The Home Hardware Canada Cup wouldn’t be nearly the organizational success that it is without the help of the 186 volunteers in different areas.
None were more in the spotlight than the ice technicians who helped make the ice that is pretty crucial in a major curling event.
A power outage swept across southern Saskatchewan at a crucial point in the ice making process Tuesday morning and the water wasn’t able to freeze uniformly. The ice crew had to work to start over from an earlier part in the process to get the ice just right.
Those volunteers and others were thanked at an appreciation dinner at the Wylie-Mitchell building Tuesday night, less than a day before the Wylie-Mitchell transforms into the World Famous Patch.
Being able to register online for the chance to volunteer helped organize the people who wanted to help out at the event.
“We were very pleased to have 186 local and some not local people join us here this week for this event,” said Pauline Ziehl Grimsrud, who organized the volunteer appreciation dinner. “It was beyond our expectations, the amount of people that have stepped forward.”
This was a different opportunity for people who had to pay in order to volunteer but the response was still great.
“We’re so happy with the support that we’ve received from the community,” she said. “We went to the well for the Tankard earlier this year and we had such great support. And to have that support back to back is incredible.”
At the dinner, they had a roast beef and turkey supper, with some thanks given from Curling Canada and door prizes. Some of the volunteers that were busy putting the ice in late were also given the chance to eat supper via delivery from the Wylie Mitchell.
“It’s the kickoff night and we’ll be bright and early (Wednesday) for the games,” Ziehl Grimsrud said.
The volunteers have been very accommodating, she said.
“The different directors, we went to our group of people and we asked them to help in the morning, 24/7 in some cases and people have just really rearranged their personal lives to be able for this and we couldn’t be more pleased and proud of our community and what people have done in their personal lives to rearrange it to come and help.
“How do I get somebody to volunteer at 9 a.m.? We have literally 50 people coming at 9 to help work for the day.”
In addition to helping out with the ice, various activities include scorekeeping, statistics, timing, and things like selling 50-50s and programs, as well as an information desk and the sponsorship lounge.
“There’s multiple directors and we all have an area we’re in charge of and so volunteers will be doing numerous jobs for various people all week long.”
