Welcome back everyone.  The City Hall league began the 2010-2011 season (its 36th season) on September 24. 
With 12 teams, some with extra members, there are a number of new curlers this year.  Please welcome everyone who curls. The new curlers and spares will not know a lot of people, so let’s help everyone feel welcome, enjoy themselves, and want to return to curl with us again. Reminder, this is a fun league!
Times: We curl from 6:00 to 8:00. Announcements will be given at 5:45. Please be on the ice, ready to curl at 6:00 sharp. An end should take fifteen minutes to complete. When the end is over, while the seconds and thirds put the rocks in place, the leads should select their rock and be in the hack, ready to throw their rock. When we have the skips' attention, another end can begin. It would be really nice to complete eight ends as often as we can. There is a countdown clock at the far end of the ice which will be set by VCC staff; please, there must be no curling until the clock starts.  Our warning buzzer, which is very loud this year, will be at 7:40. We must be off the ice at 8 pm sharp!
 Registration: Please go online and log in to register this year and check the online waiver again. This is for old and new members. This registration should be done before the first night of curling, for of insurance purposes. While online, please update any personal information such as email, phone, etc. if it has changed from last year. New curlers to the Vancouver Curling Club should complete all fields. It may show inactive, or active, beside your account ... this is for office information. Once you have registered online and VCC has had a chance to verify the numbers you provide to us, the account will show active. Also, there is an optional survey the club would like us to complete. It is anonymous.
Teams: This year we again have twelve teams. Each week two teams will have a bye, and those curlers, and anyone who is the 5th curler on their team for a night, should advise Paul Willing if they are available to spare for another team.
Dues: The dues will be divided equally by the 12 teams. It will be up to each team to decide how they will decide on the amount of dues for each curler in the rink. The skip will collect dues from their rink and give CHEQUES ONLY, payable to 453 Curling Club, to Graham Whitehead. Dues can be paid in two installments with the first cheque received by October 8, and the second by December 10. Graham Whitehead, Treasurer, will give more information next week.
Practice time: As of now, there is no extra practice time.
Ice: Work has been done on the ice since last season, which has removed the heaves on sheets 3 to 5.
Footwear: Shoes worn on the rink surface must be clean. If street shoes are worn, they must be cleaned before curling. Cleaning machines are at both doors to the ice surface.
Can’t Curl One Night: When possible, please advise your skip in advance if you are unable to curl one night. This will allow the skip to advise the Spare Master, Paul Willing, that the rink will be short. Paul’s telephone number is 604-224-0835 and his email address is pcmwilling4@shaw.ca
Win/Loss/Tie: The thirds must post the win/loss/tie after each game on the draw sheet posted on the wall in the lobby. This allows Draw Master, Dennis Peake, to have an overall standing printed each week. Failure to do this might cause a Win to be misplaced.
DrawMaster: The playoff format will include the top eight (8) teams with the most points for the entire season. No first half, second half, and no quarters. (This is what most people requested at the end of last season.)
Name Tags: Please wear your name tag, if you have one, when curling. Name tags will be ordered once in the fall. There is no charge for new curlers, but if you have lost your name tag and want another one, the charge is $10.00. Contact Betty Harris-Peake.
Hog Pot: We will have the ‘Hog Pot’ again this season. Each week, anyone who hogs a rock should put $1.00, and a slip of paper with their name on it, into the ‘Hog Pot’ for each hogged rock. Approximately once a month a name will be drawn from the pot, and that person wins all the money collected in the pot for the month.
Social nights: Usually mean food! The dates will be posted on the wall in the lobby and a reminder will be given ahead of those dates.
Not curling one night? If you are not curling on any night, please remember you are always welcome to join us upstairs about 8 o’clock (especially remember this when there is FOOD!)
Pro Shop: It will be open until 9 at night. Items chosen can be paid for at the office or the bar.
Guests: If you have guests joining you in the lounge while you are there, they must sign in and you must also sign them in.
Bar: If there are any suggestions or complaints about the new items at the bar, please advice Chris (Club manager) or Morgan (bar manager).
The New Rink: We should be curling in the new rink, with eight sheets, next season, 2011. We are to have the first right at the current date and time. IF we do not have enough teams for the eight sheets, another league could be curling with us at the same time, or those empty sheets could be rented out to anyone. This is why we have added more teams the last couple of years, and have gone to five-player teams, so we could expand. Please think about this over the year, as changes may be necessary for next year. If you think about forming your own team, please remember new teams should have both male and female curlers on them.
Vancouver Curling Club: The club is often looking for volunteers for different events. If you are willing or know of anyone who may be able to help, contact manager@vancouvercurlingclub.com
The 2010 – 2011 elected executive: President Betty Harris-Peake, Vice President Bill Hadaway, Secretary Carol Kent, Treasurer Graham Whitehead, Draw Master Dennis Peake, Spare Master Paul Willing, and Social Convenor Debra Graham.