Two local curlers played a big part in making a long-running and meaningful bonspiel for visually impaired athletes a success in Kamloops, March 18-21.
While the pair weren’t competing at the Western Blind Curling Association Championships, Lori Fry and Jim Vinson, members of 100 Mile House’s blind curling team, coordinated the event, which drew local dignitaries along with the 35 participants from seven teams representing four western provinces.
Fry and Vinson swept the ceremonial first stone thrown by the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, the Honourable Judith Guichon. Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Terry Lake, Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo MP Cathy McLeod and Kamloops mayor Peter Milobar were also among the special guests.
Fry says it was an honour to sweep for the province’s Lieutenant Governor and the event was about “creating more than just a sport”, but also raising awareness about vision loss and the importance of social engagement and recreation.
“It is so vital for all of us on the planet to get out there and be active and healthy, but especially when vision loss comes upon a person. That can put them into a total different type of darkness, other than blindness. We all know that’s called depression. This type of recreation and to have these opportunities is vital.”
Alberta teams finished first and second place at the 43rd annual event. Kelowna finished third.
Lori Fry is also the Canadian Council of the Blind’s national first vice-president. The organization assists people with vision loss and encourages active living. Trying to grow the game of blind curling and establish teams in other communities is one of Fry’s endeavours.
“It encompasses so much more than just the sport. It’s about the blind community as a whole and how it intertwines with the sighted community.”
The 100 Mile House blind curling team hosted a provincial bonspiel at the 100 Mile House Curling Club in January. The team also curls recreationally once a week, and while its winter curling season recently wrapped up, the local rink is encouraging more participants to give it a try when fall rolls around.
The 100 Mile House rink, which includes Vinson (skip), Katelyn Seiler (lead), Marilyn Vinson (second), Fry (third), and sighted guide Joey Seiler, is set to compete at the 2016 National Canadian Visually Impaired Curling Championships in Ottawa next year.
