Highlands Lawn Bowling Club
6112 113 Ave NW T5W 4C2 Edmonton, AB, Canada

Profile: Alexis Gallacher Alexis started bowling in 2013 because of her grandparents. They brought her down to the club and that was her first exposure to lawn bowling. While they were learning, she and her cousin, Kiera started playing with them. Alexis was 11 years old when she started lawn bowling. My first tournament was the Presidents Quaddie tournament in Edmonton. Four games, some pair games, triples and a singles game. I played with my grandparents, Linda and Ed... Gallacher and my cousin Kiera Schaelow. The Quaddie was held at the Commonwealth Lawn Bowling Club. Kiera and I entered the Novice pairs at the Royal Lawn Bowling club and we placed second. I also played in the Juniors National Tournaments in Halifax (placed 4th), Winnipeg (no placing) and in Victoria (placed 4th) in 2017 - 2019. We also went to California (Laguna Hills) to participate in the North American Challenge. It was Canada versus the United States. We did triples, fours and some single games. I was in the fours and we didn't win anything but the experience was great! One day it rained all day and we bowled in puddles, which was very different and had not experienced this before. This was in October 2018. The bowls memory that I'm proud of is when I played in the Alberta versus British Columbia challenge in 2018. The first year we went to Victoria, B.C. I just got to connect with a bunch of different bowlers which were more experienced than myself. They helped me learn a lot and I got to know people from the BC team. This was a very fun experience for me. Lawn bowling is the only sport I participate in. I also enjoy drawing, embroidery, painting and crafts. Everyone I have met has their own influence on me in a unique way. There is not one person I look up to. This makes me the unique bowler I am today. My coach, Cesilia Gillespie is one person I look up to because she is someone who bowls well and for her to take us on as a mentor mean't alot to me. She has been to the nationals when I went and supported me. The best advise is having the ability to shake off a bad shot and not having it impact you on how you bowl. Don't let it get into your head and shake it off. It will make a huge difference and it won't cloud your judgment in making future shots in your game. California was my favorite place to travel to. Perfect weather, not to hot or cold. The Laguna beach was very pretty. We ended up going to Disneyland afterwards and it was my first time travelling internationally as well. I was 16 years old at the time. Alexis is a very talented bowler and I've included some tournament pictures of her below.

Profile: Ed Gallacher Ed Gallacher and his wife Linda started lawn bowling at Highlands Lawn Bowling club in 2012, when friends of theirs, the Sandersons, were joining the club and asked them to join as well. That year they entered the Klondike tournament at the Royal Lawn Bowling club. "We had such a good time we were hooked on tournaments!" In 2013, Ed entered the Northern Novice tournament with his good friend, Dan Bone and they won! "I've entered many provincial to...urnaments since then, but the best I have done is second place in the Provincials Pairs with Marvin Kwan. Marvin and I have gone in the pairs many times and we have made it 3rd and 4th place but never have won it." In 2013, Ed's wife Linda and his granddaughters, Alexis and Kiera went in an early bird Quadie at Commonwealth Lawn Bowling Club. "Both the girls came to like the sport as much as we did. " Besides lawn bowling, Ed enjoys golfing and curling. He has spent most of his sport activity time devoted to lawn bowling the past several years. One person Ed admires and looks up to is his wife Linda. "I probably looked up to my wife Linda, who passed away in 2019. More than anyone else, she made me a better person. She always made the right decision no matter the circumstance. Whether it was a child needing help or someone needing help for one reason or another. I have been fortunate to receive advice from many people in this sport, including Cecilia Gillespie, who I have used as a coach since I came to Highlands Lawn Bowling Club. The best advice I have received is stay in the moment and focus on the shot taken in the game by either team and always be aware of the score and situation." "Linda and I have travelled to Maui and San Diego and many trips to California and Las Vegas. I also was in Mexico when I retired. In 1999 I was contracted to teach railroading in the USA and taught new hires for Union Pacific in a college in Salt Lake City, Denver. I did a lot of instructing in the Chicago area as well as the midwest."

