Parasport and Recreation PEI and the Canadian Paraplegic Association are holding demonstrations of wheelchair curling and sledge hockey on Tuesday from 4-6 pm at the CARI Complex in Charlottetown. The demonstrations are designed to provide people with physical disabilities an opportunity to try new sports. A brief demonstration will be given on each sport and then attendees will have a chance to try the sport themselves. Laughie Rutt, born and raised in Glace Bay NS will lead the wheelchair curling demo, while Graeme Murray, defenceman for the national sledge hockey team, will lead the sledge hockey.

Wednesday night at the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club in Summerside, a number of curlers were presented with ADL awards  in appreciation of their achievements over the 2008-2009 curling season

The big winners of the night were the Brett Gallant rink, M&M Meat Shops Canadian Junior champions and World Junior silver medallists. The Gallant team, which includes skip Brett Gallant, third Adam Casey, second Anson Carmody, and lead Jamie Danbrook, along with coach Peter Gallant, were honoured with the award for Team of the Year. In addition, skip Brett Gallant won the Junior Male award, while his father Peter took home Coach of the Year honours.

Other winners included Sarah Fullerton, who captured the Junior Female award, skipping her team to repeat wins at both the Sylvan Learning Provincial 17 and Under and the Atlantic 17 and Under championships.  The Adult Male award went to Mel Bernard, skip of the Provincial Senior Mixed and Credit Unions of PEI Senior Men’s championship teams. The Bernard foursome finished in third place at the Canadian Seniors Championship at their home Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club. Jeanne Duffenais of Summerside, who skipped her team to a sixth-straight Masters title, and played third on the Provincial Senior Mixed winning team, took home the Adult Female award.  Summerside’s Cliff Poirier won the award for Official of the Year, while Curl Atlantic representative, official, and incoming PEI Curling Association president Shirley Lank received the Volunteer of the Year certificate.

Photo (L-R): Jeanne Duffenais, Sarah Fullerton, Dave Linkletter (representing sponsor ADL), Peter Gallant, Brett Gallant, Shirley Lank,  Adam Casey, Mel Bernard

Following the presentation of the ADL awards, tributes were made by the PEI Curling Association to all the winning teams from the season, and to the sponsors that help make the provincial curling championships a success each year.

Click to download a copy of the event brochure (PDF, 1.8 mb)

Click to download a larger copy of the photo (1.3 mb)

Click to view an album of photos from the event

The PEI Curling Association’s annual ADL awards night, to honour PEI curlers for their achievements during the past season, combined with sponsor appreciation night, will take place on Wednesday June 10th at the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club in Summerside, beginning at 7 pm.

All are welcome!

The following resolutions were approved at the PEICA’s Annual General Meeting on May 28th:

1. The  entry deadline for all PEICA events is now changed to 4 weeks prior to event start date (was 3). All registrations must now be done online (payment may be sent separately).  Note that PEI curling clubs all have internet access, and can assist with online entry.

2. For the Men’s, Women’s, Seniors and Mixed evebts, a  draw committee, with a member from each of the events, will meet prior to each event, in conjunction with the PEICA and host club event coordinators, to construct options on draws depending on the club, amount of teams and time availability. The committee would then present the options to the teams for a “majority rules” vote. This would happen 3 weeks out from the start date to allow sufficient time to promote the event. The draw will be on the appropriate event web site at least one week prior to the 1st day of the event.

3. To allow sufficient time to play both the men’s and women’s portions of the event, allowing for triple-knockout or similar formats, the Credit Union Seniors will be expanded by two days, if required.

4. If the Labatt Tankard Men’s Open has less than 16 teams, then it would play down to a final round of six qualifiers. If 16 or more teams are entered, the current final eight format would be played.

The following are the dates and venues for the provincial curling championships held under the auspices of the PEI Curling Association for the 2009-2010 season. These dates were approved at the PEICA’s Annual General Meeting on May 28th. Depending on number of entries received, starting and ending dates may vary by a day or two.  Entries must be submitted electronically, and be received four weeks prior to event start.

Senior Mixed (age 50 and over), Silver Fox (Summerside), Dec 10-13

Pepsi Juniors (age 20 and under), Maple Leaf (O’Leary) , Dec 18-22

Island Petroleum Junior Mixed (age 20 and under), Silver Fox (Summerside), Dec 26-29

Scotties (Women’s), Montague, Jan 2-5

Labatt Tankard Men’s Open, Silver Fox(Summerside), Jan 21-24

Masters (age 60 and over), Crapaud Community, Jan 25-28

Labatt Tankard Men’s Final 8, Western Community (Alberton), Feb. 2-7

Ferguson Funeral Homes Stick, Crapaud Community, Feb 15-17

PEI Credit Unions Seniors (age 50 and over), Charlottetown, Feb 16-22

Sylvan Learning 17 and Under, Silver Fox (Summerside), Feb 18-22

M&M Meat Shops Mixed, Crapaud Community, Mar 4-7

M&M Meat Shops 15 and Under, Western Community (Alberton), Mar 4-7

KFC 12 and Under, Western Community (Alberton), Mar 12-14

The Dominion Curling Club Championship, Cornwall, Mar 18-21

Photo L-R: Executive Director Stephen Marchbank, President Shirley Lank, Past President Ray McCourt, Secretary Derek MacEwen. Missing from photo: 1st Vice-President Audrey Callaghan, 2nd VP Roddie MacLean, Treasurer Susan McInnis.

