Tragedy Strikes Norfolk
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JANUARY 2012 | Vol. 25, No. 1 Annual organization meeting to address big changes The annual meeting for the GNCC is vote of the regions to be changed; the The meeting will be held at the Sea set to be held April 13-14, 2012, in GNCC vote on this important issue, the Crest Beach Hotel in North Falmouth. North Falmouth, Mass. following week at the USCA meeting in It is ten minutes from the Cape Cod It is about a month earlier this year for Minneapolis, is one of the more Curling Club where both the Presidents one very important important votes reception on Friday night and the reason. We are since we are about banquet will be held on Saturday night. asking all member 25 percent of the Arrangements are being made for a golf clubs of the GNCC total USCA date on the Friday as well as the to vote on the new membership. Your traditional quoits Bell Trophy governance board of directors competition. The Annual Meeting documents for the United States Curling believes it very important that the full agenda and enrollment packages will be Association. Since the USCA present membership of the GNCC be the ones sent out soon. by-laws require a two-thirds’ majority making this determination. TRAGEDY STRIKES NORFOLK GNCC curlers at Youth Olympics A team of GNCC curlers represented the United States at the inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria. Korey Dropkin, of Southborough, Mass., and his team of Thomas Howell, Brick, N.J., and identical twin sisters Sarah and Taylor Anderson of Broomall, Pa., are in Europe as of press time. More than a thousand athletes from more than 70 Suspected arsonists torched Norfolk Curling Club in December. nations are participating in 63 medal events in 15 disciplines at the Games. Members of Norfolk Curling Club in Connecticut have been saddled with the Through the qualifying draws at near unthinkable. During the early morning hours of Dec. 18, 2011, two the tournament, Team USA has an suspected arsonists torched the club’s headquarters, destroying everything the unblemished 7-0 record and club had worked to obtain over the last half-century. advanced to the Quarterfinals. The The blaze spread quickly and engulfed the entire club. Virtually nothing was Americans were the only team to salvageable when emergency crews were able to control the blaze and members finish the round-robin portion of the could sift through the charred remains. The club and playing surface had been tournament with an unblemished destroyed, the stones exploding into pieces under the heat of the fire. record. They finished fifth overall after Shortly after the disaster, members of the Club’s Board of Directors met and losing in the Quarterfinals to Team decided unanimously to rebuild the club founded in 1956. The effort could cost Italy. in excess of $1 million. For information on how to help, read a letter from the Club on Page 4. MORE ON THE TEAM, Page 5 > President’s Letter GNCC in the national, global spotlight The Fall has been great for the GNCC our own as the region with the greatest and Carl Thomas will be over in and for me personally on the curling curling growth of clubs and members Scotland. Most of our tour members front. The headline story has to be the within the USCA. It is important to have were in Chicago the first week-end in Junior Curlers that are representing the correct information in our data base as December and got to know one another USA at the inaugural 2012 YOUTH well as to collect funds for promoting and curled together on the teams we will OLYMPIC GAMES in Austria. curling in our region and nationally. have in Scotland, I think we will do well. Congratulations to Korey Dropkin, Speaking of National, we are excited As we reach the heart of the curling Sarah Anderson, Thomas Howell, and about the USA Curling National season I want to extend my thanks and Taylor Anderson. It is a true GNCC Championships being held at our arena appreciation for all of you who make the team and is a credit to our improving club in Philadelphia February 11th to curling experience better by working on juniors program under the able direction 18th. I encourage everyone who can to ice, volunteering for duties, and for of Mark Mooney for the last several attend sessions and I am certain that the supporting new curlers and other clubs. years. It is also a credit to the strategic GNCC tradition of volunteerism will As I get to know curlers from around the planning our GNCC board of directors make this a great event. country I hear with true respect great has done and verifies the mission of On a personal note I cannot make this comments about the strength of our Build Grow Win adopted