Hello Curlers,

Just a couple of end-of-year notes and information about the fast-approaching bonspiel.

If you have cash calendars you have sold (or not sold) and need to turn them in, either contact me or bring them to the bonspiel. That is the last chance, and if your calendars aren't in, the people you sold them to stand no chance of winning. We will sell any remaining calendars that weekend (Jan. 3-5) before we make our drawings.

We have at least 14 teams registered for the bonspiel, but are open to more. If you want to sneak in, do so before the weekend ends. You can register on our website. There's still a team seeking one more player. Again, contact me for more information.

As a reminder, we do have the ice Wednesday evening at the regular time — beginning at 6:30 p.m., just like league. There will be open curling/hat games, but no league games. Bring a friend and throw some stones. We will also set up our tents for the bonspiel that evening. The more hands the better.

We, of course, need volunteers for the entire bonspiel weekend, especially to work during registration, bring prizes for the ping pong toss and bring food for Saturday. There is a public Google Doc for food at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oRhs50kerrqu8HFpKenZrV47r9hd1I__WET6jHlXBTA/edit?tab=t.0. It's not complete yet, so if you signed up (on paper) and you're not on there, you will be soon.

Lastly, we have a board meeting Monday night (Dec. 30) at 6 p.m. If you want to stop by to learn about bonspiel prep, you are welcome. We meet at the McQuillen Creative/Aberdeen Insider office at 423 S. Main St. just south of the Capitol Theatre.

Wednesday is the last day you have a chance to curl before the bonspiel. League games resume on Wednesday, Jan. 8.

FYI, there will be another email coming out in the next few days that is bonspiel-specific. Stay tuned.

Happy new year and good curling!

-Scott

Hello everybody. Please take time to read this letter because it contains important information about the status of the club. We have about 170 cash calendars to sell in the next month or so. We will be handing them out at league on Dec. 4 so you can take them with you. They are easy to sell and even make good Christmas gifts for people who like ... well, money. If you have any questions, please ask. Thank you. -Scott


To the Aberdeen Curling Club Family,

First of all, welcome to another season of curling! Our first games will be Wednesday, Oct. 23, and we’re all looking forward to getting back on the ice. Thank you all for being a part of the club. We appreciate it very much, though we do have something serious we need to talk about.

After much discussion by board members, we have decided we need to pose a question to everybody in the club. This is a topic we will continue to talk about throughout the season and likely vote on during the club banquet at the end of the season.

As you know, everything the Aberdeen Curling Club accomplishes is the result of people who are willing to volunteer. But frankly, we have not had enough buy-in from most of us who enjoy playing each winter. When there are volunteer opportunities, too often it’s the same handful of folks who are willing to show up. It’s not too much to expect almost every team to provide one volunteer when we have work to do, be that at the downtown concerts or the Pheasants Forever banquets, setting up and taking down ice, or raising funds to keep the club going and the cost for each curler reasonable. We are burning out our most reliable volunteers, and that is getting to be both discouraging and detrimental.

Please remember that our club is not subsidized like city league basketball or softball or many other activities we enjoy. Without volunteers, the club ceases to exist.
That said, the club has an important decision to make. Either more people step up or we decide to help at fewer events.

Most of you already know that league fees and dues are going up next season for the first time in several years. How much depends on what course we want to take. If we quit helping at community events, the result is a loss of revenue to the club. That means a higher jump in prices for next season. It’s that simple.

We understand, of course, how busy life gets, especially for club members who have families and kids. Nobody is expected to help out at every event. But all teams should be at least modestly active throughout the year.
So that’s what we want you to consider this season — more volunteering or more money.

Your first opportunity to help is already here. Our fundraiser this year is selling cash calendars. They cost $25 each, and we will pay out roughly $4,500 next year with weekly, monthly and holiday/special event drawings. The top payouts are $500. Our goal is to sell all 500 calendars. If we do that, the club will raise roughly $8,500, a substantial amount that will help determine how much it costs to curl next winter. If you have questions or want calendars to sell, please contact a board member or club officer.

For every five calendars a person sells, their name will be put into a drawing for two $50 gift cards to C-Express and one Aberdeen Curling Club hoodie. The hope and expectation is that everybody will be able to do that. If that happens, we will consider the prospect of more incentives next season.

Please know we appreciate all of the teams in the Aberdeen Curling Club and everybody who volunteers to help. You’re all a big part of what makes our league and club so much fun and such a success. We want to continue that well into the future, and that’s why we are asking you to consider helping out the club by volunteering more.
Thank you for your understanding. Please think about these options during the league season. And, as always, good curling!

Sincerely,

Scott Waltman, club president, and members of the Aberdeen Curling Club Board of Directors

This email was sent on behalf of:
ABERDEEN CURLING CLUB
P.O. Box 1282 
Aberdeen, SD 57401


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The Aberdeen Curling Club executive board gave final approval Monday at its regular meeting of a new logo for the club.  This is the first logo update in club history.

A big thanks to Troy McQuillen from McQuillen creative group for helping make this new look a reality.

the 2023-24 Aberdeen Curling Club operating budget has been approved by the club's Board of Directors and is now available for viewing by club members.  To view the budget log into the website, click the drop down menu titled "curling", then click on the news tab.  There club members can view the budget.  

