In 2019, we created the Jim Paterson Achievement award intended to recognize a curling member who is an outstanding contributor to our club. We named this award for Jim, who created some of the best curling ice in the region for over 38 years and retired from Oshawa Golf & Curling Club at the end of the 2022 season. It was a testament to his skill that some of the top elite curlers in the country traveled to practice on his ice over the past few years. A friend to all, Jim with be remembered for his kind, gentle, and quiet nature.
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2019 Recipient: Jim Paterson
We had an obvious candidate for the inaugural recipient. In October, 2019 Jim Paterson began his 35th year as our ice maker. This is an outstanding achievement in and of itself, but Jim has done so much more for us here. Starting back in 1985 working both in the ice shed and on the golf course Jim has lead a great group of ice technicians, some of which have become notable ice makers, such as Scott Foster and Jamie DeHart. Jim and Betty’s kids have taken rides on rocks and Jim was always the first one to throw a rock each year, even if no one sees it. For all of this and so many more reasons The OGCC achievement award was named the Jim Paterson Achievement award and Jim Paterson was our first recipient. -
2020 & 2021: Not awarded due to COVID
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2022 Recipient: Les Kiraly
Les has been a member at OGCC for 30 years and in that time, he has been a positive and steady fixture in many different leagues and while at the helm of our biggest event of the season each year, the Men’s Anniversary Bonspiel. A three-day extravaganza that is a monumental undertaking that sees 96 curlers hit the ice and 192 people attend the dinner and dance. Due to the work of Les and his committee almost everyone walks away with prizes! The contribution of that event to our curling department and our club is almost immeasurable. When we asked a few members to tell us about some of their experiences with Les we heard about characteristics such as patient, passionate, encouraging, helpful and even keeled. On the ice or in a meeting nothing fazes Les Kiraly! The one thing that every single person we talked to said, without fail, is that Les is a good sport and a true gentleman. There is no better or more deserving recipient of the Jim Paterson Award than Les Kiraly and we are honoured to count him as one of ours. -
2023 Recipient: Jim Skelly
Jim has been a curling member at our club for over twenty years, and a golf member for more than ten. During those years he has been a member of the Board of Directors and a member of the Anniversary Bonspiel Committee. Jim has been a strong advocate for the curling membership, and as Director of Curling he helped secure equipment improvements including an upgrade of the refrigeration system, a humidifier and new lighting to help improve our ice. He has assisted in the learn to curl programs that have been held at the club. Many times, during the curling season Jim can be seen on the ice either before or after a game, with a relatively new curler helping them with their delivery and release.
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| Jim Paterson Award | Jim Paterson 2019 |
Jackie Deschenes presenting Award to Les Kiraly 2022 |
Jim Skelly 2023 |
Betty Paterson & Les Kiraly presenting award to Jim Skelly 2023 |
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