Hospital, White River Junction. VT. background, or social status. Progressives For five days people from extremely collaborated with the Gaylord Hospital’s and hard-right conservatives play side by different backgrounds with extremely (Jennifer Stark), and New England Healing Sports Association. Two days later, we found Sports Association (Carly Bascom). side and against each other, with nary a different points of view interacted—without ourselves in Vermont at the Woodstock/ negative word heard. incident—in close quarters. While it’s Upper Valley Curling Club, meeting up with Stay tuned for more of these Wheelchair That was most evident during the wheelchair simplistic and naive to believe that an issue folks from the VA Hospital in White River Clinics scheduled in the near future. competition of the Summerspiel, which or disagreement wouldn’t have arisen Junction. drew teams from Slovakia, South Korea, and eventually had this group of people been Quebec in addition to athletes from across together longer, for five days Falmouth was the country. Skill levels ranged from elite to the site of harmony rarely experienced in novice, but that was of no concern to anyone. these difficult times. There was no communication barrier; curling That’s right; it happened right here in 2018 Paralympic Wheelchair Team USA has its own special language. The language Falmouth. by Tony Colaccio of camaraderie. The language of friendly We can only hope our local, state, national competition. Most important of all: the and international officials were paying language of mutual respect. attention.

Tony Colaccio Receives Congressional Record of Honor by Mary Colaccio

A Congressional Record of Honor was presented by Anthony Morse, on behalf of the Office of Congressman William Keating, to Tony Colaccio on We did it! Two of our GNCC club members will be heading to the Paralympics in South Korea July 22, during the banquet of the Cape Cod Curling Club International in March to represent the United States as members of Wheelchair Curling Team USA. Wheelchair Summerspiel. He was surprised with the Medal of Honor for This will be Meghan Lino’s second Paralympics and Steve Emt’s first. We can all share in this his dedication and achievements in wheelchair curling globally. wonderful experience. They have both worked hard to make the USA Wheelchair Team and Canadian Consul General, David Alward, also paid us a visit to meet you, our GNCC Club members, have given them plenty of support along the way. They may the Canadian team and to learn more about wheelchair curling here. be the ones going to the Paralympics in South Korea in May but a part of all of us will be We were all honored to host this dignitary for his brief social call on there with them. They know they represent our Country and our GNCC Clubs here at home. the evening of July 19, just before the curling practice and official Let’s all wish them the best at the 2018 Paralympics. Go Team USA! competition began in our International Wheelchair Summerspiel. Coveted 8-Ender at Peachtree Curling Association by Mario Riveron

On October 21, 2017, at the Peachtree Curling Association in Marietta, Georgia, Team Hozjan—skip Jeremy Hozjan, with Joe Filanowicz and Jim Hackl from the Charlotte Curling Association (Charlotte, NC), and Mario Riveron from Triangle (Durham, NC)—scored an 8-ender with the hammer in the second end. This was the first 8-ender for all four curlers and the Peachtree Curling Association. It was a great way to start the bonspiel. The Peachtree Curling Association hosted its first Autumn Bonspiel, named “Night of the Curling Dead,” over the weekend of October 20-22, 2017. It featured 10 teams from around the country and was played in a round-robin format. The weekend enjoyed beautiful Georgia weather, with outdoor seating for all participants, great food and hospitality, and a costume contest during the Saturday banquet. Peachtree, a dedicated-ice three- sheet curling facility, was converted from a hockey rink in 2015.