Simcoe Rotarian John Vallee and Norfolk-Sunrise Keith Jones To Join 2024 Canada to Scotland Curling Tour

November 10, 2022
Story By: C. Richard Campbell
Photographs provided by the Norfolk-Sunrise Club and from the Simcoe Rotary Club archives
 
The Scots came, curled, ate, curled some more, attended a banquet, slept, ate once more and departed for London, Ontario.
 
At the November 10th, banquet and reception, it was announced that Simcoe Rotary John Vallee, an accomplished curler and Norfolk-Sunrise curler "Bones" Jones (more on the "Bones" later) are candidates to join the 2024 Canada to Scotland Tour. Bones who looks dashing in his kilt will have to caution non-Scots to never, never ever describe a kilt as a skirt! There is the mystery of what does a Scotsman wear under his kilt if anything.
 
 
John Vallee, 2016 (Courtesy of The Simcoe Reformer)
 
 
Jim Simpson (left), Keith "Bones" Jones Looking Quite "Dapper" in his kilt!
 
This is a grueling tour. The 16 Scots landed in Toronto on November 6 and will depart from the same city for Glascow on November 26, 2022. Sandwiched in between arrival and departure are curling competitions in 13 locations in Ontario from Ottawa to Windsor.
Did you know that there are about 134 licensed distilleries in Scotland that produce whisky? Many of them have tours and offer wee drams of their product. A suggested itinerary for our two Norfolk curlers would include sampling the smoked salmon, visiting the Isle of Sky and the home of the Loch Ness Monster plus a round a golf at the revered (and worshiped by others) Old Course St. Andrews. Then, there is Edinburgh, the Paris of the North. Also there is a warm and inviting pub in Edinburgh near the University. The pub owners are used to Canadians since over the years many have studied there to be Doctors and Veterinarians. Hopefully, the pub owners have forgotten my last visit.
 
Where did the Bones Nickname for Keith Jones Come From?
 
Keith Jones and I grew together, went to school together and avoided Reform school (now referred to as Youth Correctional Institutions) together. A supplementary education at the Reform school would have been embarrassing since one is located right here in Simcoe, our hometown.  Growing up together.  A group (not a gang) of boys developed nicknames. The origin of the nicknames has perhaps become a mystery after 60 to 65 years. But they still live on. Keith became "Bones".
Stay healthy you two. Two years will pass a lot quicker than you think.
 
Link to Simcoe Reformer Story  'It’s more than just curling' | Simcoe Reformer