PETERSHAM – The Petersham Lions Club recently held its 19th annual charity curling tournament and raffle fundraiser on March 22. The event benefits Massachusetts Lions Eye Research Fund to help in finding a cure for blindness.

This year’s 14 teams were from Athol, Barre, Charlton, Hubbardston, Petersham, Mendon, Paxton, Rutland, Winchendon and Worcester. There was a new team this year comprised of members from the Massachusetts Lions Eye Research Fund, which has membership from many Massachusetts Lions Clubs.

The final playoff was between the Hubbardston Lions and the Mendon Lions, with Mendon taking the win. The Mendon Curlers were Colleen Oncay, Karen Marzilli, Gina Marzilli Shaughnessy and Barbara Thirsk. The winning team will have their name added to the tournament plaque along with the names of the teammates. The plaque goes home with the winning team to display for the year and returns for the next year’s tournament.

Petersham is proud to have its own Petersham Curling Club, which has been offering an arena for the sport since 1960. The Petersham Curling Club is one of only four dedicated clubs in Massachusetts, solely for the purpose of curling. The club offers the day to the Lions for the event. This partnering allows the Lions to have this event locally and supports the Curling Club as well. The Petersham Lions tournament is always an amateur-level event, held annually in March. Experienced Petersham Curling Club members were on hand to offer lessons and advice to those who had never curled before.

Petersham Lion John Magnino kept all the teams in playing order and coordinated who was playing against whom, a job he has masterfully done since the tournament began.

The Petersham Lions will start planning the 20th tournament this fall after a short summer break. Those interested in becoming a Petersham Lion, please contact Denis Legare, the club membership chairperson at hilltopchief@gmail.com.

The Petersham Lions next big event is the Massachusetts General Hospital Bloodmobile that the Club is co-hosting with and at Monty Tech High School in Fitchburg on May 3. To sign up and reserve a donor spot, visit https://www.massgeneral.org/blood-donor/blood-drives/community-blood-drives.