At the PEI Curling Association’s recent AGM, it was announced that Stephen Marchbank of Summerside has been hired as the Association’s new Executive Director, beginning June 1st. He replaces Greg Lucas, who is now working for Basketball Saskatchewan in Regina.  Marchbank is also responsible for basketball and rugby, as  part of Sport PEI’s Multi-Sport Executive Director program,  sponsored by the Canada/PEI Bilateral Agreement for the Advancement of Sport, jointly funded by Sport Canada and the PEI Department of Communities, Cultural Affairs and Labour, along with each participating sport.

 He may be reached by email at smarchbank@sportpei.pe.ca by phone at (902) 368-4986 or fax at (902) 368-4548.

The 2009-2010 PEICA Executive were sworn in at the meeting. The incoming president is Shirley Lank,  who also headed the organization in 2006. Audrey Callaghan moves up to 1st Vice President, while Roddie MacLean joins the executive at 2nd VP. Derek MacEwen returns as secretary, while Susan McInnis takes on the Treasurer role. Lank, MacLean, and MacEwen are members of the Cornwall Curling Club, while Callaghan curls out of the Western Community club in Alberton, and McInnis belongs to the Charlottetown Curling Club.

Past President is Ray McCourt from the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club in Summerside.

This is a reminder that the PEI Curling Association’s Annual General Meeting will take place Thursday,  May 28, beginning at 7 pm at the Crapaud Community Curling Club.

All PEI curling club members are welcome to attend.

Here is the information package for the meeting (PDF, 720K):

peicurling.com/minutes/peica2009agmpkg.pdf

OTTAWA…The Canadian Curling Association (CCA) has announced the sites of the three remaining national championships for the 2009-2010 season.
 
The 2010 Canadian Senior Men’s and Women’s Curling Championships will take place in Ottawa, March 20-28 at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club.   The winners of the 2010 Canadian Seniors will represent Canada at the 2011 World Seniors, at a site and date to be announced.  
 
The Canadian Seniors were last held in Ontario in 2002 in St. Thomas.  Ottawa has twice previously hosted the Seniors.  It staged the inaugural Canadian senior women’s championship in 1973 and the men’s event in 1976, when the championships were conducted separately, prior to being combined, starting in 1985 in Yorkton, Saskatchewan.
 
Manitoba and Ontario have each won 10 Canadian senior men’s titles since the championship began in 1965 in Port Arthur, while Ontario has also won a leading 10 women’s crowns since 1973.   Ontario (Bruce Delaney of Ottawa) and Nova Scotia (Colleen Pinkney of Truro) won the 2009 Canadian Seniors in Summerside, Prince Edward Island and will now represent Canada at the 2010 World Seniors in Chelyabinsk, Russia.  

The 2008 Canadian Senior champions, Eugene Hritzuk of Saskatchewan and Pat Sanders of British Columbia, recently won gold medals at the 2009 World Seniors in New Zealand.
 
The 2010 CIS/CCA University Curling Championships, presented by The Dominion, will take place at the Saville Sports Centre in Edmonton, March 10-14.   The winners will then represent Canada at the 2011 Winter Universiade (World University Games), January 27-February 6 in Erzurum, Turkey.
 
Last season, the CIS (Canadian Interuniversity Sport)/CCA championships were held in Montreal and won by teams from the University of Regina (skip Chris Busby) and Wilfrid Laurier University (skip Hollie Nicol), who will now represent Canada at the 2010 Karuizawa Invitational in Japan next February.

The 2010 TSX Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championship will be held March 16-21 at the Kelowna Curling Club in Kelowna, British Columbia.  Last season’s championship was contested in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia in March and won by British Columbia (skip Jim Armstrong) for a third consecutive year.  Armstrong, a former Brier competitor, had also previously skipped Canada to victory at the 2009 World Wheelchair Championship in Vancouver in February.
 
Previously announced Canadian/world championships for the 2009-2010 season include the Canadian Mixed, November 14-21 in Burlington, Ontario; M&M Meat Shops Canadian Juniors, January 16-24 in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec; Scotties Tournament of Hearts, January 30-February 7 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario; Tim Hortons Brier, March 6-14 in Halifax, Nova Scotia; World Juniors, March 6-14 in Flims, Switzerland; Ford World Women’s, March 20-28 in Swift Current, Saskatchewan; Canadian Masters, March 28-April 4 in Saint John, New Brunswick; World Men’s, April 3-11 in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy; World Mixed Doubles and World Seniors, April 16-24 in Chelyabinsk, Russia.
 
Other major curling events in Canada next season are the pre-Trials (Road to the Roar) in Prince George, British Columbia, November 10-14 and the Tim Hortons Canadian Curling Trials (Roar of the Rings), December 6-13 in Edmonton, which will determine Canada’s representatives for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, where the curling competition takes place from February 16-27, followed by the Paralympic Games, March 12-21, also in Vancouver at the Olympic Centre.

