Port Alberni’s lawn bowling club hosted its annual Ramsay Lampman Rhodes Tournament July 18 & 19th .  It was a great weekend for bowls with sunny skies, a light breeze and some fast greens.

The team of Dean Penny, Frank Lo (Courtenay) and Luise Norman Parksville)  took home the hardware this time around.  Second went to the Nanaimo team of Vern Hagstrom, Linda Cooper and Zoltan Pataky.  Third was another Nanaimo team, that of Kathleen Hewitt, Adrian Hewitt and Chris Windress.  Rounding out fourth place was the hybrid team of Lynn Chwartacki (Qualicum Beach), Vern Greenhill and Henri Saucier of Courtenay.  All four teams had a perfect 4-0 record, and it needed to go to shots and differential to sort out the final standings.    The Loser/Winner prize went to George Opacic from Qualicum.

During the break on Saturday afternoon, Bob Steven received recognition and a plaque from Bowls Canada for his 25 years of service to the lawn bowling community.  He is retiring after this year, and we are grateful for his years given to the sport .

A very big thank you goes out to the volunteers of Port Alberni Lawn Bowling Club:  the kitchen, greens people, umpire Bob Steven who worked all four games,  Derek Burke and the games committee, players, spectators and of course, the sponsor,  Ramsay Lampman Rhodes who made this tournament possible.

Carol Bucyk

Once again, the Parksville Lawn Bowling Club held its annual Tenderfoot Triples Tournament under the great sponsorship of Urban Edge Hair Design.  There was a slight blip in the weather Saturday afternoon, and then a downpour in the evening.  Sunday morning saw bright sunshine, and the greens dried out fairly quickly.  Light winds and sunny skies prevailed for the rest of the tournament.  It made for a great two days of play.

The results are as follows:  Bruce McNevin’s team from Nanaimo took first place, with Grady Work’s team, also from Nanaimo, taking second.  Our own Andrew Adamson and his team earned third place.  Mike Van Dusen team from Port Alberni took fourth.  Debbie Taylor and her Parksville team took fifth with the Colin Lloyd threesome from Qualicum Beach rounding out sixth place.

Many people make for a successful tournament, and in Parksville, all hands were on deck to make this event so successful.  Thanks to  Chuck Benson, who took a number of photos throughout the tournament, the kitchen and bar crew, grounds  crew, games  committee, umpires for both days, spectators, players and of course, our wonderful sponsor for this event, Urban Edge.  Also, not to be forgotten were the number of novices who came out to watch and  play in this event.   Some had two months experience and  were out on the green having fun.  Many said they enjoyed the event so much that they want to get involved in future tournaments.  It’s that kind of positivity that bodes well for the future of our game.

Carol Bucyk

It was a great two days for Parksville teams this past weekend.  The annual Gold Bowl, held on July 4th and 5th and sponsored by Imagine Tours/Shawn Kilner saw teams come from around the zone to take part.   Both days were sunny and dry with light winds. The greens were very fast,  so adjusting to them  quickly was necessary.

In the end, it was our own Bob Allaby, Joey Merrell and Bob Merrell who took home first place and will get their names on the trophy for this year.    They scored 12 points, 33 ends and 26 shots.   It was a close one as  second place went to the team of Ian Yewer, Ann Yewer and Dave Baker from Nanaimo who also had 12 points, 32 ends and 23 shots.  Vern Hagstrom, Zoltan Pataky and Linda Cooper, also of Nanaimo took third with 10 points, 32 ends and 17 a 17 shot differential.  Coming in fourth was our own Wayne Larocque, Laurel Witzer and Kent Card with 9 points, 32 ends and 13 shots.   The fifth place team, also from Parksville was that of Geoff Holland, Ann Holland and David Perry with 9 points, 32 ends and shot differential of 4.   Courtenay’s Vern Greenhill, Henri Saucier and April Gilchrist took sixth with 9 points, 27 ends and 13 shots.  Finally, Courtenay’s Dean Penny, Frank Lo and Shelley McCollom took 7th with 7 points, 28 ends and a shot differential of 10.

A very big thank you goes out to the players, spectators, games committee, umpires, greens crew, kitchen crew and of course, sponsor of this annual event, Imagine Tours/Shawn Kilner.

Carol Bucyk

Sunny skies, a light wind and fast greens were the order of the day for the 2026 Strawberry Bowl held in Port Alberni June 27th and 28th.

On the women’s side, it was April Gilchrist (Courtenay)  and Linda Cooper (Nanaimo) taking home first place, with our own Sandi Mitchell and Merry Danarti earning second.

For the men, it was Qualicum’s George Opacic and Willie Dunlop earning first place.  Second went to Hal Gray and Henri Saucier.  Courtenay’s Dean Penny and  Vern Greenhill took home third place prize money.   In fourth place was a four way tie going to  Bob Allaby and Bob Merrell , and Ken Bucyk and Christian Massey all of Parksville.

Thanks to Bob Stevens who was umpire for the event, the ladies in the kitchen, greens crew, games committee, players and spectators who came out for the event.    Thanks to Ken Bucyk for the pictures.

There is always something  special about club events.  They  feel a bit more homey and relaxing with   a different kind of vibe.     The people you play with, or against, are the same ones you play with in drop in draws, leagues or “pick-up” fun games.   It is a closeness of community.    Our club’s mid-week tournament for June 24th and 25th was a great example of us coming together,  having fun and having  some great games  on the green.   Everything from the rinks chosen and as well as teams created was random, and it made for some really unique and interesting  team combinations.

