The Bend Curling Club in Central Oregon has secured a major $500,000 donation toward building a dedicated curling facility, fueled by the sport's rising popularity from the Olympics. The pledge brings the club's fundraising total to $713,000, with plans estimating costs between $1.2 million and $1.5 million. Donors Carol Giles and Ron Sproat highlighted curling's appeal as an inclusive sport for all ages.
The Bend Curling Club is advancing its expansion plans with a significant boost from a $500,000 donation pledged by Carol Giles and Ron Sproat of Prineville. Announced this week, the contribution has elevated the club's total pledges to $713,000, part of a campaign launched last month to fund a dedicated facility featuring multiple lanes and a viewing bar.
Club member Michael Coe, a therapist who plays in the league, described the Olympic spotlight as transformative. “This has been the one year that I felt like we don’t dwell in obscurity anymore,” Coe said. “I think that for once, people are finally like, ‘Oh wow, this is actually a thing.’” The U.S. women’s curling team defeated the top-ranked Canadian team on February 13, positioning them for a potential first-ever medal in a bronze-medal match.
Giles, nearly 70, and Sproat, 81, decided to support the project after selling their business, noting curling's accessibility. “It’s a finesse sport. My husband’s 81, I’m almost 70, and we’re still playing very competitively and not many sports allow you, as you grow older, to continue to play,” Giles said. “We just really want to open up the whole sport to the community. We think it’ll be a great draw to Central Oregon from tourism.”
Founded in 2016 by Mike and Mickey Freundelich, now in their 80s, the club currently plays at the public ice rink in Bend, with limited slots causing long waitlists for learn-to-curl classes. Vice-chair Tom Pietrowski emphasized the need for a permanent space. “A lot of the old guard is kind of phasing out,” Pietrowski said. “I am excited about the thought of, if we do this, people will be curling 50 years from now in Bend because we stuck our necks out now.”
Oregon's only existing dedicated curling facility is in Beaverton, underscoring the potential impact of Bend's project amid growing local enthusiasm.