Here is a link to the draft minutes of the 2008 PEICA AGM, for approval at this year’s AGM:

peicurling.com/minutes/peicaagm2008.pdf

Link to written reports from the minutes:

peicurling.com/minutes/2008agmattachments.pdf

The following are the resolutions that have been submitted for consideration at the PEICA’s Annual General Meeting on May 28th:

1. Proposal to move entry deadline for all PEICA events to 6 weeks prior to start date and all registrations must be done online to be included in any event. These entries will be listed on the main PEI curling site as they are received.

2. Develop a draw committee with a member from each of the following events: (Tankard, Scotties, Senior Men and Women, and the Mixed). This committee will construct options on draws for these events depending on the club, amount of teams and time availability. They would then present the options to the teams and majority rules on the vote. This would happen 3-4 weeks out from the start date so lots of time to promote the event. Draw will be on the appropriate web site 3 weeks prior to the 1st day of the event.

3. Credit Union Seniors be broken into 2 clubs or 2 different dates if same club.

4. Head official be named to PEICA to oversee the 5 major events, bringing some consistency. All officials meet before the season and go over rules and situations that might come up, everyone on the same page.

5. Swapping of events or working together for their mutual benefit between clubs is legal as long as the clubs deal with it and can fit within the schedule and timelines of the existing schedule.

6. If Men’s open is 16 teams or under it would be over 1 weekend, and club that would host the final 8’s gets the event for that year. If 17 or more teams then would go with original schedule.

The following are the proposed dates and venues for the provincial curling championships held under the auspices of the PEI Curling Association for the 2009-2010 season. These dates will be confirmed at the PEICA’s Annual General Meeting on May 28th.

Senior Mixed (age 50 and over), Silver Fox (Summerside), Dec 10-13

Pepsi Juniors (age 20 and under), Maple Leaf (O’Leary) , Dec 18-22

Island Petroleum Junior Mixed (age 20 and under), Silver Fox (Summerside), Dec 26-29

Scotties (Women’s), Montague, Jan 2-5

Labatt Tankard Men’s Open, Silver Fox(Summerside), Jan 21-24

Masters (age 60 and over), Crapaud Community, Jan 25-28

Labatt Tankard Men’s Final 8, Western Community (Alberton), Feb. 2-7

Ferguson Funeral Homes Stick, Crapaud Community, Feb 15-17

PEI Credit Unions Seniors (age 50 and over), Charlottetown, Feb 18-22

Sylvan Learning 17 and Under, Silver Fox (Summerside), Feb 18-22

M&M Meat Shops Mixed, Crapaud Community, Mar 4-7

M&M Meat Shops 15 and Under, Western Community (Alberton), Mar 4-7

KFC 12 and Under, Western Community (Alberton), Mar 12-14

The Dominion Curling Club Championship, Cornwall, Mar 18-21

The PEI Curling Association’s Annual General Meeting will take place Thursday May 28, beginning at 7 pm at the Crapaud Community Curling Club. All curlers are invited to attend.

The annual Spud Isle Junior Curling Camp takes place August 10 and 11 2009 at the Crapaud Community Curling Club.

Cost of $100 per person includes on-ice training, video analysis, class room sessions, outdoor activities, meals, nutrition breaks, camp t-shirts, and more.

Registration deadline is Friday 19 June, with entries accepted on a first paid – first served basis.Gayle Johnston Links: Poster, Registration Form, Consent Form 

Curlers must be from 11-16 years of age, with at least one year of curling experience.

46 Kirkdale Rd. Box 3 Site 10

Charlottetown, PEI C1E 1N6

Cheques to be made payable to: Spud Isle Junior Curling Camp

FEDERATION OF CANADIAN MUNICIPALITIES - News Release
OTTAWA, May 11 /CNW Telbec/ - Statement by Jean Perrault, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and Mayor of Sherbrooke, Que:
“FCM welcomes today’s launch of the Recreational Infrastructure Canada RInC) program.RInC will create thousands of jobs across the country on projects that repair aging recreation facilities. With speedy project approvals, RInC can get funding to front-line infrastructure projects quickly enough to put shovels in the ground this construction season.
Not only will that help boost the economy, but it will deliver ongoing health and social benefits to cities and communities across the country. Quality hockey rinks, swimming pools, and other recreation facilities keep Canadians active, bring members of the community together, and give our children access to healthy pastimes.
The launch of RInC, and the addition of recreational infrastructure as an eligible category under the Building Canada Fund, opens the door to an increased federal role in building healthy, physically active cities and communities.
Almost half of Canadians are overweight or obese. One in 10 children is overweight, and the trend is growing. This has serious consequences,because excess weight is linked to many diseases and to premature death. Because one of the leading causes of obesity and related health problems is lack of physical activity, one of the most important ways to combat obesity and ensure the health and well-being of citizens is to enable physical activity.
Participation in sport and recreation is also widely accepted as a powerful contributor to personal and social development, particularly for individuals deemed to be ‘at risk.’ An increase in sport activity can result in better performance in school, reduced crime rates and reduced use of illicit drugs.
As project proposals are submitted and reviewed for RInC funding, the federal government must continue its efforts to secure cost-sharing agreements with every province and territory. Municipalities welcome the federal government’s commitment to provide one-third of project funding,but this funding must leverage matching contributions from provinces and territories so that municipal stimulus projects receive adequate funding.Under a full and fair funding partnership, municipalities can put the RInC program to work creating jobs and improving recreation facilities in all parts of the country.”
For further information:
http://www.wd.gc.ca/eng/home.asp
Contact Maurice Gingues at 613-907-6395, mgingues@fcm.ca

Six of the 13 founders of the Cornwall Curling Club, five of whom still curl there regularly, were on hand for the unveiling of a plaque in their honour, Friday night at the club’s Annual General Meeting.