Today in the cold -17C I went to the club and took some pictures. Even though our rinks are covered with snow, it is warm in my heart knowing that we will be playing on the greens soon in four short months. The grass will be green then, the trees budding with flowers and the weather will be warm and inviting. Nearby there were two gals skating on the community rink behind our club building. Nice to see people enjoying the outdoors even in cool temperatures getting exercise!

Starting Monday, January 18th, outdoor gatherings up to 10 people are allowed. Make sure you get out for walks, cross country skiing, skating, tobogganing, and start getting into action for the start of lawn bowling in May 2021! Personal and Wellness Services are also open by appointment only. Ensure you book to see your hair stylist if you haven't yet! Massage therapy, spa services (manicure, facial, pedicure) are also available. Funeral services are now permitted up to 20 people in attendance at a service. No receptions are permitted. Let's hope things ease up soon in our province. Stay safe and healthy folks!

Reflections of 2020.

Merry Christmas to all lawn bowlers, members, fellow Alberta Lawn Bowling Clubs and to all those who want to learn lawn bowling: May your Christmas be bright, May you walk near the Christmas lights, and bask in the beautiful glow of the season.... Snow and mistletoe, sleigh bells and singing walking, skiing, skating and Legislature bells ringing. The Edmonton cold, the freezing chill, but in five months, we will start to till, the dirt for planting, the seeds we will sow, and start to get excited for the Highlands Club Lawn bowl We will draw the bowl, we will aim so high we hope for many tournaments and not a tie Bringing the action, bringing the game, meeting new people, some are the same. 102 years old, we hold ourselves proud of our lawn bowling history we echo so loud Time to shine Highlands for young, old and new youth, seniors and newcomers too This is the time to try your hand at the bowl its not too hard to learn, we have so many to teach and show So come May 2021, we want you to join or try out and see, if you like the art of lawn bowling there is a small membership fee. Here is to 2021, for a bright, vibrant, fitness focused and membership driven year.

Member Profile: Kerry Weeks Kerry started bowling at the Highlands Lawn Bowling club in 2017 with his wife Janice Fleming. "I was looking for a place to spend time together with Janice and participate in an active sport." "We would curl in the winter months and thought lawn bowling in the summer would be a great way to prepare for curling." "The people are very friendly and approachable. They made me feel at home when I joined and came to play. Although I didn't play as... often as I should have, I really do enjoy the sport of lawn bowling." Some tips for lawn bowling: Focus on what your doing before you release the bowl. Enjoy the game, despite throwing a bad shot. I have played only in one tournament this fall with Janice. We came in 5th place at Highlands Lawn Bowling in the Corona Tournament. I enjoy golfing, travelling, curling, spending time with my family. I have travelled to many places. One of my favorite was Cuba in 2007 with Janice. She had just found out she was pregnant before we left on vacation. Cuba has lovely beaches, there are so many places to explore once you are there. The other favorite trip was our trip to Tuscany, Italy in 2011. We stayed at a place for 2 nights. We had our own small house with a pool just off the site. The owner was a renown chef who travelled the world and bought the property. He made us a four course meal with all local food he raised on his land and wine for $60 euros. It was a breathtaking place, so quiet, peaceful and scenic in the country. Wish we spent more time there.

A Youtube video on exercise!

