Membership applications are up, mail outs are on the way!

And the 2010/11 season is off and running ...

The membership applications for curling this season at the Royal Kingston Curling Club, are now up and available for download. In fact, 4 members have already completed their applications ... and one has paid in full (thanks, Barry)!!

Those who rely on paper copies in the mail, should receive them later this week - pass the word.

If you have already taken a look at this year's forms, you should have discovered how easy it is to enter your data. Our web helper, Teresa Wilson, created a template to allow typed info to be printed from your printer - no more handwritting to decipher in the office - and submitted to the office. And, as 5 members have now discovered (while typing this, Mike Parks' application just arrived by this method) ... emailing them to the office also works.

At this time, there is no plan to take payments online, so you still have to submit payment by one of the following methods:

1. cheque


2. debit


3. cash

While credit cards are accepted for Bar, Proshop and Rental transactions, they are not accepted for club dues. Since the revenue generated from yearly dues is budgeted so tightly, giving the banks a cut off the top to process the transactions (1.5-2%) adds up too quickly ... we hope the members will continue to understand and appreciate this policy.

Much more to come ... keep checking back to the blog for updates.

Good Curling!!!

Don't get mad at me, given that it is still so sunny and warm, but ...

WAKE UP, CURLERS ... the 2010 Cards of Intent will be available beginning Monday, August 16 ... time to start thinking about getting back on the ice!!!

Yes, I know it seems like just last night that Ron Cameron and his team were capping off a impressive, late end comeback to win the Men's Club Championship. And, I am sure that it was only a day or two ago that Betty Bush and her Evening Ladies team, beat Betty Bush and her Day Ladies team, for the Carrie Cole Trophy(for those of you who are not members of RKCC, and have never seen a skip play against themselves, you are really missing out!!!).

But, the calendar doesn't lie ... the 2010/11 season is about to start gearing up.

Starting Monday, August 16, membership applications/card of intents will be available to all returning members, as well as to any new applicants looking to join the Royal Kingston Curling Club. The process is simple ... visit the RKCC website (here) and click on the link provided, to access, complete and download for printing, this year's membership application.

Once completed, mail them, or drop them off at the club ... which ever works for you. Also, you may scan and email the completed paperwork if that is easier. No matter how they arrive, each will be date stamped in the office and directed to the appropriate section.

REMEMBER - there are a few leagues where the timing of your return is important (i.e. Men's Flight). To help insure that you team is considered in a timely manner, complete your application early and get it into the club.

For those returning members who have not supplied the club with an active email address, we will mail their packages to them.

Copies of the member application will also be available in the office - please drop by the club if the above options somehow do not work for you. Office hours remain Monday to Friday, 9am - 4:30pm.

As I mentioned at the beginning, don't be mad at me for starting the ball rolling in this weather ... I, myself, plan on spending many more nights enjoying the summer, walking the paths at Lemoine's Point with my wife. But, soon enough, the curling bug will again bite us all, and we'll each scratch that pleasant, familiar itch, well into April ...

GOOD CURLING!!

Updated hours of operation for the office - July and August.

The summer has been flying by - I hope everyone is enjoying the off-season!

There are so many interesting tidbits to discuss, most involving the very busy, summer calendar at the club. However, this entry is going to be short and sweet - the facility updates will soon follow.

I will be out of the office for a number of vacation periods this summer and, while some of the days will have abbreviated hours, there will be some dates when the office is closed.


CLOSED entirely:

Thursday, July 1
Friday, July 2
Wednesday, July 7
Monday, July 12
Monday, July 19
Wednesday, July 21
Friday, July 23
Monday, August 2
Wednesday, August 4
Friday, August 6


ABBREVIATED HOURS:

Tuesday, July 20 - open from 8:30am to 12:30pm
Friday, July 23 - open from noon - midnight
Tuesday, August 3 - open from 8:30am to 12:30pm
Thursday, August 5 - open from 9am - 1pm

Check back in the near future for updates to the summer operations.

Enjoy the summer break!

JUST ADDED ... 1 more Learn to Curl session - Sunday, April 18

Thanks to some RKCC calendar changes, we are VERY excited to be offering 1 additional Learn to Curl session this year ... Sunday, April 18, from 7-9pm!!!!

Therefore, anyone interested in Learning to Curl this season has 2 opportunities left:

1. Sunday, April 11
2. Sunday, April 18

For more info about our Learn to Curl, please see this previous post.

If you have any questions, please contact the office ... Good Curling!!

HAPPY EASTER!

Please note, the club will be closed Friday and Sunday.

However, there will be open ice for members on Saturday, from 11 - 4. There is a 2-sheet rental scheduled, but the remaining 4 sheets are available for members to get a headstart on working off the delicious, chocolate bunnies that we are all going to treat on!!!!!

The club will be open for regular hours, starting Monday morning.

On a related note ... to my wife, Christine ... Honey, all I want for Easter are some of THIS bunny's chocolate eggs!!!!

You tell me ... did the Evening Ladies have fun at their year-end spiel?!?

Upon arriving for the Evening Ladies Closing Bonspiel, held March 27, curlers were treated to a tasty morning buffet. Pictured fueling up for her balloon animal act, Linda Lott wants other spiel convenors to know that she is for hire!

Great prizes ... everyone left with something!

And, our very own ice maker, Rod Leeder, got in on the fun!

Ah, the dreaded "blow the peanut across the floor" contest ... followed by some sort of 2-person, balloon passing/breaking endeavour - the pictures of which, I could not post :o)

Here, Lynda Therien and Leanne Baker (dressed as leopards) threaten the camera person for taking photographic evidence of what Betty Bush was coordinating ... I am still not certain of all the details?

... so, do you think they had fun?

From the looks on the faces of convenors Joanne Miller, Betty Bush and Linda Lott,

... I'd say so!


Have a great summer and we hope to see everyone back next year!!!

Thanks to Robert J. Reid & Sons for their generous support of the Super Senior Bonspiel!!

Held on March 26, the annual RKCC Super Senior Bonspiel was another smashing success! Drawing teams from all over Eastern Ontario, the 24 rink event has grown over the years to where it now has a very healthy waiting list. Convenor, RKCC member Steve Quinn, attributes the success of the bonspiel to three, important ingredients:

1. an amazing volunteer team, captained by RKCC members Bill Duffe and Jim Lesley


2. a very generous title sponsor - Robert J. Reid and Sons Funeral Home


3. the ever popular prize table of fresh meat product, supplied by Quinn's Meats of Yarker, ON

These ingredients combine to help insure that all those in attendance go home happy, and full of food!!

Pictured above, at the sponsorship presentation ceremony (l-r): Gord Smith (Robert J. Reid employee and RKCC member), Warren Powell (Funeral Pre-Planning Director for Robert J. Reid) and Steve Quinn (convenor and RKCC member).

Congratulations to this year's winning team ... the Day rink, playing out of the Perth Curling Club. Above, Warren Powell presents the Robert J. Reid & Sons trophy to team members (not necessarily in photo order) John Hewitt (lead), Dave Crook (second), Brian Brose (vice) and Bob Day (skip).



Interested in acquiring an entry to this, or any other of RKCC's annual bonspiels? Please contact me in the office and I will be sure to pass your name on to the appropriate convenor! For a list of yearly events at our club, visit our website and click on the Bonspiels tab.

Until we see you on the ice again at RKCC ... Good Curling!