The Cloverdale Bed Races: just a bit of innocent fun, you say?
Not for the man they call Turkey. Once again, Rob “Turkey” Kielesinski will have money – and his dignity – on the line.
The sizable bet was placed last year, after Turkey’s Party Makers was crowned 2011 bed race champions, defeating Lord Tweedsmuir in the final round, after soundly trouncing Vault Restaurant in the elimination round.
Vault Restaurant owner Aaron Hotell had to put on a dress – a kicky little blue number – and plant a wet one on Kielesinski’s cheek, honouring a gentleman’s bet, and setting off a good-natured rivalry.
“When Aaron and I made the bet, I had no idea his legs would look so good in a dress,” Kielesinski told The Reporter in 2011.
It was another sweet victory for Kielesinski’s team, now headed up by his son, Ben, and featuring staff from the party supply store.
Turkey’s claim on the coveted bedpan goes back all the way to the beginning, in 1977, when Kielesinski was a member of the Cloverdale Pub Club, a rag-tag group of community-minded friends who liked to have fun – and help various good local causes. The club used to decorate downtown Cloverdale at Christmas. They also built the jailhouse for the Jail and Bail, a roving cell block equipped with a bar in the back (remembered fondly by many) where unsuspecting local office workers and shop staff were hauled, forced to wait in the clink until someone donated money to spring them. They couldn’t get people to leave even once bail was made.
“Can you imagine doing something like that today?” Kielesinski says.
The Pub Club – not affiliated with any particular watering hole – also organized the street dance during the Cloverdale Rodeo. As with the jailhouse, all profits went to worthy local causes.
Kielesinki remembers the inaugural bed race with a blend of pride and great amusement.
The team (“Turkey” Kielesinski, “Bub” Homfield, Shawn Loftus, Lorne Anuik, Chuck Wallis, “Wang” Patterson, “Kat” Stevens and “Warp” Fruno) won the coveted bedpan trophy – but the guys lost their shorts, literally; they were de-pantsed by the blast of fire hoses, courtesy of local firefighters, one of the other teams in the race.
Racers and spectators got drenched in the ensuing melee along the then-six-block route.
But things really got out of hand when the crowd started pelting eggs, old tomatoes and horse manure “somewhat discriminately,” the Surrey Leader noted that year.
“I remember that like yesterday, that race,” Kielesinski says wistfully.
Sadly, the club lost the next two years in a row but the memories never faded. Finally, three years ago, Turkey’s Party Makers fielded a team, racing to victory and bringing the bedpan full circle.
“Now we’re trying for a three-peat,” Turkey says, his smile growing wider as he thinks of the new memories being created for today’s participants.
“They’ll never forget it. I know my son will never forget it,” he says. “That’s what life’s about.”
– The 35th annual Cloverdale Bed Races are Thursday, Feb. 17, starting at 6 p.m. Contact the Cloverdale District Chamber of Commerce Cloverdale Business Improvement Association.
Follow the Cloverdale Reporter on 
Twitter and 
Facebook. View our print edition online.