I want to take this time to wish all our Lawn Bowling members and those who watch this page a very healthy, joyous, physically active, peaceful and relaxing Christmas! I hope you take the time to really spend time being good to yourself during this COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to take care of our mental and physical health especially now. If you live alone, please call someone, go for a walk in the river valley or just in your neighborhood. Turn on some music and da...nce, get out a bowl and whip up something yummy in the kitchen. Take out your toboggan and slide down a hill, take out your skis and ski in a city park or valley trail, take out your skates, fasten and lace them on and skate in a city rink with your toque on or just grab a coffee to go and sit on a bench looking at the city or in a park or wherever (Elk Island park) and enjoy the beauty of the day. It is so important to do little things like this to connect with nature. So important for our well being. And in then in a few short months, you can start to think about Lawn Bowling when the trees start to bud, the flowers start to open, the grass starts to get green and the wonderful smells of spring come to life! You will be seeing alot of Lawnbowling across Alberta come to life in promotions from myself and my Marketing Committee from Bowls Alberta. So here is to a GREAT, 2021! Merry Christmas to you and yours and to a FANTASTIC 2021! See more

Five more months and we will be able to do this again! Happy soon to be Lawnbowling at Highlands!

Story on Christine Bezovie, Director, Highlands Lawn Bowling Club Christine started lawnbowling in July of 2018. Barbara and Tony Spencer convinced her to give lawn bowling a try. Barbara and Tony are experienced bowlers and longtime members at the Highlands Lawn Bowling Club. "I was invited to the Open house in May and enjoyed it so much, my husband and I joined right away!" Christine played in one tournament, the President's Cup. One bowls memory she is proud of is bein...g asked to sit on the Board of the club. Last spring, I remember Christine did a fabulous job of organizing and coordinating volunteers for our casino. I believe she was asked to the board because of her strong organizational skills, and her exceptional ability to have a successful casino for the club. Also her interest and commitment to the organization. Another sport Christine enjoys is soccer. "I was involved with soccer from minor up to the national level. I believe in soccer as a great, affordable sport for kids." I asked Christine who she looks up to. "I look up to my parents. They always taught us to believe in ourselves, to go for what we wanted in life, respect others and find the good in life." The best piece of bowls advice Christine gives is, "Work on one skill at a time. You can't work on everything at once." Christine described some of her travelling experiences. "My husband and I have taken a great number of road trips all over North America with our children. We have spent holidays in Mexico Los Cabos, Cancun and Huatulco and we have travelled through out two Hawaiian Islands. We have had road trips to Texas, Las Vegas, New Orleans, California, Yukon and Alaska. My favorite trip was Christmas in Texas, it was filled with culture, fun, amazing foods."

Story on Kathy Kerr, Secretary, HLBC. Kathy was introduced to the sport of lawn bowling seven years ago. She and her husband, Richard Turner were walking in the neighborhood and walked by the Highlands Lawn Bowling Club. President, Gary Schwandt started chatting with us and was very friendly and welcoming. Richard and I started talking about retirement and what recreational activities we could do together. Lawn bowling was a natural fit. We went to the Open House, join...ed and started bowling that year. I have played in many tournaments. I've been in the Provincial Fours, Medicine Hat in 2017, 2018 and 2019. I've played the Women's Seniors Triples in Edmonton in 2019 and Calgary Lawn in 2018. One bowls memory that I'm proud of is the Seniors' Triples at Commonwealth Lawn Bowling club. We finished in third place! I'm more of a social bowler than a competitive bowler. I'm not much of a sporty person, but I do enjoy aquafit and am an avid participant at Eastglen Pool. One person I look up to is Keith Driver, who is the oldest member of our club. He is a real gentleman and is an excellent sportsman in the sense of sportsmanlike behavior. He can give advice without making you feel stupid. He was a great coach when I started and it would make a huge difference in the game. He is so nice, still bowling and such a gentleman. The best piece of bowls advice I received was from Cecillia Gillespie. She gave some great advice on the mental aspect of lawn bowling. Alot of it was focusing and taking your time. Take your time, take a breath and do the visualization. It makes the game more centred and you don't get frustrated with yourself. We have travelled all over the world, and the most spectacular place was Maccu Pichhu in Peru. Maccu Pichhu is a 15th century Inca citadel. It is located in the Eastern Cordillera of southern Peru, on a 2,430 metre (7970 ft) mountain ridge. The ruins gave you a sense of how people actually lived years ago. We went on a European trip in 2019 and Paris blew me away. We were in Switzerland when we heard of the fire that destroyed Notre Dame. I enjoyed Paris despite this as it has a flavor to it unlike many cities. Written by: Janice D. Fleming

