Canada hosted a Friendship Tour of 16 women curlers from the United States at a number of curling clubs in the Maritimes (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island). The US women began and ended their adventure on November 4 through 16, 2018, flying in and out of Boston.
Applicants were selected February 15, 2018 at the USWCA National Women's Bonspiel held at the Triangle Curling Club in Durham, North Carolina. Congratulations to those chosen to travel in the beautiful Maritime Provinces, pictured below. A part of their story is reproduced here from the Spring 2019 Curling News:
Curlers hailing from Maine to Washington represented the United States in the 2018 USWCA - Canadian Senior Women's Friendship Tour, hosted by the Canadian Maritime Provinces. The Tour began in Prince Edward Island at the Cornwall Curling Club, then continued into New Brunswick, and concluded with five games in Nova Scotia. Each host club rolled out the red carpet, providing delicious local cuisine, drinks, and gifts. Several clubs also invited local dignitaries to mingle and greet the Tour, including several women who visited and participated in the 1997 Friendship Tour in the United States. Creative entertainment from the host clubs followed the games, as well as rousing singing from the Tour participants. The Maritime Provinces do not lack in beauty and the Tour was fortunate to view many, including the Bay of Fundy and Hopewell Rocks, the Reversing Falls in St. John, the Historic UNESCO town of Lunenburg, the lighthouse at Peggy's cove, and Citadel Hill in Halifax. The Tour concluded in Halifax where the women watched a Cashspiel in progress at the Halifax Curling Club and posed for a team picture with Brad Gushues's Newfoundland/Labrador team - a fun way to conclude the Tour.
Front row, kneeling, left to right - Debra Horn (Tour Captain), Anne Pryor, Jacalyn Stetina.
Middle row, left to right - Brenda Tait, Ruth Brown, Michelle Widen, Nadyne Krienke, Pat Davis, Joanne Docteur, Martha Naber.
Back row, left to right - Nancy Busby, Lucy Harr, Lynn Adams, Lee Alexander, Laura Heuer, Maryann Vermeulen.
East
- Lee Alexander, Philadelphia Curling Club
- Lucy Harr, Belfast Curling Club
- Laura Heuer, Potomac Curling Club
- Maryann Vermeulen, Plainfield Curling Club
Central
- Ruth Brown, Bowling Green Curling Club
- Nancy Busby, Columbus Curling Club
- Michele Falvey, Detroit Curling Club
- Debra Horn, Mayfield Curling Club
Wisconsin
- Lynn Adams, Centerville Curling Club
- Anne Pryor, Madison Curling Club
- Jacalyn Stetina, Kettle Moraine Curling Club
- Brenda Tait, Racine Curling Club
West
- Pat Davis, Denver Curling Club
- Joanne Docteur, Duluth Curling Club
- Nadyne Krienke, Granite Curling Club
- Michele Widen, Four Seasons Curling Club
Alternates
- First Alternate, Martha Naber, Albany Curling Club
- Second Alternate, Susan Fleck, Circle City Curling Club