Lions, curling club team up for annual competition

PETERSHAM – The Petersham Lions Club recently held its 18th annual charity curling tournament and raffle fundraiser in March. A curling tournament is known as a bonspiel. The event benefits the Massachusetts Lions Eye Research Fund.

This year’s 16 teams were from Athol, Barre, Charlton, Grafton, Hubbardston, Mendon, Monson, Paxton, Rutland, Winchendon and Worcester. The final playoff was between the Winchendon Lions and the Mendon Lions, with Winchendon taking home the win. Winners have the team name added to the tournament plaque, along with the names of the teammates. The plaque goes home with the winning team to display for the year and returns for the next year’s tournament.

Experienced curling club members were on hand to offer lessons and advice to those who had never curled before. Petersham Lion John Magnino kept all the teams in playing order and coordinated who was playing against whom, a job he has done since the tournament began.

The raffle was well attended and the club was able to offer 35 prizes due to the generosity of area stores and crafters. The Lions will start planning the 19th tournament this fall. Those interested in becoming a Petersham Lion can contact Club Membership Chair Denis Legare at hilltopchief@gmail.com.

The Petersham Curling Club has been offering an arena for the sport since 1960. The club is one of only four dedicated clubs in Massachusetts, solely for the purpose of curling. The club offers the site for the Lions for the event. This support allows the Lions to have this event locally and supports the curling club as well. The Petersham Lions tournament is always an amateur-level event, held annually in March.

Petersham Lions Club’s next big event is the Massachusetts General Hospital Bloodmobile that the club is co-hosting with Monty Tech at the high school in Fitchburg on May 4. Visit www.massgeneral.org/blood-donor/blood-drives/community-blood-drives for more information.

Woodcarver presentation at Athol Public Library

ATHOL – Come visit the new art display in the Athol Public Library’s conference room and chat with woodcarver Edward Cope and watch him work on his next project.

Cope started carving at an early age. As a child of 5 or 6, always found with a pocketknife, he would carve canoes from tree branches and his grandmother, an artist herself, would paint them for him.

In 1988 Cope started to work full time as a woodcarver with marine life as his muse. He traveled up and down the eastern seaboard, selling his carvings at various art and craft shows. Cope took many awards including Best in Show on numerous occasions.

The public is invited to meet and chat with Cope while he carves this coming Tuesday, April 9, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Registration is not required

Disney for the young and young at heart

ATHOL – Enjoy singers and instrumentalists performing songs from “The Little Mermaid,” “Toy Story 2,” “Frozen,” “Encanto” and more at Athol Congregational Church on Sunday, April 21, 4:30 p.m. A spaghetti and meatball dinner will follow the event. The church is located at 1225 Chestnut St., Athol.

■Ages 5-11: $5 for the concert, $5 for the dinner.

■Ages 12 and older: $10 for the concert, $12 for dinner, or $20 for both.

Contact Pat Darby to reserve tickets at PatDarby6@yahoo.com or 978-632-8270.