2019 Africa Rocks bonspiel a sweeping success
We did it!
Thanks to you, the participants of our 11th annual Africa Rocks bonspiel on Nov. 2, this year we raised $8,500! We would like to thank all who attended and made the day of curling a great event.
First, curlers from across the capital (and beyond) slid on their sliders and took to the ice for our annual ‘funspiel.’ After a quick lesson by our longstanding supporters Duncan Bury and Jim Lowe, some (very necessary) Bridgehead coffee and a Timbit or two, the matches got to a rolling start.
Second, each sheet saw competitive curlers and newbies alike face-off in a series of nail-biting ends as 16 teams competed for the grand prize — a bottle each of Malivoire Wine courtesy of our long-standing sponsor Malivoire.
Third, we paused for a tasty lunch at the Rideau Curling Club, our host for the bonspiel. Hopefully, our incredible guests were swept away by the opportunity to learn a little more about Farm Radio’s programming in sub-Saharan Africa.
Skipping back into the rink for the last matches of the day, our teams were hurry-harded out (can you tell this author has just recently learned curling terminology?) by 4 p.m. when we wrapped the day up with prizes, awarded our silent auction items, and drew our amazing raffle prizes.
Our final awardee of the evening (another who went home with a bottle of Malivoire wine), was Michael Aylward, who was our top fundraiser of the event, raising $310 for Farm Radio International! Thanks so much Michael!
Once again, we’d like to extend a wonderful thank you to everyone who participated or donated for helping us support African broadcasters and farmers.
Please check out more photos of the event on our Facebook page by clicking here.
A (HUGE) thank you to our sponsors!
We could not do this event without our incredible sponsors!
Thanks for the generous support of:
- The TD Ottawa Jazz Festival
- Bridgehead
- Fratelli
- Malivoire Wine
- Les Fougeres
- Ottawa Farmers’ Market
- Happy Goat Coffee
- Dovercourt Recreation Centre
- The Keg
- The National Arts Centre
- Pure Yoga
- Ten Thousand Villages
- The Table
- Roots and Shoots Farm
- The Gladstone Theatre
- Escape Manor
- The Canadian Museum of History
- The Canadian War Museum
- Supply and Demand
- Flock Boutique
- The Bytowne Theatre
- The Mayfair Theatre
- Absolute Comedy
- Goldline Curling
- Seed to Sausage
- Loam Clay Studio
- Barbara Zuchowicz Art
- Smokes Poutinerie
- Elevate Yoga
- Newport Restaurant
- Beyond the Pale Brewing
- Metta Movement and Meditation Studio
- Shelly Featherstone Massage and Woodroffe Chiropractic
- Wheelhouse
- Barking Monkey Studio
- Funhaven
- Bread by Us
- Mini Golf Gardens
- Maple syrup bottles courtesy of Mary & Bob Carley
- Artisan crafts courtesy of Shirley & Jim Lowe Lowe
And a huge thank to our ice sheet sponsors: Joni Campbell from Royal LePage, Catherine & Dick Lane/ Pauline & David Hawkes, Caroline Andrewes, Louise Atkins & Duncan Bury.
Finally, we’d like to thank our wonderful new drawmasters this year: Gail and Jim Larocque!
It takes all of you to make this event a great success.