Details of Curling Event Announced

The organizing committee for the Bob Picken – Valour Road Masters Bonspiel at Thistle Curling Club, to be held September 30 – October 4, has finalized plans to create a Bob Picken Legacy Fund in support of junior curling in Manitoba. The committee will present a pair of $500 Bob Picken Legacy Fund grants to support Manitoba junior curling programs annually in each of the next five years.

“Bob was a great supporter and promoter of curling at every age and level of competition and we can’t think of a better way to honour his memory than to help ensure the future of the sport in Manitoba through these grants to support the development of junior curling,” say bonspiel Co-Chairs Bob Minaker and Brian Kushner.

The committee will circulate application information to Manitoba curling clubs in the near future and hopes to be able to present the two 2019-20 season cheques by December 1, 2019

CurlManitoba will assist the committee with coordination of the information flow to clubs and junior programs and will further assist by a preliminary assessment and short-listing of the applications. The final decision on the grants to be awarded each year will be made by the Valour Road Senior League executive which includes members of the Bonspiel Committee.

To support the objective of growing the future of curling, eligible Junior programs will be developing or emerging Junior Curling Programs in Manitoba rather than already established and successful programs. Priority will be given to affiliated CurlManitoba clubs with a longer-term junior program plan and a demonstrated volunteer base and affiliated clubs working closely with schools to develop curling programs and/or leagues at the Junior or High School level.  

Grants will be provided for initiatives including, but not limited to:

• Training aids, equipment, supplies
• Curling Instructor/Coach Training
• Curling supplies for youth (such as slip-on sliders or protective headwear) or special adaptive equipment for youth with disabilities.
• Low cost promotional initiatives.
• Costs for a team and coach of junior program participants (minimum 4 junior program members plus a coach) to take advantage of High Performance Training opportunities

Participants in the bonspiel scheduled for September 30 – October 4, and other curling fans, will be invited to contribute to the Bob Picken Legacy Fund with the hope that it might be possible to present more than two grants in future years.

“We realize that we are working on a short time frame to make this year’s first junior legacy grants,” say Minaker and Kushner. “However, when we remember that Bob’s great media career was based on meeting his deadlines we just know we can make a tight timeline work on this project.”

The draw for the 30-team bonspiel will be announced by September 23 with the first games scheduled for September 30 at the Thistle Curling Club.