CALEB NICKERSON
CAMPBELL’S BAY
Feb. 15, 2020
On Saturday, the Shawville Curling Club was packed as dozens of players turned out for the annual Spread the Love Bonspiel.
The event is a long-standing fundraiser for the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, and was started . . .
in memory of Shawville resident Billy Kuehl, who passed away from a heart attack. The spiel’s trophy bears his name. More recently, the Powell family has taken over the running of the bonspiel, in memory of Randy Powell, who also passed away from a heart attack.
Randy’s mother Melba was seated at the organizer’s table this year, and said that 22 teams participated this year, playing from early morning until late into the evening. Over the years the bonspiel, as well as an annual golf tournament, have brought in more than $100,000 for the Institute, which is one of the foremost cardiac care centres in the country and a renowned research institution.
In the afternoon, President and CEO of the Heart Institute Foundation, Jim Orban, thanked the attendees and the event’s organizers for their sustained support.
“It’s meant a lot to us, not just the money part of it, but just to have somebody in the community that’s a champion for the Heart Institute,” he said.
Orban also spoke about the late Dr. Wilbert Keon, the Pontiac surgeon who founded the Institute and passed away in April 2019. He described Keon’s vision for the facility, which recently underwent an extensive expansion, as well as his love for the Pontiac region.
“He never ever forgot his roots in this area and he talked about it all the time,” Orban said.
In addition to the action on the ice, there was a Texas Mickey of vodka to be raffled off, donated by Willard Smith. In the end, the bonspiel raised just over $4,000.
