Eight of the 12 have been unveiled
Autumn means a lot of things to curling fans. Curlers retrieve brooms from the back of the closet, sheets of ice are pebbled, and the anticipation of who will be in the upcoming curling calendar begins.
Those who agree to appear experience a range of thoughts before saying yes or no.
“My reaction first was ‘Jesus … I have to start a diet, I am not in shape,’” said Germany’s Sixten Totzek. “But at the end I thought it doesn’t matter, it will be either way a cool experience.”
The young German men’s fours skip is one of eight athlete months to be revealed in the 2023 Curling Cares Fundraising Calendar project.
Totzek chose a Canadian charity to support, the Sandra Schmirler Foundation.
Each athlete or group of athletes appearing are supporting a charitable initiative that has personal meaning and is essential in their communities.
Curling Canada teamed with calendar project manager The Community Fundraiser to give curling fans an exclusive teaser of the first eight athletes.
“TheCommunityFundraiser.com is a generous supporter of curling and is finding endless ways to allow athletes an opportunity to showcase their personalities and raise funds for charities and initiatives near and dear to their hearts. This includes support for the future generations of curling,” said Brodie Bazinet, Curling Canada Foundation Manager.
The 2023 Curling Cares Fundraising Calendar will include a selection of notable names from the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, a prominent pair of upcoming Canadian curling siblings, a popular curling podcast duo and an ensemble of international curlers, including an Olympic gold medallist.
The calendar will also include 2022 Paralympic bronze medallist Jon Thurston of the Canadian wheelchair curling team. Thurston threw fourth stones and was instrumental in securing Canada’s bronze medal at the Paralympic Games in Beijing.
Proceeds from the calendars Thurston sells will benefit Curling Canada’s For the Love of Curling youth philanthropic programs.
“I was honoured when asked to be part of the Curling Cares calendar. I’m grateful to be able to represent the wheelchair curling discipline and help raise funds for a great cause in youth curling initiatives. Curling has given me so much, and to be able to help raise funds to help others enjoy the sport means so much,” said Thurston.
Thurston is the second wheelchair curling athlete to be featured in the calendar, following Sonja Gaudet’s appearance in 2012.
In addition to Totzek and Thurston, other confirmed curling athletes in the calendar include:
Andrea Kelly (NB) – 2022 STOH bronze medallist;
Amos Mosaner (ITA) – 2022 Olympic mixed doubles gold medallist;
Kristin MacCuish (MB) – 2021 Canadian Olympic Trials silver medallist;
Rylan and Madison Kleiter (SK) – siblings, two-time Canadian junior men’s bronze-medallist (Rylan), Team Saskatchewan at 2022 New Holland Canadian Juniors (Madison);
Lori Eddy and Mary Chilvers (ON) – popular 2 Girls and a Game podcasters and two-time provincial champions in 2022;
Yumi Suzuki and Kaho Onodera (JPN) – Best friends and rivals from Team Fujisawa (Olympic women’s silver and bronze medallists) and Team Yoshimura (two-time world women’s competitors), respectively.
Who are the other curlers in the 2023 Curling Cares Fundraising Calendar? All will be revealed on Oct. 5 when the final participants are announced.
“The PointsBet Invitational is an early opportunity to remind curling fans of this incredible commitment their athletes make each year,” said Rick Warner, owner of The Community Fundraiser. “It takes courage to do this, and taking time to arrange their own photo shoots and push calendar sales in their communities isn’t an easy thing—and yet curlers do this every season.
“When we confirm the final Curling Cares lineup on Oct. 5, the 2023 campaign really kicks off and it’s up to curling fans to support them.”
Pre-orders for the calendar are now accepted online.
Calendars are $25 each, plus taxes, shipping and handling.
Spectators attending Curling Canada’s inaugural PointsBet Invitational championship will receive an exclusive pre-sale offer for five dollars off the calendar. Fans will find the special promo code posted throughout Willie O’Ree Place on posters and table cards.
Kelly and MacCuish won’t be the only calendar models at the event in Fredericton this week. No less than 37 Curling Cares alumni will compete on the ice, including members of Teams Einarson, Bottcher, Koe, Lawes, Dunstone, Scheidegger, Gushue, McEwen, Jones, Homan and more.
Since 2014 the Curling Cares fundraising project has raised over $700,000 for multiple charities.