|
The
Canadian Police Curling Association (CPCA) was founded in 1955. The
Newfoundland
and Labrador Police Curling Association (NLPCA) was founded in 1962,
sending it's first Provincial Champion to the Nationals in March,
1962.
From 1962 to 1972, the majority
of participants came from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Promotional material
was sent out to all police agencies in the Province, i.e. Royal
Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC), Military Police (MP), Canadian
National Railways Police (CN Police), Ports Canada Police and Town
Police Services.
1973 saw it's first entry from
the RNC to the Provincial Championship. From 1974 to the present
there has been representation from all the agencies
mentioned.
The NLPCA did not have a
Provincial sponsor from 1962 to 1971. Those days, the NLPCA sent a
provincial Champion to the Nationals on funds raised through team
entry fees and corporate
donations.
In 1971 , the CPCA notified the
NLPCA that Rothmans Canada Inc. would sponsor the CPCA Nationals
beginning March of 1972. This meant that Rothmans would provide all
funding necessary to off each Provincial Championship and the
National. Unfortunately, Rothmans withdrew it's sponsorship in 1977,
effective with the 1978 Provincial and National
Championships.
In
1978, Labatt Canada
came on board as sponsor effective the 1979 National Championship.
They provided all the funding necessary to run off each Provincial
Championship and the National. In 1989, Labatt withdrew it's
sponsorship, leaving the NLPCA on it's own once
again.
Since
1989, the NLPCA in concert with the CPCA have been diligently trying
to seek a sponsor for Police Curling in
Canada.
To date, no sponsor has been found.
In
1995, the NLPCA won it's bid to host the 1998 National in
St.
John's.
They were faced with the challenge of raising funds needed to off
set the cost. They hit on an idea where by they could not only raise
the money they needed, but to also help local Children's Charities
as well.
They enlisted the help of a
telemarketing firm called Fenety Marketing Services, and in 1996,
hosted the first annual Benefit Hockey game. $10,000.00 was donated
to a children's charity and the remainder went to NLPCA towards the
cost of hosting the
National.
With the success of the 1998
National, the NLPCA set it's sight's on hosting the 2009 National.
It decided to continue with the hockey games, which are now held at
Mile One Stadium. Children's charities each receive
$5,000.00, and a percentage is placed in a fund toward the 2009 National
and the remainder is used to send the reigning Provincial Champion
to the National.
| 