For Immediate Release
Sept. 11, 2023

There were 93 submissions for the 2023 For the Love of Curling scholarship program, which sets a record for the program that has been in operation for nearly a decade. With the recipients named this year, the program eclipses the century mark in the number of scholarships provided, with 106 scholars receiving a total of $200,800 to date.

“The growth and impact of this program since 2014 is truly inspiring. Thanks to the generosity of the Canada-wide curling community, we set out to support our future champions in their personal curling journeys,” said Curling Canada Philanthropic Program Manager Brodie Bazinet. “This program has made life-changing investments in more than 100 junior curlers nationwide. We are now seeing these ‘future’ champions come full circle, competing at men’s and women’s Canadian championships. Plus, they are leaders in our sport as proud role models for the next generation of curlers.”

The For the Love of Curling selection panel selected 11 recipients this year who will each receive a $2,500 scholarship.

Of the 11 recipients, the Governor General’s Curling Club – an honourary society under the patronage of the Governor General since 1874 – selected one deserving applicant to receive a scholarship financially supported by donations from its members worth $2,500.

The 2023 scholarship recipients are:

• Sophie Blades – Hammonds Plains, N.S. – Psychology – University of Prince Edward Island
• Zoe Cinnamon – Cochrane, Alta. – Earth and Atmospheric Science – University of Alberta
• Keelie Duncan – Comox, B.C. – Business – University of Calgary
• Hannah Gargul – Beaconsfield, Que. – Sports Studies – Bishop’s University
• Jayden King – Courtland, Ont. – Human Kinetics – University of Guelph
• Madison Kleiter – Saskatoon – Kinesiology & Biomedical Sciences – University of Saskatchewan
• Aidan MacDonald – Upper Tantallon, N.S. – Engineering – Acadia University
• Sarah McNeil Lamswood – Stephenville, N.L. – Biochemistry – Memorial University of Newfoundland
• Kyle Stratton – Harrow, Ont. – Aerospace Engineering – Toronto Metropolitan University
• Alison Umlah – Dartmouth, N.S. – Communications – Mount Saint Vincent University

The additional For the Love of Curling Scholarship, presented by the Governor General’s Curling Club, is awarded to Benjamin Morin of Edmonton, a Political Science and History student at the University of Alberta.

“As a member of the reigning Canadian junior men’s championship team, Benjamin is preparing to represent Canada in international competition during the 2023-24 curling season. We are proud to provide him with a scholarship of $2,500 to support his educational goals and aspirations of wearing the Maple Leaf this season and beyond,” said Governor General’s Curling Club selection panel member Wil Thurlow. “This scholarship, supported by donations from our membership, aims to invest in the future of curling in Canada and in athletes like Benjamin.”

Morin will be honoured by the Governor General’s Curling Club at its annual general meeting and dinner at the Courtyard Marriott Edmonton West on Sept. 11 in Edmonton.

All applicants were required to demonstrate excellence on the ice, community leadership and academic achievement.

A seven-person selection panel determined the 11 scholarship recipients. The panel included outgoing Curling Canada CEO Katherine Henderson, Helen Radford (Curling Canada), Michael Szajewski (Curling Canada Board of Governors Chair), Donna Krotz (leadership representative), Wil Thurlow (Governor General’s Curling Club) and former scholarship recipients Nathan Young, Emily Deschenes and Johnson Tao.

The Curling Canada philanthropic program, introduced during the 2013-14 season to help develop and grow youth and junior curling across Canada, received donations totalling more than $620,000 last season. Programs such as The Egg Farmers Rocks & Rings presented by Curling Canada, Girls Rock and For the Love of Curling scholarships are only made possible thanks to the generous support of Canada’s curling community.