A band of intrepid college curlers, both seasoned and new,  got together for a great cause on Saturday. Four teams of St. Peter’s College students, alumni and friends took to the ice in a friendly spiel to collect money for the Humboldt and District Food Bank. 

The curling tradition at the College fell away for a few years during the pandemic, but the tournament, branded the “Cheap Sheets” spiel was resurrected by local curler and student Ethan Rueve. Rueve took it upon himself to look into opportunities at the Muenster Curling Club to host an impromptu afternoon of “the roaring game.”

“The curling committee decided it should be a fundraiser and charity event,” Rueve explains. “Donations to the Food Bank was a good one to do.”

It really didn’t matter whether curlers had been on the pebbled ice before. The group collected a small entry fee and accepted food donations at the College and at the curling rink site. Novice curler Carson Gerwing was happy to jump into the fray. 

“This is my first time curling pretty much,” admitted Gerwing, “I know my team is full of first time curlers, so this is pretty much to try and have some fun.”

Rueve says it’s the perfect sport for anyone to come out and try, especially given its growing popularity for all age groups.

“Curling is a Canada-wide thing to do, and a lot of people either know how to curl or at least the basics of it, so a lot of people can do it.”  

The best part is the entry fee of donated food goes directly to help locally with the Humboldt and District Food Bank. 

When the rocks came to rest at the end of the afternoon, it was Rueve’s foursome with Keanna Leicht on board that took home the Cheap Sheets trophy. At the end of the bonspiel, the trophy headed back to the College to await next year’s challenge, and the students headed back to their studies refreshed, knowing they’d done something great to support those in their communities.