As fall breezes sweep the summer away, Inuvik Curling Club is turning its sights on the fall season with a fundraising contest this coming weekend.
A Washer Toss contest is set for Sept. 17.
“It’s a Team Wainman fundraiser for their upcoming season,” said Inuvik Curling Club president Nick Saturnino. “A washer toss is similar to horse shoes or beanbags.
“Registrations will begin Saturday afternoon Sept 17th. It will be a fun day. Just show up and pay your entry fee — You don’t need to play Washer Toss to attend, anyone can drop in.”
Funds will go towards the team’s $30,000-plus budget, which involves travelling to bonspiels throughout Canada. Three bonspiels in partucilar are in their sights this season — the 2023 Canada Winter Games in Prince Edward Island, the 2022 Arctic Winter Games in Wood Buffalo, Alta. and the U21 National Curling Championships next March. This is on top of the need to regularly travel to Yellowknife to compete.
Games will start in the late afternoon, around 4:30 p.m. at the Inuvik Curling Centre. There will be six separate events, started with adult and youth doubles and going on until 12:30 a.m. the next day.
With pandemic restrictions lifted, the Inuvik Curling Club is back to its normal slate of programming, with plans to hold the adult ‘Learn to Curl’ session Oct. 6 and Friday night fun leagues kicking off the following night. Saturday night curling is back as well — to play in either league requires a $150 membership.
Junior and half-ice curling is also in the works for this fall, with junior curling happening Monday through Thursday. Half-ice curling will be on Saturday afternoons.
People can also just sit back and watch curling in the club, but to do so is a $20 membership fee.