Every Opening Day since 2005, the Victoria Mayor and two councillors have been invited to compete with a club team for the Challenge Trophy in a friendly game of triples. All six participants are commemorated on the trophy, win or lose.
This year’s honoured guests were Mayor Marianne Alto, and Councillors Stephen Hammond and Marg Gardiner.
An estimated sixty members turned out to enjoy the afternoon’s festivities. After a brief opening ceremony, Mayor Alto delivered the first bowl and shot a hoop. This is Mayor Alto’s tenth attendance at Opening Day, first as a councillor and now as mayor, all of which have honed her skills on the greens.
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Bowlers competed in 8-end triples/doubles games on the upper green and croqueteers moved down to the lower green. Councillor Gardiner opted for croquet. She came in on a winning team, and suggested we initiate a Croquet Challenge Cup.
Club member Joey Schiphorst filled in for Gardiner on the City bowls team. Alto, Hammond and Joey competed against President Anita McCaw, world-competition bowler Bobbi-Jean Charlton and Mitch O’Brien in a close 4-end game—tied in the third, with the club team taking the fourth end.
Following games, guests and members mingled inside the clubhouse, sitting down at tables nicely decorated in white/blue with fresh flowers. The Kitchen Hospitality Team served an array of tasty sandwiches, canapes, veggies/dip, and home baked tarts. Thank you TL Kathy Moi Barker for organizing this aspect of the event and to all those who helped with preparation, baking, serving and cleanup.
All agreed—it was a day to remember and a harbinger of what’s to come.