Board Profile Story on Eileen Passmore, Vice President, Highlands Lawn Bowling Club Eileen started bowling in 2015, five years ago. "I went to an open house in May at the Highlands Lawn Bowling club the same year I retired." Eileen has played in many tournaments. "I've played in the Klondike Quadi at the Royal Lawn Bowling club." I've played in the President's Cup." She has played in the Provincial Women's Seniors and the Medicine Hat Memorial Tournament. ... One bowls memory she is proud of is the Seniors Tournament she played with Joy White and Kathy Kerr. "We came in 3rd!" Lawn bowling is the only sport she participates in as she said she is not a sporty person. I tend to disagree with this as I've seen Eileen bowl and she is a very good bowler. So I consider her sporty. I'm sure she does other interesting hobbies as Eileen is a very interesting lady. She is easy to talk with, very outgoing and friendly and was one of the first people I met who was very warm and welcoming to me and my husband Kerry Weeks when we first joined as members of the Highlands Lawn Bowling Club. I asked Eileen who she admires or looks up to. "I look up to my husband Ron as he is a very wise person. I admire the following people in the sport of lawn bowling: Richard Turner, Ed Gallacher, Cecilia Gillespie and Joy White. The concentration and focus they put on the sports and bowling have taught me to become a better bowler while having fun and enjoying it. They are able to maintain their focus, and concentration while they are bowling, enjoy the game and treat everyone with respect." "The best advice I ever received was from Cecilia Gillespie. She said take something positive away from every shot." The most interesting place I've travelled recently was Russia. It has a very similiar climate like northern Alberta; same vegetation and birds. Culturally it is very different and beautiful. Russia is very rich in history. It would take a long time to really understand its history. It was a wonderful trip! Written by Janice D. Fleming "

Congratulations to Ed Gallacher who received his pin at the Annual General Meeting for Perfect One Game Ender pin from the Corona-tournament in September 2020 at the Highlands Lawn Bowling Club.

Story on: Marvin Kwan, Member and Lawn Bowler of Highlands Lawn Bowling Club. I started bowling in 2007. I started bowling because of my mother and the recruitment table she saw at the Bonnie Doon Mall. She took me with her to the Highlands Lawn Bowling club. I thought I would just drop her off and then I stuck around and we both ended up continuing to bowl and joined at that time. I've played in several tournaments over the years. I was in a Novice tournament with Jan.... I've been in a provincial Triples tournament with Tony Spencer and Brad. I've also been in a pairs competition with Ed Gallacher. We have been in several pairs competitions together when we have had the opportunity to compete. I've gone into a few provincial singles. I played a fours competition at one time. I've also competed in some interclub tournaments. One bowls memory I'm proud of is assisting my mom in her Visually Impaired Tournament endeavour. Currently in the winter I enjoy playing in a recreational curling team. I've always enjoyed sports and have played hockey, soccer, volleyball. Best piece of bowls advice I want to give is to have a back bowl in place while playing. Continue where possible and don't switch the side your throwing to. For example, keep bowling on right side if that works for you. Stick with what works for you, don't worry about mixing things up. New Zealand was one place I've travelled to. I was acting as my mother's director in an Internationally Visually Impaired tournament where we represented Canada. New Zealand has beautiful weather! I enjoyed bowling against all the international teams, and having the chance to see some of the sites around the location that we were in.