Winners of the Club Triples Tournament for 2026  was the team of Wayne Larocque, Avril Adamson, Keith Goertzen and Darlene Pentland.   Second went to Bob Ashton, Andy Burpee and Alan Watson.  The team of Keith Terlson, Kathleen Motley and Randy Hall came third.  Rounding out the top four was the hard working team of Barry Knowles, Sue Tompkins and Christine Lane.

Thanks to everyone who made this annual event so successful.  From the crew on the greens to the games committee, the players and spectators, Chuck for pics and everyone else involved, much thanks and appreciation for your efforts!

Carol Bucyk

It was a great one-two finish for Parksville this past weekend in the annual Sylvia Gibb Tournament held at the Qualicum Beach Lawn Bowling Club.  The tournament, sponsored by Katherine Wilk of Royal LePage brought together sixteen women’s teams from around the zone to compete.  Sunny skies, a light breeze and fast greens allowed for some really great shot making.   Add to that, the colourful outerwear and tasty lunch specials each day, and the women had themselves a great day.

Congratulations go out to the winning team of Kate Wilson and Luise Norman of Parksville who edged out Sandi Mitchell and Merry Danarti who took second.  Third and fourth  went to the Courtenay teams of April Gilchrist and Karen Edgeworth, and Beth Perrier and  Joan Matheson,     Linda Cooper and Lezlie Howe of Nanaimo took fifth.   Our own Karen Perrin and Joey Merrell took sixth while Shelley McCollom and Linda Meers took seventh.

A very big thank you goes out to the sponsor of this tournament, Katherine Wilk, and to the many people at QBLBC who made it all possible:  Geri and the kitchen crew, the bar, greenspeople, the  umpires,  Darlene and George Opacic and the games people, the spectators and of course, the players who made this such a special day.

Sylvia Gibb, for whom this tournament is named , was an ardent supporter of QBLBC.   She loved to garden and  her work  is evident in the lovely perimeter border  surrounding the club.    She loved colour and judging by how the women were dressed over the weekend, Sylvia would be smiling ear to ear.  Thanks, Sylvia!

Carol Bucyk

Sunny skies, warm weather and fast greens were the order of the day in the Nanaimo’s Edgewater 60+ Mixed Triples  Tournament held June 17 & 18.

The  Parksville team team of Bill Burgess, Merry Danarti and Sandi Mitchell came out on top with their impressive play.    The format was winner play winner, so several teams earned second place finishes.  They included the host club’s team of Vern Hagstrom, Linda Cooper and Zoltan Pataky.    Also in second place was the Parksville team of Bob Merrell, Joey Merrell and Bob Allaby.   Nanaimo’s Ann Yewer, Ian Yewer and David Baker came second as did Courtenay’s Vern Greenhill, April Gilchrist and Henri Saucier.

Thanks to everyone who came out to play,  those who helped with the scoring, the kitchen,   the grounds crew,  and the spectators who  came out out to watch.  A special shout out to the sponsors  who made this event possible.  Thank you so much for your support.

CAROL BUCYK

Parksville Lawn Bowling Club held its open mixed pairs tournament June 13 & 14,  sponsored by Hearing Life Parksville.    There were 26 teams in the mix for this one which had both an  early and a late draw.  Teams came from around the zone to battle in this one, with warm weather and blue skies being  the norm for both days.

The honours for top team went to Nanaimo’s Bruce McNevin and Glenda Chalmers.  Hal Gray and Joan Matheson of Courtenay came in second.  Third was also owned by Courtenay in the form of April Gilchrist and Vern Greenhill.  Fourth place was the team of Fay St. Marie (Parksville) and Brian Scherr (Courtenay).  Shelley Howieson and Terry Morris of the Qualicum Beach Lawn Bowling Club took fifth, while our own Bill Burgess and Diane Cruickshank took sixth.

A tournament just doesn’t happen, and to that end, we would like to give a big shout out to those who made this two day event such a success:  Thanks to the kitchen and bar crew, the grounds keepers, games people, players, spectators, umpires, and of course, our sponsor, Hearing Life Parksville, for without their generous support this event would not be possible.

Carol Bucyk

If there was a way to describe this past weekend’s  Quality Foods Men’s and Women’s Triples Tournament weather  in music, it would be  something like “Here Comes the Rain Again” and “Here Comes the Sun” by Annie Lennox and George Harrison respectively.  Fortunately, George’s line about “sun, sun, sun, here it comes,” was the theme for the majority of the two days of play.  Also, the greens were fast and hard, something normally experienced in about mid-July.  As a result, it made for some great shot making.

On the men’s side, it was the Nanaimo team of Chris Windess, Adrian Hewitt and Brian Howe taking first place.  Second went to Courtenay’s Dean Penny, Vern Greenhill and Henri Saucier.  The host Qualicum club team of Erik Ewen, Brian Michel and Charles MacIntyre took third, while Parksville’s Keith Terlson, Ken Bucyk and Christian Massey took home fourth place.

On the women’s side,  Courtenay’s April Gilchrist, Shelley Howieson, and Lynn Chwartacki of QBLBC  took home first place.  Parksville’s Kate Wilson, Carol Bucyk and Mary Card earned second place, edging out Sandi Mitchell, Merry Danarti and Diane Cruickshank, also of Parksville, who took third.   Rounding out the top four was the Nanaimo Team of Kathleen Sherry, Lezlie Howe and  Darlene Opecic /Ann Yewer.

Once again, a big thank you goes out to Quality Foods who continue to be a great sponsor for this event.  Also, thanks to the kitchen,  greens crew, bar people, scoring/games committee, umpires,  players  and spectators who came out to watch.

Carol Bucyk