Photo (L-R): Don Gorveatt, Ernie Stavert, Roy Coffin, Rupert Sweetapple, Gordie Hermann,  Al MacCormac

Three of the founders (Rodney Walsh, Wylie Barrett, and Bill MacLaren) passed away in the last few years. Robert Burns, David Burt, Robert Perrin, and Gary Cameron, no longer living in the Cornwall  area, round out the 13 founders.

As well as organizing the startup of the club, which opened in January 1982, the founders each put up $1000 guarantees to back the startup loan. The final payment on the loan was made this year, and the club is experiencing continued success, with revenues and membership up slightly over last year, at a time when many curling clubs across the country are experiencing a decline.

The PEI Curling Association is accepting nominations for the 2009 ADL curling awards, set for June 10th at 6:30 pm at the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club in Summerside. Nominations are for the following categories: Junior Male, Junior Female, Adult Male, Adult Female, Coach, Official, Volunteer and Team of the year. Please send nominations along with a brief write-up of 2008-09 achievements  to Derek MacEwen at derek@derekmacewen.com  by the May 20th deadline. For more information contact Greg Lucas at 368-4986 or glucas@sportpei.pe.ca.

The PEI Curling Association is looking for a treasurer for the 2009-2010 season. This person will attend Board meetings, assist with budgeting, and, with the help of the Executive Director,  oversee the bookkeeping of the Association. The position is for one year (may be renewed), and receives an honorarium of $1500, If interested or for more information, please contact Greg Lucas at glucas@sportpei.pe.ca by May 14.

DUNEDIN, New Zealand (CCA) — Canada scored double gold for the second year in a row at the 2009 World Senior Curling Championships.

Canada’s Pat Sanders thrashed Switzerland’s Renate Nedkoff 10-1 to win the women’s championship. The Canadians, from Victoria, British Columbia, scored four in the first end and then added five additional stolen points over the next three ends to overwhelm the Swiss.

In the men’s final, Canada’s Eugene Hritzuk and his foursome from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan faced a strong challenge from the United States, skipped by Paul Pustovar.

The Americans took one in the first end and then stole the third for a 2-0 lead. The Canadians replied with a single in the fourth end but then wrestled steals in both the fifth and sixth frames for a 3-2 lead.

With the score tied coming home, Hritzuk made an open takeout for one and a narrow 4-3 victory.

“It was quite a ride here this week,” said Hritzuk.

“I’d have to say if you were a fan you’d have to enjoy that game. Momentum swings, some steals, a comeback, and then tied up coming home and having to make the last shot to win.

“It’s great for fans.”

Both Canadian teams went undefeated, with the men finishing 7-0 and the women setting a 9-0 mark.
 
Sanders, who captured the 1987 world women’s title, was supported by Cheryl Noble, Roselyn Craig and Christine Jurgenson. It was Canada’s second straight senior women’s title after Diane Foster’s win at Vierumaki, Finland in 2008.

Hritzuk, who finished second to 2008 world senior men’s champion Pat Ryan back in the 1988 Canadian men’s championship, was supported by Kevin Kalthoff, Verne Anderson and Dave Folk.

Pustovar, a former U.S. men’s champion, was skipping the 2006 world senior silver medal squad led by Brian Simonson, who now plays third.

Switzerland’s Nedkoff won world senior bronze in 2008.

Sanders defeated Sweden’s Ingrid Meldahl, the 2007 world champion, by an 8-4 count in one semifinal while the Swiss upended Scotland’s Marion Craig 7-6 in the other semi. Sweden defeated Scotland by a 6-2 count to win the bronze medal.

Hritzuk scored a narrow 8-7 win over Switzerland’s Andre Pauli in one men’s semifinal, while Pustovar took out 2007 world senior champion Keith Prentice of Scotland 6-5 in the other semi. The Americans took two in the eighth end and then stole the extra end for the victory.

Scotland went on to thump the Swiss 9-3 for the men’s bronze medal.

The 2009 World Seniors is the first world curling championship to be hosted in the Southern Hemisphere.

(from www.sportpei.pe.ca)

Multi-Sport Executive Director (MSED)

 The MSED will act as the Executive Director of 3 provincial sport organizations (basketball, curling, rugby) and will be responsible to each of the Board of Directors with respect to athlete, coach, official and program development, the business affairs of each organization, as well as maintaining an effective communication system among volunteers, and related sport bodies.

The ideal candidate has:

·         a post-secondary education in a related field or comparable work experience

·         superior organizational and communication skills;

·         strong computer based background in word processing, spreadsheets and web-based activities

·         the ability to work evenings and weekends;

·         experience  working with volunteer sport organizations

 It is a contract position with the term ending March 31, 2010.  There is a possibility of a renewal in April 2010.

 Interested candidates must provide a resume and covering letter by Friday, May 8, 2009 to:

Sport PEI Inc.
P.O. Box 302
Charlottetown, PE
C1A 7K7

sports@sportpei.pe.ca.