Story on Charlie Jackson. Charlie Jackson started bowling six years ago in 2014. He saw a sign in the window of the former La Boheme, which was located on 112 Avenue and 65 Street in the Highlands Community business block. "I saw a sign in the window encouraging people to bowl and to come and try the lawn bowling." Charlie dropped into the Highlands Lawn Bowling club shortly after seeing this sign and he has been bowling ever since! Charlie has played in city tournament...s. He is a very modest man, but after watching him play at the club, I'm so impressed by his accuracy and style. Very quiet, gentlemanly but a powerhouse player. I've witnessed many types of players at the Highlands Lawn bowling club and Charlie is one of their best in my opinion. You would never know playing with him that he is inwardly competitive and displays a nonchalont style. He is very calm and relaxed. He is accurate and precise in his draws and I've been very impressed with his bowling. Charlie has played the Klondike at the Royal Lawn Bowling Club. He has played in several competitions at the Commonwealth Lawn Bowling Club. He played in a Novice tournament held at the Royal Lawn Bowling club and came in first place in the pairs competition. "Clyde was my partner in this tournament." I won first place in a Singles tournament at Highlands Lawn Bowling club in 2018. Charlie enjoys playing golf and meeting people on the course. I asked Charlie to name a person he admires. He told me he admires Karen Patterson. She is a lady who worked tirelessly to free her husband who has been detained in China for over a year. Charlie said the way she spoke with the media and the impression she left had an impact on him. The best piece of bowls advice that Charlie gave was, "Don't take it too seriously. Just do your best. If you bowl poorly one day, just carry on." "Some days you bowl well, others you don't and that is just the sport of bowling." Charlie has travelled to Maui in 2010. "The whole island is impressive! Western climate and leeward side. Heavy waves come off the ocean. All of the beaches are on the east side. The growth and jungle were very impressive. Leeward side had very little trees but lots of beach and lava rocks from the volcano. I would recommend Maui for a place to travel." Written by Janice D. Fleming

Story on: Vivian Kwan, Member & Lawn Bowler, Highlands Lawn Bowling Club Vivian started bowling in 2007. There was a display table at Bonnie Doon Mall and they were advertising the club and lawn bowling and we saw this and decided to try it. My son Marvin and I joined the Highlands Lawn Bowling club at the same time that year. Tournaments I've played in was the Visually Impaired Tournament, and in the Canadian Championships tournament. I competed in South Africa, with ...the Canadian team. I was in a singles competition and in that competition they had a pairs competition. I played with Daniel Morris in the pairs competition. We recently competed in the Corona-tournament in September 2020 in third place. My experience at Highlands Lawn Bowling club has been fantastic. They help me out, I"m visually impaired and they give me allowances. When I do something, they help me find it. One bowls memory that I'm really proud of is proud that I could come back with a medal from South Africa, 3rd place. I enjoy curling, tai chi, swimming. I used to go to drawing classes and dancing classes. I love to bake at home. I look up to my son Marvin Kwan because he helps me alot. Just have fun bowling and enjoy it is the best advice I have to give. I went to Capetown, Africa the people were so nice and everything was so interesting. The experience of the lawn bowling in that country was an interesting experience.

Congratulations to the 2020/2021 officers who were elected to the Board: Gary Schwandt - President Eileen Passmore - Vice President Katherine Kerr - Secretary Thelma Melnichuk - Treasurer... Directors: Christine Bezovie John Fitzgibbon Janice Fleming Cecilia Gillespie See more

Annual General Meeting, October 5, 2020.

Story on Jean Shepansky. Jean started lawnbowling in 2019. She was invited by a friend to attend our Highlands Open House. As you can see she really progressed quickly as Jean Shepansky and Ed Gallagher (pictured below) won first place in the Coronatournament on September 14, 2020. Jean took lessons at Highlands Lawn Bowling club shortly after she joined. She was looking for another sport to join during the summer months and we got lucky by having her join as a member. Jean also enjoys golfing, walking in the rivervalley, and playing bridge with her friends. Her best piece of advice for bowls is to pay attention and stay in the game.