Lethbridge curlers sweeping away at annual 50+ Green Acres Foundation Bonspiel

Sixteen teams are participating in the the annual Green Acres Foundation Bonspiel, which kicked off Tuesday at the Lethbridge Curling Club.

LETHBRIDGE — Members of Lethbridge's 50+ Curling Club are taking to the sheets this week for the annual Green Acres Foundation Bonspiel.

Sixteen teams are participating in the event, which kicked off Tuesday at the Lethbridge Curling Club.

"They curl during our leagues during the week and sign up for our bonspiels should they so choose to do so," said Wayne Skrypnyk, president of the 50+ Curling Club.

"We have 64 curlers curling in this particular bonspiel."

The curlers range in age from 50 all the way up to 90.

They take part in not only the four-day tournament but also bottle draws, a 50/50, a horse race event and a draw to the button event.

All the money raised during the bonspiel goes toward the Green Acres Foundation.

It's one of four bonspiels that the 50+ league puts on every year and they've been doing it for decades.

"This bonspiel has been going on as long as there's been a 50+ Curling Club, as far as I know," said Skrypnyk.

"That's a good number of years – probably more than 20 years."

The Green Acres Foundation Bonspiel has nearly $3,000 in prizes up for grabs.

However, for these curlers, it's not about the money.

"It just doesn't matter, the money," said Early Barton, a member of the 50+ Curling Club since 2007.

"You get your name on a plaque – that's what you want. And your picture on the wall and we have a book that's for all the different bonspiels that one of our members put together. And we have our names on the trophies. I was just checking my name on one of them from 2010."

For others, it's just about getting out and having a good time.

"You know, you just kind of go out there to do your thing and do the best you can and that's the most you can do, really," said Shirley Kohuch, who's been with the club since 1999.

The 50+ Curling Club season is split into four quarters or squares, each one finishing with a bonspiel, and runs from September to March.

The Green Acres Foundation Bonspiel wraps up this Friday with championship draws, a banquet and trophy presentations.

The 50+ Curling Club is open to anyone over the age of 50 that wants to join.

To find out more, you can visit the Lethbridge Curling Club's website.