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Volunteer receives builder award from Gymnastics Ontario

Journal Staff A long-time volunteer has been recognized by Gymnastics Ontario for his extraordinary dedication to the Bluewater Gymnastics Club.
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Curt Bladon was presented with a provincial award on Nov. 2. With him are Bluewater Gymnastics executive director Rose-Ann Nathan, left, and general manager Taylor Dubs. Submitted Photo

Journal Staff

A long-time volunteer has been recognized by Gymnastics Ontario for his extraordinary dedication to the Bluewater Gymnastics Club.

Curt Bladon received the Club Builder Award at the provincial organization’s 51st annual banquet in Mississauga earlier this month.

The award recognizes extraordinary volunteerism at the club level, and Bladon has repeatedly gone above and beyond the exceptional, said executive director Rose-Ann Nathan.

“Curt is a well-respected, passionate dad of an athlete himself and supportive of all athletes. He can be seen cheering on the sidelines at the club.”

His daughter, Amy, is attending Pennsylvania State University on a gymnastics scholarship.

Bladon has served numerous roles over the past 10 years, including the last six as club president. Early on, he was maintenance director and used his professional engineering training to trouble-shoot and solve facility and equipment problems, Nathan said.

More recently, he helped the club navigate through a difficult period that saw the dismissal of its high-profile coach, an internal restructuring, the hiring of an executive director, and the approval of a strategic plan.

“We’re seeing growth, including more boys,” Nathan said, noting the club has about 2,000 participants, including 60 competitive gymnasts, summer camps and PD days.

“The more kids who are doing gymnastics, the better. Gymnastics is a sport that is a base for so many other sports.”


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