Club News Roundup

Tulsa FSC presidents. Pictured, front row (l-r), are Margaret Anne Graham Holt, Rudy Buitink and Hope Wheeler; standing (l-r) are Jack Vest, John Martens, Dr. Hugh C. Graham, Jr., Mary Anne McGivern and Will Smith.
Photo courtesy of Tulsa FSC
Tulsa FSC turns 70

The Tulsa (Okla.) Figure Skating Club is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year.

Founded in 1938 with 66 members, the Tulsa FSC was the 24th club to form under U.S. Figure Skating. Today, Tulsa FSC has more than 170 members of all ages and skill levels. The club's home ice is at the Oilers Ice Center, where hundreds of skaters – both competitive and recreational – train under the direction of a highly qualified staff.

The city of Tulsa and the Tulsa FSC have attracted dozens of notable talents over the decades, including Hugh C. Graham, a 2004 U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame inductee; Carlo Fassi, World bronze medalist and coach of numerous World and Olympic champions; and Olympic champions Dorothy Hamill and Peggy Fleming.

“The Tulsa FSC has enhanced the legacy of Tulsa over many years by providing guidance to competitive skaters, judges, referees and administrative management for both U.S. Figure Skating and the International Skating Union,” Tulsa FSC President John Martens said. “The impact of the club and its members has been widespread and sustained over the 70 years of the club's history, both locally and nationally.”

A shot of Cedar Rapids during the recent flood
Photo courtesy of Eastern Iowa FSC
Cedar Rapids Ice Arena offers safe haven

Major flooding in the city of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in June turned the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena into a command headquarters for disaster relief.

The Cedar River surged out of its banks and forced the local police department to evacuate and move into the ice arena. From June 12-16, the police department and the U.S. National Guard conducted operations from the rink.

“The city's downtown business area and cultural center were devastated,” Dawn Gifford, of the Eastern Iowa FSC, said. “The estimated damages to our city are approximately $2 billion.”

As flood waters receded and electricity was restored to the area, the police department and U.S. National Guard moved operations. The rink reopened for business, which included a summer camp that featured advanced and Basic Skills program tracks.

“It was an amazing feat to conduct a skating summer camp in the midst of the stress in our community,” Gifford said. “Coaches and skaters banded together to enjoy our sport and take their mind off the disaster zone just two blocks away.”

Tanya Street-Burgess, skating director at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena, conducted her regular lesson schedule and camp classes despite losing four properties to the flooding.

Anyone wishing to contribute to the general recovery efforts can go to www.corridorrecovery.org.

Carey Tinkelenberg
Skating director honored for ‘making a difference'

Carey Tinkelenberg, founder, executive director and head coach of the Northfield Skating School, was the June recipient of the Healthy Community Initiative “Making a Difference Award.”

The honor celebrates those groups and individuals in the community who have a positive influence on Northfield (Minn.) youth.

A Carleton College alumna, Tinkelenberg saw the need for a skating program in Northfield and opened the skating school in 2005. Participants range in age from 4 to adult. Along with her commitment to the skating school, Tinkelenberg collaborates with the Girls Scouts, Northfield Dance Academy and Shattuck St. Mary's Skating Academy to offer additional youth programming. She is a board member of Northfield IceNow and a member of the Northfield Youth Sports Collaborative.

“Carey has the unique talent of building the children's self-esteem and getting the most out of them,” said one of the parents who nominated Tinkelenberg. “Her love of the sport truly shows through her patience and dedication to help each student learn. We are lucky to have people like Carey to work with our youth.”




Ice Chips 2008

The cast of the The Skating Club of Boston's Ice Chips 2008 production presented a $10,000 check this summer to the Children's Hospital of Boston.

Pictured, back row (l-r), are Dr. Modern Weng, Emily Hughes, Dr. Lyle Micheli, Kurt Browning, athletic trainer Dan Lussier, Skating Club of Boston President Joe Blount; front row, Stephen Carriere and Bonni Retzkin.
Photo courtesy of SJ Howland