Att: MSED Selection Committee

 The MSED Program is sponsored by the Canada/PEI Bilateral Agreement for the Advancement of Sport, jointly funded by Sport Canada and the PEI Department of Communities, Cultural Affairs and Labour.

(CCA) The melody of the “Shore Thing” theme song resonated throughout the Metro Centre – and the World Trade and Conference Centre - during the 2003 Brier.  And it’s guaranteed to shoot to the top of the curling charts again when the Tim Hortons Brier presented by Monsanto returns to Halifax March 6 – 14, 2010.
After setting attendance records in 2003, the Maritime city bounced back with another classic in 2005 as the host of the Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings – and preview for the Brad Gushue team’s Olympic gold medal triumph.
You don’t want to miss the Tim Hortons Brier in Canadian curling’s party central…  so get your tickets now!
Full event passes are available - including all round robin draws, tie breakers, playoffs, semi-finals and final - ensuring a minimum of 21 games.
Gold - $469
Silver - $369
Bronze - $269
* plus service charges and GST
Call for tickets at (902) 451-1221 or go online to seasonofchampions.ca

Helen Robbins of Montague, who, along with her husband Hugh, was an inaugural member of the PEI Curling Hall of Fame, passed away Wednesday at the Kings County Memorial Hospital in Montague. Helen was also a recipient of the Order of Prince Edward Island.

Photo: Hugh and Helen Robbins at Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Nov. 2007

Here is the citation from their induction ceremony into the PEI Curling Hall of Fame  in November 2007:

Helen Robbins and Hugh Robbins  

Two names that have been synonymous with the game of curling are Helen and Hugh Robbins. The Robbins joined the old Montague Curling Club in 1964. Hugh was Vice - President of the Club the last few years of its existence, and was on the Building Committee for the new Club and the Project Manager for its construction when it was built in 1978. He was Vice - President in 1980-1981… then President in 1981-1982, and was on the Board for the next several years as Bar Manager, Chair of Maintenance, and Chair of Games at different times.

Helen held Executive positions on the new club, including President in 1983 - 84, and has helped organize and supervise the Junior Development Program at the Club. She has represented the Club at the Provincial Ladies Association for many years…. was on the Committee which wrote the Constitution and Bylaws for the proposed amalgamation of the PEI Curling Association and the PEI Ladies Curling Association. She became Vice - President for three years from 1988 to 1991… then President of the new Association in 1991 - 92, and Past President in 1992 - 93. Helen served as the Provincial Representative to the meetings of the Canadian Curling Association from 1989 to 1992. In 1997, she was honoured to be a member of the Canada - USA Senior Women’s Friendship Tour to Wisconsin and Illinois. Helen Robbins reached her Level One Coaching Certificate and Level 3 officiating……. coaching and/or chaperoning many Junior Teams at Provincial competitions, and officiating at countless club, provincial and national events, including Canada Winter Games, National Mixed, and Scott Tournament of Hearts. She was also Chair, or on the Committee for the Fashion Show from 1992 to 2006…. and both she and Hugh have sponsored a Junior Competition at the Montague Curling Club for the past 20 years. For her untiring work with curling and many other facets of her community, Helen received the highest honour bestowed by this Province, on October 3rd, 2007.. the Order of Prince Edward Island.

Hugh Robbins represented the Montague Club at the Provincial Level…. he was Vice - President of the PEI Curling Association in 1981 - 82… President in 1982 - 83, and Past President in 1983 - 1984….. receiving the PEI Curling Association Recognition Award. Both Hugh and Helen were given Life Memberships to the PEI Curling Association in 2007…. Helen had earlier received a Life Membership to the Montague Curling Club in 1993, and a National Coaching Award and a Scott Recognition Award in that same year.

Hugh became a Level 3 official, like Helen… officiating at Provincial and National events, including the Canada Winter Games, National Mixed and Scott Tournament of Hearts.

For many, many years, this husband and wife team were the mainstay of their club during Bonspiels…. arriving early… helping to officiate and assisting in many other ways…. and staying to clean up!

Helen and Hugh Robbins, most worthy recipients of the Honour that is their’s tonight as they are inducted, as Builders, into the Prince Edward Island Curling Hall of Fame and Museum on this 15th day of November 2007.

Here is the Funeral announcement:

Helen Margaret Robbins (1929-2009)

With grace and dignity, as she had lived, Helen Robbins (nee Behm) passed away at the Kings County Memorial Hospital in Montague on Wednesday, April 29, 2009.

She leaves to mourn her devoted husband and best friend, Hugh Robbins, Montague; children, Anne (Harvey) MacEwen, Summerside; Terry (Doris), Bedford, N.S.; Donnie (Yolanda), Belfast; Leslie (Kathy), Kilmuir; Joyce (Mike) Cavanagh, Kemptville, Ont.; and Phillip (Faye), Charlottetown.

Loving grandmother to 18 and “Grammie Great” to three. She will be greatly missed by her siblings, Thelma MacLeod, Orwell; Wynn (Maggie) Behm, Rosedale, B.C.; and Sheila (Brian) Kerr, Bayside, N.B.

Predeceased by her much loved parents, Harold and Sally Behm and her brother, Teryl at 14 months.

