Frank and Laurie Mitchell
2005 Sam Brown Volunteer Award Winners

They have been curling for over 20 years now and a large part of that has been at Deer Lodge, with both of them in the Friday Night Mixed, with Laurie in the Daytime Ladies and Frank in the Men’s League.

In fact, it was Frank’s initial application and team assignment that got him and Laurie into volunteering here. Frank started out with Ian Brown and Gord Fingland, both of whom were on the Board of Directors. When there was an opening for a much needed Junior Coordinator, they approached Frank, and over the subsequent 10 year period, Frank, together with Laurie and many others, jumped in with both feet:

• Beating the bushes for new juniors for our programs

• Sending letters to and creating posters for local schools

• Providing open houses and information sessions

• Organizing the Monday after school competitive junior program

• Helping the club with the MCA Junior Bonspiel

• Creating a DLCC competitive team for the Optimists Junior bonspiel

• Providing many hours of on ice coaching, and

• Planning many junior banquets

While on the Board, Frank initiated and implemented the DLCC Information Centre which is a series of screens that provide details of the club’s organization, leagues and events, displayed on the monitors located on the main floor and upstairs in the lounge.

Both Laurie and Frank were involved in reviving the Family Fun Days as well as working on the initial and subsequent Fund Raising Dinners where they learned the fine art of napkin folding!

Together, they have volunteered for other specific events including:

• Target Junior Provincial Championship, co-hosted by DLCC and AMCC

• Scott Tournament of Hearts Provincial Championship hosted by DLCC at the Civic Centre

• Ford Worlds in 2003

• Strathcona Senior Men’s Provincial Championship held at Deer Lodge in 2004

Their focus for the past 6 years has been their increased attention to their favourite Junior curlers – their sons, Alex and Andrew. Frank obtained his Level I coaching certificate and became the coach of Alex’s team while Laurie is the certified “biggest fan” of both of their sons’ teams.

They have spent hundreds of hours in many curling clubs with both boys, usually with Alex’s team at one club while Andrew’s team was at another. Frank and Laurie both agree that cell phones are a great invention!

With Frank as coach, the Chambers team has been in many bonspiels gaining experience and growing in confidence and ability. They have been to two provincial championships, a couple of berth bonspiels, as well as the Optimists Jamboree, all of which has brought recognition to Deer Lodge. This year (2005), the team won both the Club Championship and the President’s Challenge; quite an accomplishment.

See presentation photo of Bruce McBeth and the happy couple, click here.

Last modified : April 13, 2006, 8:00 pm