From: The Valley Leader

Miami Area Foundation fundraiser generates $30,000

Posted By Glen Hallick

World champion curler Jennifer Jones and renowned broadcaster Bob Picken entertained a sold out crowd at the first Miami Area Foundation gala dinner. The Sept. 10 event raised $30,000.

"This is bigger than we ever imagined," Foundation chair Brian Callum said to the 250 people at the dinner and auction sale.

Commitment To The Game

Picken, introduced by Curl Manitoba board member and Golden West Radio broadcaster Al Friesen, credited Jones's commitment for her curling success.

"If you need a corporate lawyer sometime, you couldn't ask for one with more dedicated commitment in whatever she does," Picken said.

With his easily identifiable deep voice the soon to be 78-years-old Picken listed Jones' curling accomplishments as a champion junior in the 1990s and over the last decade as a four-time winner of the Scotties.

"It could be said her team reached a peak in 2008 in winning the World Women's Championship. But for this curler there are more goals to shoot for, including the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia."

Jones said she fell love with curling at an early age, so much so she went to the club, by dubious means, to where her mother played.

"She would drop me off at daycare and off she would go to curl. And I would sneak out of the daycare," Jones said.

By age 11 she finally got on the ice to learn the game. A self-professed shy person, Jones said she was active in all kinds of sports in school but curling remained her favourite sport.

And when she decided to become a lawyer, people told her it would very difficult to be highly successful at that profession as well as curling.

"When ever somebody says to me I couldn't do that, my reaction is - watch me," Jones said, admitting to be an over-achiever.

Tackling Criticisms

And the champion curler showed no fear in tackling the criticisms she and her team has taken over the years.

"We're a team that always thinks outside of the box. And we're criticized a lot for having too many rocks in play or being too aggressive, but my God it's so boring the other way!" she said to the roaring laughter of the audience.

Jones said he finds the game to be very relaxing and one of the rare times she turns off her Blackberry. Although she admitted she might, on occasion, check it during the fifth-end break.

And there is one other aspect of curling really appeals to her.

"The smell of the ice is the best smell in the world."

The Miami Area Foundation, Callum explained, was created two years ago and will operate in the same manner as the Carman Area Foundation. That being the idea of using the interest earned from the principal to help fund worthwhile community projects.

The chair said the board of directors plans on accepting grant applications once the Foundation has between $50,000 and $100,000 in its account.