The PEI Curling Hall of Fame and Museum held its 8th annual induction ceremony Monday night Oct. 20, 2014 at the Crapaud Community Curling Club.
Click to view a photo gallery from the event
The five inductees honoured for their achievements and contributions to the sport of curling were, in the “Curler” category: Nancy Cameron from the Charlottetown Curling Complex (represented by her father, PEI and Canadian curling hall of fame and PEI Sports Hall of Fame member Doug Cameron), and Ted MacFadyen, Sandy Foy, and Mike Coady from the Crapaud club who curled together for many years, along with Shirley Lank from the Cornwall Curling Club, the sole inductee in the “Builder” category.
Photo (L-R): CCA Board of Governors Chair Marilyn Neily and Shirley Lank, unveiling the portrait done by artist Wayne Wright.
Lank is the first member of the Cornwall Curling Club to be inducted into the Hall (previous inductee Marilyn Sutherland worked with the Cornwall Junior program, but was not a Club member). In her remarks, she spoke of the fun she had and the friends she made curling and travelling to curling events around the world, the thrill of seeing the Mens’ and Ladies curling associations combined, along the satisfaction of being able to help build the sport, at the Club, and at the provincial, Atlantic, and national levels.
Here was the introduction for Shirley’s nomination, as read by master of ceremonies Paul H. Schurman:
As well as being a competitive, social, and stick curler, Shirley Lank has been a long-time volunteer active in the administrative side of curling, with much of her focus on the activities of the Prince Edward Island Ladies Curling Association, the Prince Edward Island Curling Association and the Cornwall Curling Club.
Beginning in 1987/88, Shirley chaired the Prince Edward Island Ladies Curling Association Junior Development Committee and in November 1988, she organized the first Junior Curling Camp held on PEI for junior curlers.
During the 1988/89 curling season, Shirley served as First Vice-President of the Prince Edward Island Ladies Curling Association and as President in 1989/90.
She served as Chair of the amalgamation committee to facilitate the amalgamation of the two associations – the PEI Ladies Curling Association and the PEI Men’s Curling Association, and moved the motion to amalgamate in 1990.
In 1991, 1992 and 1993, she served as technical director and in 1993 she also chaired Junior Development. In 1995 and 1996, she served as the marketing coordinator for the Prince Edward Island Curling Association.
From 2002 until 2004, Shirley was a board member of Curl Atlantic, and also a committee member of Participant/Skill Development. She served again on this board from 2007 until 2009.
In December 2004, she took on the role of Vice-President of the Prince Edward Island Curling Association, was elected President in 2005/06, and served as past president in 2006/07.
Shirley was the marketing chair in 2007/08, and is credited with signing on several sponsors.
In 2007/2008, she again served as first vice president of the Prince Edward Island Curling Association, moving on to fill the President’s role from 2009 until 2011, then serving as past president for three years, 2012 to 2014.
Shirley has chaired numerous nominating committees of the Prince Edward Island Curling Association, in her role as past president of the PEI Curling Association. As well, she has been the PEI delegate to the Canadian Curling Association annual meetings on many occasions.
At the club level, Shirley has worked tirelessly at the Cornwall Curling Club.
She chaired many fund raising committees that included cookbook sales, raising money for rock handles, redecorating the lounge area, little rocks, and new facilities for the kitchen as well as finding sponsors. She also chaired the 20th University committee in 2001. She was the Ladies President of the Cornwall Curling Club and their Junior Co-ordinator for several years. Many times, Shirley was the Cornwall Curling Club’s delegate to the PEI Ladies Curling Association and the Prince Edward Island Curling Association.
In 1995, Shirley managed the Canada Games curling teams that went to Grand Prairie, Alberta, and in 1991, she looked after officiating for curling at the Canada Winter Games held in PEI.
Shirley chaired the National Stick Curling Championships in 2013, also held here in PEI.
Shirley has her Level 1 and part of Level 2 and she has officiated at many provincial curling events.
In 2010, Shirley was Co-Host Committee Chair of the second national The Dominion Curling Club Championship, held in Charlottetown and Cornwall. She also co- chaired the hospitality committee.
In 2008, Shirley completed a history of the Cornwall Curling Club, which can be seen on the PEICurling.com web site.
In the fall of 2007, at a meeting of the Prince Edward Island Curling Association, Shirley made the motion to establish the PEI Curling Hall of Fame and Museum.
After more than 27 years as a dedicated and tireless volunteer for curling on Prince Edward Island, it is most appropriate that Shirley Lank be recognized for her efforts and be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a builder .
Photo (L-R): Doug Cameron, representing his daughter Nancy, Mike Coady, Sandy Foy, Shirley Lank, Ted MacFadyen
Paul H. Schurman was master of ceremonies for the event, which included a welcome from Jerry Muzika, Chair, Prince Edward Island Curling Hall of Fame and Museum, along with greetings from the Honourable George Webster, Minister of Agriculture and Deputy Premier for the province, Marilyn Neily, Chair of the Canadian Curling Association’s Board of Governors, and Amy Duncan, Executive Director of Curl PEI, who brought words of greeting on behalf of Curl PEI president Angela Hodgson.
Photo: Master of Ceremonies Paul H. Schurman
Photo: Jerry Muzika
Photo: the Honourable George Webster
Photo: CCA Board of Governors Chair Marilyn Neily
Photo: Amy Duncan, Curl PEI Executive Director
Each new inductee was presented with a Hall of Fame pin, a certificate of recognition, and a portrait, done by Summerside artist Wayne Wright.
Photo: Portraits of (L-R): Cameron, Coady, Foy, Lank, MacFadyen
Photo (L-R): Hall of Fame Board member Arleen Harris, presenting certificate to Mike Coady
Photo (L-R): Amy Duncan presents certificate to Sandy Foy
Photo (L-R): Marilyn Neily presents certificate to Shirley Lank
Photo (L-R): Hall of Fame Board member Marg Nowlan and Ted MacFadyen unveiling portrait
Photo (L-R): Hall of Fame Board member Al Ledgerwood presenting certificate to Doug Cameron, on behalf of Doug’s daughter Nancy, who is out of the country and was unable to attend
Click to download a copy of the event programme.
Click for bios of the inductees
The evening was sponsored by PEI Ford Dealers, Beaton’s Wholesale Dry Goods Limited, Phillips Feed Service, Legault Pest Management, the South Shore Chamber of Commerce, and Consolidated Credit Union Limited– Summerside.