Resting at Ferguson’s Montague Funeral Home until Saturday, then to St. Andrew’s United Church, Vernon, for funeral service at 10:30 a.m.

Interment in the church cemetery. Visitation Friday 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.

If so desired, memorials to Kings County Memorial Hospital, St. Andrew’s United Memorial Fund or the Junior Curling Program, Montague, would be appreciated.

(http://www.fergusonsfh.com/Obituaries/44598/)

PEI curler Suzanne Birt and husband Trevor are the proud parents of a baby girl! Jesse Sandra Birt, weighing eight pounds, was born April 29 at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The Birts reside in West Covehead. Suzanne plans to return to competitive curling in the fall.

OTTAWA, April 22, 2009 (CCA)… The Canadian Curling Association today confirmed the 16 men’s and 16 women’s teams which have qualified for either the Tim Hortons ‘Roar of the Rings’ Canadian Curling Trials in Edmonton, Alberta or the pre-Trials ‘Road to the Roar’ event in Prince George, British Columbia.

Four men’s and four women’s teams have earned berths directly into the Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings, presented by Monsanto, December 6-13, 2009 at the 15,000-seat Rexall Place. They will be joined by four other men’s and four other women’s teams who will participate in the 12-team (men and women) pre-Trials competition at the 6,000-seat CN Centre, November 10-14.

Advancing directly to the Trials are teams skipped by Kevin Martin, Kevin Koe and Randy Ferbey, all of Edmonton, Glenn Howard of Coldwater, Ontario, Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg, Shannon Kleibrink and Cheryl Bernard of Calgary and Stefanie Lawton of Saskatoon.

The teams qualified by winning three specific events over a three-season period (2006-2009) or by their cumulative points total on the Canadian Team Ranking System (CTRS) during that time.

Martin, a four-time Brier winner, 2008 world champion and 2002 Olympic silver medallist, won the 2007 Players’ Championship, 2008 Tim Hortons Brier and world men’s title, while Howard, a three-time world champion, captured the 2007 Brier and Ford world men’s and 2008 Players’ Championship.

Koe, winner of the 2008 Canada Cup, and Ferbey, a six-time Brier and four-time world champion, both qualified via their CTRS points total during the last three seasons. Ferbey clinched his spot by winning last weekend’s Players’ Championship in Grande Prairie, Alberta.

The Jones team was the first to qualify directly for the Trials, after taking the 2007 Canada Cup and Players’ Championship and 2008 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, prior to winning a 2008 world title as well. Kleibrink, winner of this year’s Canada Cup, Bernard and Lawton, the 2008 Canada Cup winner, all qualified via their CTRS points total during the last three seasons.

The Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings will be an eight-team round robin competition, with the first place finishers advancing to their respective finals, while the second and third place teams meet in semi-finals. TSN will provide complete event coverage. For ticket information, visit www.seasonofchampions.ca.

The winners will, of course, then represent Canada at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, where the curling competition takes place February 16-27 at the Vancouver Olympic Centre.

The women’s teams at the pre-Trials Road to the Roar event, a triple knockout format, include 2007 world champion Kelly Scott of Kelowna, former Canadian junior champion Marie-France Larouche of St-Romuald, Quebec, 1998 Canadian champion Cathy King of Edmonton, 2008 Players’ champion Amber Holland of Kronau, Saskatchewan, 2001 Trials runner-up Sherry Anderson of Saskatoon and Ottawa’s 20-year-old Rachel Homan, the youngest skip in the group, who was the runner-up at the 2009 M&M Meat Shops Canadian Juniors in Salmon Arm, British Columbia.

The men’s field includes reigning Olympic gold medallist Brad Gushue of St. John’s, two-time Brier and one-time world champions Jeff Stoughton and Kerry Burtnyk, both of Winnipeg, two-time world champion Wayne Middaugh of Toronto, 2006 Brier winner Jean-Michel Ménard of St-Romuald, 2000 world champion Greg McAulay of Richmond, British Columbia and former world junior champion Bob Ursel of Kelowna.

For ticket information, visit www.seasonofchampions.ca. TSN will also provide coverage of the pre-Trials, televising the A, B and C finals.

A complete list of all teams, including seeding for the Trials and pre-Trials, is attached. A breakdown of
the 32 teams shows nine from Alberta (five women’s, four men’s), six from Saskatchewan (four women’s, two men’s), five from Manitoba (one women’s, four men’s), five from Ontario (three women’s, two men’s), three from British Columbia (one women’s, two men’s), three from Quebec (two women’s, one men’s) and one men’s team from Newfoundland/Labrador. More information is available at www.curling.ca.

The Trials will be the fifth such competition to determine Canada’s representatives at the Winter Olympics.

In 1987, the Trials were held in Calgary and won by Vancouver’s Linda Moore and Calgary’s Ed Lukowich. The following year, at the 1988 Olympic Winter Games in Calgary, when curling was a demonstration sport, Moore won a gold medal while Lukowich received a bronze medal.

In 1997, the Trials were staged in Brandon, Manitoba and won by Toronto’s Mike Harris and Regina’s Sandra Schmirler. Schmirler went on to win a gold medal at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano (Karuizawa), Japan, while Harris earned a silver medal, as curling became an official medal sport.

In 2001 in Regina, the Trials were captured by Edmonton’s Kevin Martin and New Westminster’s Kelley Law. Martin then earned a silver medal at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City (Ogden), Utah, while Law took home a bronze medal.