The Aberdeen Curling Club's Blues Brothers team of Mark Becking, Steve Gascoigne, Bryan Rau and Mark Tolvstad finished second last weekend at the Big Sky Bonspiel in Mizzoula, Mont. The team won four straight games to advance to the championship before losing on the last shot. Congratuiations!

Congratulations to Aber-Dabber-Doo for winning the B Event at the 5-Club Bonspiel at the FM Curling Club March 25-27 in Fargo. Team members are, from left, Matthew Perreault, Scott Waltman, Ann Podoll and Matthew Klundt. Thank you to all of the Aberdeen teams that attended and all of the curlers who helped make the bonspiel a success by pitching in with duties. Our club made more than $2,300 over the weekend. Thanks again to everybody who volunteered and to our hosts at the FM Curling Club.

As a reminder, we will need 10 vounteers on Friday, April 14 to help at the Ducks Unlimited Spring Banquet. This is another chance to raise funds for our club. If you enjoy curling and the people you meet and are interested in playing again next season, please make time to help out. All Aberdeen Curling Club teams should be able to provide at least one volunteer. If you're interested, call Scott Waltman at 605-228-2617.

The next board meeting is at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, April 3 at K.O. Lee Aberdeen Public Library.

The Aberdeen Curling Club was well represented at the U.S. Arena Nationals in Eveleth Minnesota November 3rd through the 6th.  

Competing at the event included club members Mark Tolvstad, Bryan Rau, Steve Gascoign, and Mark Becking. 

Competing in this national tournament included arena teams from California, Utah, and Dallas/Ft. Worth.

The team skipped by Mark Tolvstad finished in second place falling to Dallas/Ft. Worth in the final 8-2.  

Aberdeen Curlign Club members recently took part in the Drayton North Dakota "Summer Spiel."  This is considered North Dakota's oldest curling club.

Those pictured include from left to right, Mark Tolvstad, Bryan Rau, Mark Becking and Steve Gascoigne 

A Big thanks to all those who came out and enjoyed friendship and community at the Aberdeen Curling Club summer pot luck Sunday July 10th.

All were welcome to come play games, eat, chat and more!  Hope to see you next year.  

Congratulations to Danny Wolfgram and Mindy Chatelle.  Winners of our second annual Floor Curl "Floorspiel" at Anchors Away on Richmond Lake...

Aberdeen Curling Club members recently took part in the "Big Sky Bonspiel" in Missoula Montana.  At the event "Blues Brothers and Penguin Too" won the "C" Division.  The team consisted of Aberdeen Curling Club members Mark Tolvstad, Bryan Rau and Mark Becking.  

The Aberdeen Curling Club welcomed Aberdeen Central high schoolers to come out and try curling for gym class.  About 80 students in all came out Thursday Feb. 10th to throw some stones.  A big thanks to Todd Sayler who donated money to cover the ice time for this event.

Members of the Aberdeen Curling Club made the trek up to Fargo January 28th through the 30th to take part in the annual "Greenspiel."

A Greenspiel is a bonspiel, but two members of your team can only be curling for less than two years.  

1st Place Youth Division 

2nd Place Youth Division 

Troop 188

Dante Kohlman, Logan Gordan, Aiden Hahler, Grant Anderson

 

1st Place Green Division

Kelly's Heroes 

Sub Nate Bass, Bernie Jark, Cormac Bloomfield, Kelly Erdmann, Robert Papazian

 

 

2nd Place Green Division

Team Steiger

Justin Steiger, Andrew Jerman, Chris Waltman, Landon Jung

 

3rd Plave Green Division 

Yankton

Brady Clavel, Jen Clavel, Julianna Dick-Ford, Mike Ford

 

1st Place Open Division 

Danger Von Dempsey

Bryan Rau, Mark Becking, Ethan Feist, Todd Sayler

 

2nd Place Open Division 

Major Docs

Danny Wolfgram, John Hilton, Kris Kirkeide, Alan Shaw

 

3rd Place open Division 

Cedar Rapids

Phil Burian, Greg Schmitt, Cale Tesch, Bryan Coster

 

 

 

Aberdeen Curling Club members Danny Wolfgram, John Hilton, Alex Wolfgram and John Peterson managed to accomplish what few curlers do as a team.  Complete an eight ender or a "snowman" as they are sometimes called.

An eight ender is compared to a perfect game in baseball by some due to how rare and difficult they are.  Also, the team from Aberdeen scored this eight ender without the hammer. 

The Aberdeen Curling Club held its annual September learn to curl on Saturday September 18th.  Several people came out to give curling a try as the league gears up fo the 2021-22 season.  

If you want to try curling please keep an eye out for future learn to curls or if you want to schedule a corporate curling event for your business, club or organization reach out to us!

Aberdeen Curling Club members made the trip to Cedar Rapids Iowa to take part in the Cedar Rapids Curling Club "CedarSpiel" September 10th - 12th.

The team made it to Sunday but lost and returned home.

Pictured are "the Blues Brothers" Mark Tolvstad, Bryan Rau, Brian Dannen and Mark Becking.