Good evening PG Blizzard families,

Important information for Masters and FUNdamentals/Learn to Skate families for this week.

This Saturday, December 2nd, there will be no FUNdamentals practice (7:45 to 8:30 Saturday mornings) due to conflict with the Vanderhoof Clippers Interclub Competition.

The Saturday Masters practice will be held as usual (6:00 to 7:30 Saturday mornings).

Thank you,

Kessie.

Kessie Konwicki, Registrar
PG Blizzard Speed Skating Club
pgblizzard.registrar@gmail.com

Good evening Blizzard families,

What a fantastic day of skating yesterday! Congratulations to our skaters who qualified for the BC Winter Games, achieved their times to be eligible for BC Short Track provincials in March, or achieved one or more Personal Bests (PBs). Also congratulations to our eight skaters who competed in their first meet!

Thank you to the skaters, friends and family, coaches and meet volunteers. It takes a village to make our meets successful.

A big Blizzard shout out to Keri McLeod, who successfully coordinated her first speed skating meet. Keri - you did an amazing job - recruiting volunteers; setting up for the athletes and officials; and making sure the meet ran smoothly. Great job Kari!!

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1. FUNDRAISING - PURDY'S ORDERS

Reminder that all Purdy's orders must be paid for (online) before Amber can finalize the club's Christmas order. The order must be posted by November 28th. Orders not completed by the time that the club order is posted will be automatically removed.

Amber will be in touch with you if there is an outstanding issue with your order.

2. ICE OVAL VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

The Ice Oval is still seeking volunteers to assist the ice maintenance team. This is a great way to support our long track skaters - while fulfilling your dream of driving a zamboni. Check out the Oval Facebook page for more information:

https://www.facebook.com/outdooroval

3. MATS on TUESDAYS in DECEMBER

During December the FUNdamentals group parents will need to be at the rink by 5:15pm to help get the mats out onto the ice. This includes the parents of our Tuesday Learn to Skate families. Thank you for your help!

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Thank you and have a great week!

Kessie Konwicki, Registrar
on behalf of the PG Blizzard Board of Directors

Good evening Blizzard families,

This weekend the PG Blizzard are excited to host the Central Interior Challenge interclub competition, this year the event is combined with the BC Winter Games regional qualifiers. We are looking forward to some spectacular skating on Saturday, November 25th. If you have not had the opportunity to see Provincial level skating please come down to Kin1 to check it out.

We are also excited to have many club members participating in their first competition!!! These skaters will be setting new personal bests (PBs), races for our new skaters can be just as exciting. Let's cheer on our Blizzard athletes!

Meet Event Coordinator Keri McLeod and Meet Recorder Kari Rae are very busy with the final preparations. Please lend them a hand with any of the final details if/when they ask. Thank you - ahead of time - for all the Blizzard friends and family who have volunteered to help to make this meet successful for all the skaters.

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1. MEET ENTRY - Vanderhoof & Dawson Creek

Reminder that meet entry forms are due to Meet Entry Coordinator Emily Akerley (theakerley6@gmail.com) by this Tuesday. Forms are attached to this email. If you have any questions please find Emily in the stands on Tuesday.

Thank you,
Emily
theakerley6@gmail.com

Go to this News post for entry forms!

2. CICO SCHEDULE

Here is the schedule for this Saturday's meet. Reminder that all skaters must be ready to go on to the ice with all safety equipment for warm ups. Coaches may provide additional information regarding off-ice warm up.

Schedule: 
Registration:      7:45 am  
Warm ups begin:    8:00 am  
Coaches/Officials meeting:   8:30 am  
Racing to follow warm up and flood:  9:00 am 
End of meet:     5:00 pm 

If this is your first meet, we will help you to find a "more experienced" parent to help to guide you through the meet.

3. ADDITIONAL EMAIL THIS WEEK

Please watch for any additional email that gets sent out this week regarding the CICO. We will do our best to keep you apprised of any changes.

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Thank you, and have a great week.

Kessie Konwicki, Registrar
on behalf of the PG Blizzard Board of Directors

Good evening Blizzard families,


Please see this time sensitive message below from Emily Akerley, Meet Entry Coordinator and Officials Liaison.

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Hello,

Please find attached info for 2 upcoming meets and officials course info:

1- Vanderhoof Interclub Dec 2 (Forms due Tues 21)
2- Dawson Creek Interclub Dec 2 (Forms due Tues 21)

Anyone interested in the Level 1 Officials course? Going once,going twice? Info attached. Please email me directly with any questions theakerley6@gmail.com. Course is the night before our meet at 530 p.m. So far only 2 people have signed up. Anyone else??