At the 2005 Tim Hortons Canadian Curling Trials in Halifax, Brad Gushue of St. John’s and Shannon Kleibrink of Calgary emerged victorious. Gushue went on to win a gold medal at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin (Pinerolo), Italy, the first time Canada had won the men’s competition, while Kleibrink earned a bronze medal.

TEAMS FOR THE 2009 TIM HORTONS CANADIAN CURLING TRIALS, DECEMBER 6-13 IN EDMONTON AND THE 2009 PRE-TRIALS, NOVEMBER 10-14 IN PRINCE GEORGE, BC

2009 Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings
# denotes seed for Trials

Women

1. Jennifer Jones (Winnipeg, MB)
2. Shannon Kleibrink (Calgary, AB)
3. Cheryl Bernard (Calgary, AB)
4. Stefanie Lawton (Saskatoon, SK)

Men

1. Kevin Martin (Edmonton, AB)
2. Glenn Howard (Coldwater, ON)
3. Kevin Koe (Edmonton, AB)
4. Randy Ferbey (Edmonton, AB)

2009 Road to the Roar (Pre-Trials)
# denotes seed for Pre-Trials

Women

1. Kelly Scott (Kelowna, BC)
2. Sherry Middaugh (Coldwater, ON)
3. Marie-France Larouche (St-Romuald, QC)
4. Michelle Englot (Regina, SK)
5. Heather Rankin (Calgary, AB)
6. Rachel Homan (Ottawa, ON)
7. Crystal Webster (Calgary, AB)
8. Cathy King (Edmonton, AB)
9. Krista McCarville (Thunder Bay, ON)
10. Amber Holland (Kronau, SK)
11. Eve Bélisle (Montreal, QC)
12. Sherry Anderson (Saskatoon, SK)

Men

1. Jeff Stoughton (Winnipeg, MB)
2. Wayne Middaugh (Toronto, ON)
3. Brad Gushue (St. John’s, NL)
4. Mike McEwen (Winnipeg, MB)
5. Kerry Burtnyk (Winnipeg, MB)
6. Joel Jordison (Moose Jaw, SK)
7. Jean-Michel Ménard (St-Romuald, QC)
8. Ted Appelman (Edmonton, AB)
9. Bob Ursel (Kelowna, BC)
10. Pat Simmons (Davidson, SK)
11. Greg McAulay (Richmond, BC)
12. Jason Gunnlaugson (Beausejour, MB)

Note: Four women’s and four men’s teams will qualify from the Pre-Trials and advance to the 2009 Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings.

GRANDE PRAIRIE, ALTA., April 19, 2009 – Randy Ferbey (Edmonton, Alta.) secured the fourth and final direct berth into the 2009 Canadian Trials today after defeating defending champion Glenn Howard (Coldwater, Ont.) 10-7 in the finals of the Grey Power Players’ Championship, the season’s last 2008-09 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling event. Held at the Crystal Centre in Grande Prairie, Alta., the six-day tournament concluded with a total attendance of 40,125.

With the score tied 7-7 in the eighth, Ferbey’s foursome secured their second career Players’ Championship title and a berth in the Trials, on the game’s final shot when fourth Dave Nedohin made a delicate open takeout for three points.

“Who would have thought it would come down to (that),” said Ferbey. ” After three years of trying to (get into) the Trials. Coming down to the last shot of the last game of the year to secure that. It was unbelievable.”

A loss by Ferbey in today’s final would have allowed Wayne Middaugh (Midland, Ont.) to grab the final direct Trials spot.

The Grey Power Players’ Championship represented the final opportunity for teams to earn points towards securing a direct berth into the Canadian Trials event or a spot into the Canadian Pre-Trials tournament.

Trailing Howard 2-1 after two ends, Team Ferbey broke open the game in the third after Nedohin executed a difficult double takeout to score four points.

“We just had one end that got away from us,” said Howard.

Howard stormed back in the next frame, making an open draw for three points to tie the game at 5-5 heading into the fourth end break.

Ferbey’s victory was his third career Capital One Grand Slam of Curling event title and his first since winning the 2006 Players’ Championship in Calgary, Alta. As tournament champions with a perfect record of 6-0, Ferbey won $25,000 (CDN) and earned 40.000 Canadian Team Ranking System (CTRS) points.

Team Ferbey’s win at the Grey Power Players’ Championship also propelled the squad into second place in the Capital One Cup standings. By finishing second to Howard’s team in the inaugural points race, Ferbey’s foursome earned an additional $25,000 (CDN) bonus.

Howard clinched the Capital One Cup’s $50,000 (CDN) first place prize yesterday after defeating Mike McEwen (Winnipeg, Man.) in the tournament’s semi-finals. By finishing second at the Grey Power Players’ Championship with a record of 5-1, Howard’s squad took home an additional $16,000 (CDN) along with 30.000 CTRS points.

Canadian champion Kevin Martin (Edmonton, Alta.) finished third in the Capital One Cup standings, earning a $10,000 (CDN) bonus.

Held annually since 2001-02, the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling is a series of eight premier men’s and women’s events that boast Canada’s deepest and strongest curling fields.

