Wayback Wednesday, sponsored by Jamie Lockwood, broker/owner of Sutton Group Muskoka Realty, with family roots of more than 100 years in Huntsville and Almaguin
Pictured, in 1997, is Roberta Drew of Lake Drive, Huntsville, with the original prototype curling stick.
When Roberta was no longer able crouch down to deliver her rock from the hack, her hubby Rusty Drew invented an accessibility device, the curling stick, so she could continue to curl. Roberta named the curling stick the EXTENDER because it not only extended the years a curler could curl, it extended the club’s revenues by having curlers continue curling.
Rusty said “I started out solving a problem for my wife Roberta then I found out a
lot of people had the same problem!”
For Rusty’s Curling Stick invention, Curling Canada changed the wording of the rules to accommodate the curling stick. This was added to the rules: “The use of a curling stick which enables the player to deliver a curling stone without placing a hand on the handle is considered acceptable.”
The Canadian Sports Hall of Fame acknowledged Rusty Drew not only invented the Curling Stick, but he is also credited with the creation of the Sport of Wheelchair Curling. Rusty’s Curling Stick invention revolutionized not only Huntsville’s oldest sport, Curling, but also the world’s oldest sport!
Every Curling Club in the world now has curlers who use a Curling Stick – a Huntsville, Ontario, invention!
Submitted by Dennis Rolland on behalf of the Huntsville Curling Club in anticipation of Curling Day in Canada on January 31, 2026, and the Huntsville Curling Club’s celebration of its 125th Anniversary.
Over the past many years, resident historian and curler, Dennis Rolland, has been meticulously compiling the history of the Huntsville Curling Club, tracing the Huntsville Curling Club’s story all the way back to the beginning in 1900.
Now, in celebration of our 125th anniversary, Dennis has transformed this labour of love into a beautifully designed, professionally printed book. Filled with 286 pages of historic photos, memorable moments, and fascinating stories of our curlers, past and present, it’s a remarkable tribute to Huntsville’s Curling Club.
It is truly a story of the Huntsville Curling Club that is “No Longer Lost to Time.” The first 125 years of Huntsville’s Curling Club have a rich history of tragedy, heartbreak and loss; however, each setback was met with incredible determination to overcome and succeed. Through the hard work of volunteerism and the skills of so many, Huntsville’s Curling Club, a community recreational facility, continues year after year to make achievements that the founding members would have been so proud of.
This Limited Edition book. “Sweeping Through 125 Years” can be purchased for $55, tax included, at the Huntsville Curling Club or by emailing Kristen at [email protected]
Do you have interesting photos to share of days gone by? We’d love to see them! Email: [email protected]
See more Wayback Wednesday photos HERE.
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Is Rusty Drew a member of the order of Ontario, or Canada? If not why not? His invention has done wonders for the game of curling around the world! Maybe Graydon and Scott can get to work on that if Mr. Drew has not already been honoured.
An amazing tool that many people have benefited from.