This weekend, I attended the Cornwall Curling Centre’s Italian night fundraiser. The sold-out venue of 300 supporters enjoyed a delicious six-course meal, lots of wine and live music by the County Lads on the curling pads. The overwhelming support of this evening allowed the Cornwall Curling Centre to donate funds to each of their two teams headed to the seniors’ nationals this August in Quebec City.

The Cornwall Curling Club is one of the oldest curling clubs in Ontario. The earliest recorded curling activity in and around the Cornwall area was in the 1850s. In its initial stages, curling was played on the St. Lawrence River. Our curlers now enjoy six beautiful sheets of ice, where curlers of all ages enjoy the great sport. The centre offers a large variety of leagues that accommodate a wide range of curlers. Whether you’re a recreational player or a competitive one, if you’re six or 96 or anywhere in between, the Cornwall Curling Club has a league for you.

I cannot stress the importance of the club in our community. It is a place where our seniors go to keep active and socialize. The sport of curling is also thriving with our youth.

Curling is a game of strategy, finesse and strength, which brings our community together. I would like to invite anyone who is interested in seeing some of the world’s best curlers to come to the Shorty Jenkins Classic that is held every September in Cornwall. Last year, the classic welcomed some of the best curlers in the world. I look forward to this year’s classic and hope to see some of you there.