The Capital One Grand Slam of Curling was one of a select few events that are tied to the Canadian Curling Association’s qualifying process for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. Through their performance in the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling events, rinks could earn points towards securing a berth at the 2009 Canadian Trials or the 2009 Canadian Pre-Trials event.

GRANDE PRAIRIE, ALTA., April 18, 2009 – Jennifer Jones (Winnipeg, Man.) captured her third career Grey Power Players’ Championship title in the tournament’s four year history today after sliding past Shannon Kleibrink (Calgary, Alta.) 9-7 in the championship game of the season’s final Capital One Grand Slam of Curling event, taking place at the Crystal Centre in Grande Prairie, Alta.

The championship was Jones’ fifth career Capital One Grand Slam of Curling event title. As tournament champions, Jones, who finished with a record of 6-1, won $25,000 (CDN) and earned 40.000 Canadian Team Ranking System (CTRS) points.

The reigning Canadian champion also won the season’s Capital One Cup title, earning a $50,000 (CDN) bonus. The $75,000 (CDN) in total prize money was most the team’s ever earned in one day.

“It’s definitely a big pay day,” said Jones. “It’s pretty exciting. It was a great game.”

Trailing 2-1 after two ends, Jones grabs her first lead of the game in the third after Kleibrink couldn’t tap her own rock into the eight-foot, resulting in two-point steal.

Another steal of one in the fourth, extended Jones’ lead to 4-2.

Kleibrink reclaimed the lead in the fifth after capitalizing on a pair of Team Jones miscues to set up a nose hit for three points.

Jones surged ahead to a 6-5 lead in the sixth after making an open draw for two points.

“It was big to get the two in six,” added Jones. “That was probably the turning point. And obviously we played a really good last end.”

After Kleibrink bounced back in the seventh, with an open hit for two points and a 7-6 lead, Jones won the championship in the eighth end after making a takeout on the game’s final shot to score three points.

“We just weren’t sharp,” said Kleibrink. “The ice was a bit different. We didn’t pick up on it early and we just missed a couple of key shots here and there.”

By finishing second with a record of 5-1, Kleibrink’s squad took home $16,000 (CDN) along with 30.000 CTRS points. The Calgary-based squad also finished third in the Capital One Cup standings, earning an additional $10,000 (CDN).

In this morning’s semi-final matches, Jones advanced to the final with an 8-4 victory over Cheryl Bernard (Calgary, Alta.) while Kleibrink moved into the championship game with an 8-3 win over Kelly Scott (Kelowna, B.C.).

After defeating Bernard, Jones mathematically clinched first place in the Capital One Cup.

“You could see how close the points were coming into the Players’ Championship,” said Jones. “All the teams are so close and even. To come out and be the winners of the Capital One Cup, we’re pretty excited about it.”

Team Bernard earned a bonus of $25,000 (CDN) after finishing second in the Capital One Cup standings with 37 points, 10 points behind Jones. Kleibrink finished with 34 points.

Featuring a total purse of $170,000, the Capital One Cup is a points-based competition that awards each women’s and men’s curling team a point value based on their performance during each Capital One Grand Slam of Curling event.

In the men’s draw, Kevin Koe (Edmonton, Alta.), Jeff Stoughton (Winnipeg, Man.) and Ted Appelman (Edmonton, Alta.) secured the final three quarterfinal berths at the Grey Power Players’ Championship after each won their respective “C” bracket final.

Koe powered past Wayne Middaugh (Midland, Ont.) 6-1 while Stoughton doubled up Dale Matchett (Churchill, Ont.) 6-3. Appelman grabbed the final playoff berth with a 6-4 win over Joel Jordison (Moose Jaw, Sask.).

The men’s quarterfinals are set for this afternoon at 4:30 p.m. MT. The playoff match-ups feature Glenn Howard (Coldwater, Ont.) vs. Appelman, Brad Gushue (St. John’s, Nfld.) vs. Mike McEwen (Winnipeg, Man.), Randy Ferbey (Edmonton, Alta.) vs. Koe and Kevin Martin (Edmonton, Alta.) vs. Stoughton.

Earlier today, Stefanie Lawton (Saskatoon, Sask.) secured the fourth and final direct berth to the 2009 Canadian Trials after Kleibrink eliminated Scott in the semi-finals. Scott needed to win the Grey Power Players’ Championship in order to move ahead of Lawton in the race for the final direct Trials berth.

The Grey Power Players’ Championship represents the final opportunity for teams to earn points towards securing a direct berth into the 2009 Canadian Olympic Trials event or a spot into the 2009 Canadian Olympic Pre-Trials tournament.

As the official television broadcaster of the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling, CBC Television will air the men’s final on Sunday, April 19 at 10:00 a.m. MT. Additionally, on Saturday, April 18, CBC’s digital channel bold will present live coverage of the men’s quarterfinals at 4:30 p.m. MT and live coverage of the men’s semi-finals at 8:00 p.m. MT.

Held annually since 2001-02, the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling is a series of eight premier men’s and women’s events that boast Canada’s deepest and strongest curling fields.

The Capital One Grand Slam of Curling is one of a select few events that are tied to the Canadian Curling Association’s qualifying process for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. Through their performance in the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling events, rinks can earn points towards securing a berth at the 2009 Canadian Trials or the 2009 Canadian Pre-Trials event.