Africa Rocks! bonspiel a huge success

Sixty supporters joined us Oct. 25 for the annual Africa Rocks! bonspiel at the Rideau Curling Club. The day-long event included three curling games for each team, with prizes for the highest-scoring and lowest-scoring teams, thanks to Malivoire Wine. The event also included a raffle and silent auction thanks to generous sponsors. In total, the event raised $5,200 to support Farm Radio International’s programs! Thanks!

The curlers get ready to go! Alterna Savings was a generous supporter of the bonspiel.
The curlers also shared a delicious lunch and had the opportunity to hear Japhet Emmanuel, Tanzania country program manager, talk about the importance of radio.

Japhet Emmanuel traveled all the way from Tanzania and didn’t want to miss out on his first bonspiel. He gave an introduction before playing his first curling game.
Beginner and experienced curlers joined us for the event, each helping each other throughout the tournament. Also supporting the bonspiel were many great sponsors, including: A Thing for Chocolate, Backlane Cafe, Bean Fair, Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company, Bread by Us, Bridgehead, DoverCourt Recreation Centre and Canvas Resto Bar.

Jim Lowe is an experienced curler and great supporter of FRI, helping to guide novice curlers at the bonspiel.
Thanks also to the generous donors who helped make the lunch, raffle and silent auction a success, including: Farm Boy, Flock Boutique, Great Canadian Theatre Company, Glebe Community Centre, Happy Goat Coffee, Inside Out Studio Barre and Les Fougeres.

The winning team went home with a bottle of Malivoire wine.
Other participants went home with prizes from the raffle and silent auction thanks to: Mary and Rob Carley, the National Arts Centre, Ottawa Sports & Entertainment Group, Perrault Winery, Pressed, Purple Urchin, Roots and Shoots Farm, Seed to Sausage, Shelly Featherstone, Supply & Demand, Suzy Q Doughnuts, Sylvie Harrison, Thyme & Again, Victoire, Wilf and Ada’s Scratch Diner and Piz’za-za.

Everyone went home a winner with these lovely door prizes.
Everyone had a great time curling, but no one went home empty-handed thanks to Camino and the Ottawa Farmers’ Market.

From the whole FRI team, a huge thanks to all who came out.
We raised $5,200 to support our programs at the Africa Rocks! Bonspiel. Thank you for your support!