Garrison Curling Club hosts Scotties sendoff celebration for Team Skrlik

Athlete of the Week: Kayla Skrlik The Scotties are just around the corner and a new team will represent Alberta. Their skip is our Athlete of the Week.

A big Scotties send off took place Friday night at the Garrison Curling Club, as club members and supporters packed the place for Kayla Skrlik.

Team Skrlik curls out of Garrison, and Friday the club sent some good vibes and raised some money for Skrlik and her rink as they prepare for the Scotties next week.

It will be Team Skrlik's first time competing in the national tournament and the first time a team from the Garrison club has made it to the big show.

A silent auction was also held to raise money for the team.

Items included a vintage 1950s handmade curling sweater, made in Austria for the Hudson Bay Company.

"We're celebrating the Alberta champions first and foremost," said Garrison club member Steve Cloutier. "Secondly, it's not an inexpensive thing to be a professional curler, particularly one that is going to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, so on the initiative of two very keen [club] members, we decided we would try and put some money in the pockets of the team."

Organizers estimated they raised $5,000.

"I think I speak for the team when I say this event is bigger and better than we ever could have imagined or planned by ourselves," said Skrlik.

The Scotties are set for Feb. 17 to 26 in Kamloops.