RELEASE — The Royal Kingston Curling Club is celebrating 200 years of curling, camaraderie and competition with the launch of its 2019 – 2020 season.
Founded in 1820, the Royal Kingston Curling Club is North America’s second-oldest curling club, junior only to the Royal Montreal Curling Club, formed in 1807.
The celebrations begin with a gala dinner on Friday, September 27, 2019 at the Ambassador Hotel and Conference Centre featuring curling “rock stars” Russ Howard and Cheryl Bernard.
Almost 400 tickets have been sold to this event, whose highlights include the world premiere of the Royal Kingston Curling Club Bagpipe March, a “cry” by Kingston’s town crier Chris Whyman, the unveiling of a commemorative quilt, and a silent auction. The Tim Hortons Brier trophy will be on display and a commemorative beer by the Riverhead Brewing Company will be available.
On Saturday, September 28, Russ Howard and Cheryl Bernard will conduct on-ice coaching sessions and an off-ice strategy session at the Royal Kingston Curling Club on Days Road. Howard is a two-time Canadian men’s Brier champion, two-time World champion, Olympic gold medallist, member of the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame and Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame and a Member of the Order of Canada. Bernard is an Olympic silver medallist, four-time Alberta provincial champion, member of the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and President and Chief Executive Officer of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. Both are curling analysts for TSN.
On Saturday, October 19, a tree-planting ceremony and plaque unveiling will be held at the club. To honour the club’s military roots a Vimy oak will be planted.
In 2020, a special version of the Empire Life Mixed Bonspiel will be held from Friday, February 7 through Saturday, February 8, 2020.
It was important to the 200 th Anniversary Committee to promote curling in the community and so, with the sponsorship of Tim Hortons, the Rocks & Rings program will be introduced to four local schools and students in Grades 7 and 8 from those schools will be invited to try curling at the Royal Kingston Curling Club on October 11, November 29, January 10, and February 21.
In March 2020 the Brier will return to Kingston to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the Royal Kingston Curling Club. A good number of club members will participate as volunteers and
many are already working behind the scenes to make this event a success.
Throughout the season at RKCC, in-house events and bonspiels will pay tribute to the club’s 200th anniversary and its storied history.
Release: Submitted
Photo: Maxpixel (cc)
