Lawn bowling for visually impaired or special needs please contact:  

Email: blind.lawn.bowls.nanaimo@gmail.com

or call 250 618 0625

HISTORY OF NANAIMO BLIND BOWLS

Since 1983 the Nanaimo Lawn Bowling Club has offered green time, coaching and sighted helpers to low vision persons in our community. Betty & Bob Benton, Mona Haddad, Joyce Osborne and Norval Wheatcroft were instrumental in getting the program started. They recruited many dedicated members who were willing to work with these visually impaired individuals. Mona and the Bentons often included the V I bowlers such as Cheryl Ward and Tracy Manca on their teams both in club and open tournaments. Because of their hard work,  dedication and influence, the blind program has remained strong in our club.

Over the years we have been blessed with some excellent bowlers such as Al Acheson, Cindy McQuirter, Cheryl Ward, Tracy Manca, Elaine Smithson, the late Shirley Cole. Kendrick Wall, Iris Ferguson and Hugh McIntosh.  These bowlers dominated the medal podium at provincial and national competitions for years.

In 1989 Cindy, Cheryl and Hugh represented Canada in the International Blind Bowls World Championships held in Zimbabwe with Cheryl winning a bronze medal in the mixed pairs event.

In 1993 Al, Tracy and Elaine were part of the Canadian team which competed in the IBBA World Championships held in Victoria.

In 1994 Tracy represented Canada in the Commonwealth Games held in Victoria.

In 1995 Elaine won a bronze medal in England and qualified to bowl in the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games where she placed 5th.

In 2003 Iris travelled to Malaysia as part of the Canadian team.

In 2005 she played in South Africa in the IBBA World Championships where she placed 5th.

At the present time we have 10 bowlers who participate regularly on Tuesday mornings. The group now accepts all persons with disabilities including individuals with mental challenges and the early stages of Alzheimer.
Some of the bowlers are competitive and others enjoy the social aspect of our game.

Randy Fred leads our competitive bowlers having won many gold medal at provincial and national competitions.
He is being challenged by Jay Gatley, David Ruckman, Gus Thorne and Tshepo Raditladi.

Tuesday mornings are a fun two hours marked with coffee, goodies, social interaction and of course bowling. The members of the Nanaimo VIP group are very thankful for the support and encouragement they have received over the years from the many directors and markers
who have enabled this program to flourish.

Thanks to all club members and the executive for your fine efforts. They are very much appreciated.
We are always looking for new bowlers and helpers.

Plan a visit to the green some Tuesday morning. We are sure you will enjoy it.

DAVE RUCKMAN

In 2010, at the age of 60, due to a blood flow disorder, Dave lost the majority of his vision over a 3 day period. With the loss of vision, unemployment became a reality and with the resulting loss of income, marital status, and a social network, life became a challenge.

While walking with a white cane, a former member approached and invited Dave to join the sight impaired group at the Nanaimo Lawn Bowling Club.

The lawn bowling community has provided a conduit for new friendships and a physical activity essential to a healthy lifestyle. Club members have embraced Dave’s dedication and contribution to the sport of lawn bowls. They consistently include him in regular tournaments for the sighted.

Through 2011 – 2014 Dave has steadily improved as a lawn bowler with victories and top three finishes both in sight impaired and fully sighted bowling.

Together with two sighted bowlers, he won the 2014 Tenderfoot Tournament in Parksville. This is a tournament for bowlers with 3 years or less experience and involved teams from all over the north island.

At the 2014 Provincial Championships for Sight Impaired, Dave went undefeated for a gold medal win and earned qualification to the National Championship in Brantford, ON.

At the National Championship, he lost only one game in the singles competition and won all his games in doubles to win two gold medals. He is the current National Champion for his B2 Division.

As a qualified sight-impaired representative for the City of Nanaimo, Provincial Champion, and a National Gold Medalist, the International Bowls for the Disabled World Championships to be held in Wellington, NZ February 2015, is an opportunity of a lifetime and a dream come true.

Madeline Sherry