Digby curling club serves up ugly sweaters on the rocks
Adorned in the ugliest and silliest sweaters they could round up, a couple dozen members of the Digby Curling Club met up Dec. 29 for their second annual Ugly Sweater Bonspiel.
It’s an annual evening filled with laughs, refreshments and somewhat serious curling. The sweaters caused most of the laughter, while the curling teams get downright competitive. As the games were announced, whoops of laughter and shouts of “You’re going down” came from members of the opposing teams.
Colleen Murray is the club’s treasurer and one of several event organizers. She said the event is designed as a fun night out and as a way to help raise the profile of the club. Currently sitting with 40 members, Murray said the club is always seeking new participants and people are welcome to jump in anytime during the season.
“We welcome anyone who wants to come out and try it,” Murray said. “It’s a lot of fun and there are always people here willing to help people learn to curl.”
Murray pointed to the crowd as she spoke.
“We’ve got some of the older crowd, some middle-aged folks and some new parents, who are always rushing off to pick up their Members of the Digby Curling Club gathered Dec. 29 for the club’s annual Ugly Sweater Bonspiel. Left, club treasurer, Colleen Murray and club member, Sheri Stoodley assist club vice president, Rob Lewis with sweeping the rock he just threw on behalf of their team. kids,” Murray said. “We have a good mix of people of all ages.” Club president Keith Weagle and his partner Nicole Oliver, or as she prefers, ‘the first lady of curling’, held a mock fight over the ugly sweater trophy at the Digby Curling Club’s annual Ugly Sweater Bonspiel.
Teams were competing last Friday night for the fun trophy designed by club member, Margie Morgan.
Murray added that Morgan and club member Ed McCormick run a junior curling program on Thursday nights, starting at 6:30 p.m. Murray said the pair are going to be reaching out to schools in the area to see if there is interest in getting students involved in a curling program.
The club has some interested upcoming events on its roster: Digby Curling Club is hosting the 2018 Nova Scotia Police Curling Association Championship from Jan. 12 to 14, with competing teams of peace officers arriving in Digby from across the province to compete for their annual honours and trophy. There’s a club-based Lobster Spiel in February and their big Shamrock Spiel on the March 17 weekend that attracts teams from the Annapolis Valley and Clare.
Anyone interested in getting in on the fun can reach out to current club president, Keith Weagle at 902-247-0561 or by email to: digbycurlingclub@gmail.com Digby curling club members, from left, Jenna Milbury, Suellen Wood, club secretary Dawn Thomas, Maria Hersey, Cindy O’Neil, Sheri Stoodley and, lying down in front, club treasurer Colleen Murray, gathered to show off their fun, ugly sweaters at the club’s annual Ugly Sweater Bonspiel.