Swan on a curling quest

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

 

Harvey Station, New Brunswick’s own Rob Swan is on a very dedicated quest with wanting to do ‘100 curling rinks in 100 clubs’ across the country in hopes of raising funds in support of his hometown club.
When he goes to the curling rinks around the country, Swan will join a team at the club and play a game.
“Last year somebody from my hometown curling club said that they have to start raising some money because renovations have to be done to our club,” said Swan. “Our club is not in terrible shape, it’s opened, it exists and it runs, but it needs some renovations. I thought rather than opening my pocket, I’d make them work for it, so I go out curling and most of the members go out and try to get a sponsorship for me to go curling.”
The main goal is to raise funds for the curling club and to have fun getting people to enjoy the sport again.
“It is to raise money for the club and we’re slowly doing that, number two was to raise awareness of the sport,” said Swan. “The sport has taken a turn for the worse in the last eight to 10 years, memberships have gone down all over the board across the country (and) clubs have closed.”
Swan wanted to let everyone know that anyone can curl and you do not have to be an athlete to participate.
“If I can get out there and show people that you don’t have to be a primetime athlete to curl, that someone from everyday walk of life can get out there and curl and have fun,” said Swan.
Strathmore is going to be a stop on his tour, as his main focus is to hit the smaller communities when he is not at the Brier in Calgary,
“I am trying to hit as many rural communities as I can and not saying that Strathmore is a rural community but when I’m going to be there during the Brier, a lot of my games for the Calgary clubs will be between games I will be attending,” said Swan. “The days I’m not at the Brier, I’m trying to get out to as many rural communities as I can because right after Strathmore I go to Milo.”
He began his tour back in October in Winnipeg because of it being a city that knows their curling.
“I thought of it growing up as the curling capital of Canada, you had more curling champions there than you can shake a stick at. I just hop scotched all over the country because I work in Alberta,” said Swan. “I just thought where do I want to curl this year and I’d pick a spot.”
During his tour, he does not actively go out looking for money and would rather go out and look for a game.
“A lot of clubs have donated quite handsomely, but I don’t go looking for the money,” said Swan.
He will be at the Strathmore Curling Club on Feb. 23 (1 p.m.) for a game with a team.
If people are interested in donating to towards the journey and the Harvey Station club, you can log onto their Facebook page ‘Curling Across the Nation’ and there are ways through there to give money.