in 2008 for showcase event for the GNCC because region. Keep up the great work! Good cashing in on the 2010 Olympics. the 2012 Scot Tour Team for which I Curling. Membership data and dues are coming have been selected along with Bob in strong again and we expect to hold Chandler, Herb Kupchik, Russ Lemcke, Dick Macartney Ardsley curler Nawyn named USA Curling Growth & Development Director Former Ardsley curler and Ardsley Curl- programs for USA Curling members at all ing Club Board member Kim Nawyn has levels, from regions to clubs to individuals. been hired as USA Curling’s growth and These programs are the frontline efforts to development manager at the national office demonstrate value to the members of the in Stevens Point, Wisc. USCA. This position also leads and manag- Kim relocated to Stevens Point in early es efforts to drive the growth of the sport October. As growth and development man- nationally. ager, Kim will be responsible for develop- You can contact Kim and wish her well at ing, implementing and servicing benefit [email protected]. GNCC Curling News is published by the Grand National Curling Club of America, Inc. The newsletter is distributed Grand National Curling Club free to members of the Grand National Curling Club. The Officers and Directors annual subscription rate for non-members is $10.00 (US). President Dick Macartney Advertising rates are available upon request. 1st Vice President Sally MacKenzie 2nd Vice President Chris Banino All correspondence should be sent to: Secretary Mary Colacchio GNCC Curling News Treasurer Howard “Bunkie” Harmon 6 Mary Street Immediate Past Carl Thomas Pottsville, Pa. 17901 President At Large Directors Rob LeVine Editor: Joshua Sophy, [email protected] Maryann Vermeulen George Shirk Contributors: Sally MacKenzie, Mark Mooney, Geoff Broadhurst, Carl Thomas, Chris Banino, Charlene Fitzgerald, Rob LeVine, Mary P. Colacchio. Ross Tarlton honors Broomfield for lifetime of participation on tour GNCC honors Bunkie, puts him back to work Bunky Harmon’s long service to the GNCC has been recognized. Congratulations Bunkie and Anne for their wonderful support to curling at Ardsley and to a distinguished record of service to the Grand Jimmy Broomfield National Curling Club. At the Spring GNCC annual meeting President Carl At the recent Ross Tarlton Competition in Toronto, Jimmy Thomas cooked up a ruse to get long time GNCC Broomfield, a member of the Ross Tarlton contingent from Treasurer Howard ‘Bunkie” Harmon out of the room Ontario, Canada, was presented with the Wayne Gretzky and the organization accorded a unanimous vote to number not because he is a hockey fan but because Jimmy recognize Howard Harmon a “Lifetime Member” of participated and scored 100% on his four shots helping the the GNCC. He and his wife Anne were called forward home team to a resounding 496-376 win of this traditional to receive the award and a beautiful bouquet as match between OCA and GNCC conducted annually since pictured above. 1966. Jimmy has participated every year since 1972 and is Shortly thereafter with election of officers for 99 years young, the reason for the jersey. 2011-2012, Bunkie was reelected treasurer to start his second 25 years in the job. In Memory Chet Lopez, 1936-2011 Chet Lopez embodied the respectful of his opposition. spirit of curling. He was a No high fives from Chet. He curling advocate and a leader motivated every team both on and off the ice. As member and led by example. President of the GNCC and He was a compassionate long time member, and winner and a gracious loser. President, of the Nashua Chet threw his last rock Country Club he was a major much too early in his life. contributor of making both Every curler who knew him, organizations better and and there were many, will stronger. miss him dearly. For those of us who curled with and against Chet we Fellow curler and friend, know he was a fierce Darryl Dinsdale competitor but always Norfolk club begins rebuilding process Editor’s note: The following is an open letter published on the Norfolk Curling Club Web site. Dear friends of the Norfolk Curling Club: A senseless act of arson destroyed the Norfolk Curling Club during the early hours of Dec. 18, abruptly ending 50- plus years of good camaraderie, good cheer and good curling. While we mourn the loss of irreplaceable treasures Norfolk, Conn. | Two dozen members meet to created and donated by our NCC discuss the future after fire destroyed the club. founders, we will not allow our iconic history to go up in flames. Since its founding in the 1950s, the Norfolk Curling Club has been a center educational programs for generations to sure to note on the reference line of your of winter activity in the “Ice Box of come.