Schmirler’s daughter set to deliver tribute
GRANDE PRAIRIE, ALTA. • Sara England wasn’t even six months old when she attended her first Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
The year was 1998. Sara’s mother, Sandra Schmirler, had just finished skipping her Canadian foursome — also consisting of third Jan Betker, second Joan McCusker and lead Marcia Gudereit — to a gold medal at the Winter Olympic Games in Japan.
There was little time to rest for Schmirler, being that she was to skip Team Canada at the Canadian women’s curling championship tournament. Conveniently enough, the event was being held at Regina’s Agridome (now the Brandt Centre).
Before and after every draw, Schmirler and her daughter were inseparable. The previous December, Schmirler had referred to Sara as “my best delivery” after making a miraculous shot in the women’s final at the Canadian Olympic trials in Brandon.
And now, 18 years after her introductory Scotties, Sara is again conspicuous at the event. She is in Grande Prairie with her father (Shannon England), 16- year- old sister ( Jenna) and grandmother (Shirley Schmirler).
The family is here to honour the accomplishments and memory of Sandra Schmirler, who died of cancer in 2000 at age 36, and to support a wonderful cause that carries her good name.
An annual telethon was held Sunday at the Scotties to benefit the Sandra Schmirler Foundation, which provides assistance to newborn intensive care units across Canada.
For the second successive year, Schmirler’s daughters are at the Scotties to help out in any way possible.
“It means a lot ,’’ Sara added. “It’s just awesome to finally say that I’m a part of what the foundation is doing. Everyone thought that we already were part of it, just because of who our mom was, but now Jenna and I can finally say that we are helping with the foundation and that’s what makes all the difference, honestly.”
The contributions aren’t always monetary in nature. Even a few words of reminiscence can be a gift.
“With all the stories I’ve heard of how my mom was such a caring and giving person, I think it’s important to me — I can’t speak for Jenna — that I’m going to try and be caring and giving and carry on what she did,” Sara said. “I want to do just as much as she did. I don’t want to let her down in any kind of way. I want to live up to everything she did. Being a part of her legacy right now is everything, really.”
DAWN OF A NEW ERA: There is a decided curling flavour to the McEwen residence.
Dawn McEwen of Winnipeg is the lead for the Jennifer Jones-skipped Team Canada at the Scotties. Dawn’s husband, Mike McEwen, is also an accomplished curler — someone who is about to represent Manitoba at the Brier for the first time.“We’ve both been able to take things from each other,” Dawn said Sunday. “Every now and then, Mike will come and practise with me, and I love getting feedback from him. I trust his feedback 100 per cent.”