Emily Akerley

Meet Entry Coordinator
Officials Liaison

Hello Blizzard families,


... Apparently with the long weekend, I lost track of time. Sorry this email is arriving a little late :)

Our Blizzard shout out this week goes to Amber Browne! Amber has taken on a huge role for the club, coordinating our fundraising activities. This is a challenging role, developing new fundraising opportunities (such as FundScrip Gift Cards), and promoting these opportunities to our membership. 

Huge thank you to Amber :)

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1. Fundraising Update

Purdys Orders are due Nov 21.

Save On Foods and Bottle Returns are year round.

Fundscrip Gift Cards can be ordered anytime. There are many restaurants (including Tim Hortons and Starbucks), grocery stores, and clothing stores. 

Operation Red Nose has a November 14 deadline to get your paperwork in for the dates that you want. They require teams of 3 so ask friends and family to help. When they help you, you benefit by receiving more money towards your levy. We need at least 25 man hours total (one person + one night = one man hour) to get the financial reward. The Operation Rednose website http://www.ornpg.ca/Home.

This year's fundraising goes to support travel to an upcoming competition, and for training equipment for our FUNdamental and Learn to Skate skaters.

If you have any questions, please ask Amber or Elaina.

2. CICO Meet Entry & Officials Clinic

Reminder that registration form for the PG meet are due this TUESDAY Nov. 14.
Anyone interested I attending the Level 1 officials course please let me know! Theakerley6@gmail.com. Course is 530 pm the night before our meet (Friday Nov. 24). Any Q send me an email directly.

Thank you,
Emily Akerley
Meet Entry Coordinator
Officials Liaison


3. Santa Skate - December 12th

The annual PG Blizzard Santa Skate is scheduled for Tuesday, December 12th. We are looking for volunteers to help organize and set up this event for our skaters. If you have some time and Christmas spirit please contact me (Kessie) at pgblizzard.registrar@gmail.com or find me in the stands on Tuesday or Thursday nights.

Kessie.

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Thanks and have a great week.

Kessie Konwicki, Registrar
on behalf of the PG Blizzard Board of Directors

Good evening Blizzard families,


I hope everyone is managing to stay warm!

Exciting news - thanks to the frosty temperatures the Oval crew started building ice this weekend. The Oval is always looking for volunteers to assist with ice maintenance - benefits are the opportunity to learn to drive the equipment, including the zamboni - if you are interested, please talk to Dave Konwicki or contact Lyle Dickieson at lyleandmarian@live.ca.

This week's shout-out goes to Darcy Michaud who designed and built our new skate cabinets - thanks Darcy!! Also, thanks to Rona for supplying the materials at a reduced cost.

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1. CICO MEET ENTRY

Forms were sent out last week for the Blizzard's upcoming interclub competition, on November 25th. Learn to Skate program skaters can compete in these races. Skaters will be seeded with other skaters with similar abilities. 

This is great fun for everyone, including skaters, officials and other volunteers! If you have questions, please ask :)

Completed forms can be handed to Emily Akerley, Meet Entry Coordinator.

If you are available to volunteer, please contact Keri McLeod at the arena, or at gkemcleod12@gmail.com. No experience necessary.

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Have a great week!

Kessie.

Kessie Konwicki, Registrar
on behalf of the PG Blizzard Board of Directors

Good evening PG Blizzard families,


Please see the important note from Emily Akerley, Meet Entry Coordinator, regarding the upcoming Central Interior Challenge, hosted by the PG Blizzard.

Reminder that all Learn to Skate skaters are eligible to compete in one home club meet - this is a great opportunity for skaters of all abilities to race. If you have questions, please come find us at the rink or send me or Emily an email.

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Hello families,

Our meet (Central interior Challenge and BC Winter Games Qualifier) is coming up Saturday Nov. 25th! 

Attached is the information and registration forms which are DUE TUES Nov 14.

Please bring completed form and cheque (written out to PGBSSC) or cash and give to me (Emily Akerley) at practice. This is a great meet for skaters of all levels, so join in!

Also attached in the same document is the info for the Level 1 Officials course taking place in Canfor House by the oval the night before the meet, Friday Nov 24.


Our club has gone through a huge turnover over the last couple of years and we have lost a ton of Officials, who were mostly parents of past skaters. Some of these past club members continue to help out but we really need to build up our club's officials base as finding officials to run the meets is becoming very challenging. 

We know that a lot of you are new to the club and have young skaters and need to be in the locker rooms to help little ones with skates during the meet, but if 1 parent from each family was able to help out in some way, that would be so very much appreciated.

Please consider signing up for the Level 1 Officials course, which is 2-3 hours in length and is an intro to speed skating and officiating, taught by Tracy HILLIS, a Level 3B Referee. This does not commit you to anything but it will allow you to pursue a Level 1 certification in your area of interest if you so chose. Please come find me or email me with any questions you have about becoming an official.

Thanks for listening!!

Emily AKERLEY
Meet Entry Coordinator
Officials Liaison