The New Westminster Lawn Bowling Club is giving folks who’ve passed by the Eighth Street facility and wondered “what the heck are all those people doing on that lawn” a chance to experience lawn bowling for themselves.
The club is opening the doors to the community on Saturday for its 97th annual open house. Community members are invited to learn more about the sport of “bowls” and throw a few bowls on what members consider the best natural greens in B.C.
“How would one describe the sport of lawn bowling? Fresh air, low-impact, fun, low cost, high sociability, new friends, organized leagues, drop-in events, highly competitive – and no, you don’t have to wear white clothes or be retired to lawn bowl,” said a press release about the open house. “It is truly a game for all ages – nine to 99 – and is enjoyed by both men and women from all walks of life around the world.”
The free open house is taking place Saturday, from 1 to 4 p.m. at 710 Eighth St., which is right next door to Century House. Club members will be available to introduce newcomers to the game and to provide basic instruction.
The club asks that anyone attending the open house wear shoes with no heels. Refreshments will be available in the clubhouse throughout the event.
For more information, call 604-970-7664 or email [email protected].
Successful fundraiser
New Westminster has done its part to contribute in a small way to the rebuilding efforts in Lac-Mégantic, Que.
Following last summer’s tragic train derailment and explosion, which left 47 people dead and destroyed a portion of the town’s downtown, Leona Green held a fundraiser at Greens and Beans Deli. In addition to holding a soup fundraiser and collecting donations in a jar, Green contacted local artist Max Jacquiard (considered the Robert Bateman of trains), and he graciously agreed to donate one of his prints to a raffle.
Local resident Wilson Becket helped the cause by providing graphic design services for promotional materials and raffle tickets.
Coun. Lorrie Williams sold tickets to municipal politicians from all parts of the country while attending Federation of Canadian Municipalities meetings. A councillor from Halifax won the raffle, and Williams took the print to Ontario to present it to him at an federation conference in Thunder Bay.
“He said, ‘It’s really big, and I don’t have any room in my house for another print, so let’s auction it off,’” Williams said. “I expected to get a couple hundred, but we got $600.”
All totalled, the community raised $2,700 for Lac-Mégantic. A cheque and a letter from the city have been sent to Lac-Mégantic.
