By Mary Angela White
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When Helen Robbins passed away in 2009, the Montague Curling Club suffered a dramatic loss, especially in the Junior Curlers program. Now, with the loss of her husband Hugh, on February 15, 2014 a chapter highlighting determination and accomplishments in the club’s record book has come to a close.
It was in the mid 1960s that major changes for the club took place. Both Hugh and his wife Helen were instrumental when the big decisions meant the long-time survival of the club.
“It was the time when curling clubs went from being private to an open-door policy.
“Hugh knew that was the future,” said George Koke, a long-time member of the club and friend of the Robbins.
Mr Koke describes Mr Robbins as a man of strong principles who was never afraid to step up, break up fights, or defend what he thought was right.
Matthew MacDonald and his dad, Barry, hold a photo of the committee instrumental in building the Montague Curling Club. Hugh Robbins is bottom left and he and his wife, Helen, were loyal and generous supporters of the club. Mary Angela White photo
At the time, the committee was divided over whether to pour a costly concrete pad, or make due with sand, as had been done in the past.
“I won’t say who was involved, but it almost came to fists out in the parking lot,” Mr Koke said.
The concrete pad went in, allowing the rink to continue to todays’ standards.
Mr Koke remembers Mr Robbins as a very generous man. Where Mrs Robbins was primarily involved with the Junior Curlers program, her husband did every job from sweeping floors to committee work to the presidency of the club.
“Whether it was looking after juniors or being a director, or president, mopping the floors, or looking after the juniors who couldn’t pay and paying it out of their own pocket, that was the way that they did it. They were the matriarch and patriarch of the club,” Mr Koke said.