Have you always wanted to try curling? Does watching the Olympic Curling games have you wondering whether you could have been a contender? Then grab three of your friends now, form your team, and take part in HowardCenter's First Annual "Curling Challenge" on Saturday, March 20, at Cairns Arena in South Burlington.

No experience or equipment is needed. Teams will receive two hours of pre-scheduled ice time.

The Green Mountain Curling Club will provide an hour of instruction to participating teams. The daylong Curling Challenge, starting at 9 a.m., will consist of 32 teams, with eight teams able to play at a time. For the Challenge, teams will play an abbreviated game of three ends. (A regulation curling game has 8-10 "ends"; ends are comparable to innings in baseball.)

The four teams earning the most points will compete in a "play-down" for the gold, silver, and bronze medals. The gold medal team will also receive a large trophy that team members can display in their homes or offices for a year. The play-down will begin at 6 p.m. and will be open to the public for $1 admission.

Funds raised from the event will go directly to HowardCenter programs. A team registration is $500, or $125 per member. Teams raising the most money over registration will receive prizes.

Can you top these names? Sweeping Beauties, Wicky Wacky Woo (an actual curling term!), and Los Roca-Lanzadors Fantasticos. Prizes will also be awarded to teams for the best name, most clever hats, and best team spirit (as defined broadly by the judges).

The Green Mountain Curling Club will also provide all the equipment needed: brooms, stones, and sliders to wear over your own footwear.

"We are finding that people are truly excited about the prospect of curling. It's a game that's literally sweeping the country," says Gail Rosenberg, HowardCenter's Development and Public Relations Manager " During the 2006 Olympics, curling events were watched by five million viewers, surpassing ice hockey and figure skating. Rosenberg said, "We're hoping that the excitement generated by the curling competition in the 2010 Winter Olympics will carry over to this event, and that we can raise funds to sustain critical programs."

According to Green Mountain Curling Club Board member Rich Dauphin, "This Challenge will give us the opportunity early in 2010 to promote this great sport that everyone can enjoy, while helping HowardCenter raise funds for the important work it does to help people in our community improve their lives."

The Green Mountain Curling Club is a charitable non-profit dedicated to promoting the sport of curling in the state of Vermont. More information about the Club can be found at its Web site at www.greenmountaincurlingclub.org.

HowardCenter is a non-profit organization that provides services to children with serious emotional and behavioral challenges, adults with mental illness and substance abuse issues, and children and adults with developmental disabilities. Last year, the HowardCenter served over 15,000 individuals and families.

For information on registration and sponsorship, contact Gail Rosenberg at gailr@howardcenter.org or 488-6912.