Middleton Curling Club hands out Chase the Ace cash in fun finalé
“White ticket.”
With those two words about two-thirds of the ticket holders in Middleton Curling Club knew that they were not the lucky winners of the night, for a total of $19,380.
There were rolls and rolls of tickets sold last Friday, with all the money on the line, and the ace sitting in solitary splendor on the table. Tickets were a mixture of red, white, and blue, so the announcement the ticket drawn from the giant drum was white caused a chorus of groans and cat-calls from the many who had been waiting and hoping to be the winner.
Once the number was called out, there were requests for it to be repeated and then there was a period of relative quiet while all the white ticket holders worked out whether it was theirs. Then a shriek. And cheers from the table of Reg and Joan Penny as their friends celebrated their winning ticket.
There were a few moments of disbelief and double-checking but it was true and the celebration started with the happy couple accepting a cheque from MCC president Cody Spidle for the total of the night’s pot plus the ace. They still seemed a little shell-shocked while studying the payout for signs that their good luck was not real, but it was and by the time they returned to their table, the party had started amongst friends who have been loyal supporters of the event for months.
After such a long run, with the club open for the ace every Friday, the committee that has run the fundraiser is taking a little break. While everyone else could give the event a miss from time to time, the trio of Bonnie Morine, Ian Reesor, and Graham Bell have been there from the first night, 52 weeks ago. Everyone agrees they did a splendid job and one of the many side effects is many more people are aware of the club. Chase the Ace did not just benefit the youth programs but also brought new interest and awareness in the community.
What is next for MCC? The annual Christmas Fete with a ticket auction and bake sale on Dec. 8. The auction items are always a wonderland of high-quality gifts and seasonal items, and on the ice, a funspiel is taking place so there is entertainment as well. Ticket sales begin at 8 a.m., the curling starts at 10 a.m., and the ticket draw begins at 7 p.m. All winners will be notified by phone.
The club is open on Friday night from 5 to 7 p.m. for set-up and anyone interested in an advance viewing is welcome to drop in – but no tickets will be sold.
Information on club events is always available at www.middletoncurlingclub.com