Riders come through with giving spirit
The Saskatchewan Roughriders still deliver good cheer, even during a difficult year.
COVID-19 wiped out the 2020 Canadian Football League season and took its toll on the organization's finances. Roughriders employees — from players to coaches to administrators to office personnel — have felt the impact.
Yet, the community-owned team is still focusing on the greater good by following through on a commitment that was made well in advance of the pandemic period — in the form of a $1,000 donation to the Leader-post Christmas Cheer Fund.
Breanne Walkeden, the Roughriders' partner success manager, reached out to yours truly several months ago and asked if I could help out with the Mr. Lube Decades of Pride Collector Card project. The cards are being distributed in commemoration of the team's 110th anniversary.
I immediately made it clear to Breanne that, ethically, I could not accept payment from a team that I cover. However, as an inveterate Roughriders history nerd, I found the project irresistibly intriguing.
Hence, arrangements were made for a donation to the Christmas Cheer Fund — a contribution that arrived the other day — so that women and children who are escaping from abusive domestic situations would benefit.
The $1,000 donation will go a long way toward furthering our objective of assisting Regina's four women's shelters — Regina Transition House, SOFIA House, WISH Safe House and the YWCA Regina's Isabel Johnson Shelter.
For each collector card, a photo was selected from one of the team's 11 decades. Memorable games, players and plays are noted and celebrated.
The cards show photographs of the Regina Rugby Club (1910s), Howie Milne (1920s), Park de Young (1930s), Neil J. (Piffles) Taylor (1940s), Ken Carpenter (1950s), George Reed (1960s), Ron Lancaster (1970s), Dave Ridgway and “The Kick” (1980s), Don Narcisse (1990s), Kerry Joseph (2000s) and Darian Durant (2010s).
And now the cards are available, while quantities last, at any Mr. Lube location in Regina.
DONATIONS
■ Anonymous $200
■ Reinhard Rackow $100
■ Gayle Dodds $200
■ Anonymous $50
■ Lisa Legault $100
■ Anonymous $100
■ Anonymous $100
■ Anonymous $2
■ Wendy Fitch $100 (in honour of Dorothy Fitch)
Ted Wagner $50
■ Rosaline Wagner $50
■ A.C. Hegeman $100 (in memory of Harry Softley — because good people should be celebrated)
■ George Peters $110 (in memory of Graham Tuer)
■ Margaret Dowkes $100
■ Anonymous $50
■ Rob Vanstone and Laura Steadman $100 (in memory of Mom — G. Helen Vanstone-mather)
■ Marianne and Dwayne Thurmeier $200 (in memory of Doris Thurmeier, with thanks for continuing to support the women's shelters)
■ Nancy Jacoby $100
■ Anonymous $50
■ Robin Endsin $250 (in memory of Reinholt, Walter, Katherine and AJ) Anonymous $100
■ QCOG Medical Professional Corporation $2,000
■ Marilyn Caughlin $200 (in honour of Barb Shea)
■Anonymous $1,000
■ Susan Young $200 (in memory of Herb and Toni Young)
■ Bryan Chase $100
■ Barry and Nancy Uncles $100
■ Maura Thompson $100
■ Saskatchewan Roughrider Football
■ Club $1,000 (donation made in appreciation of Rob Vanstone's work on the Mr. Lube Decades of Pride Collector Card project)
Anonymous $25 (in honour of Anita Toews, in lieu of a Christmas present) Anonymous $200
■ Susan Mclaren $100 (in memory of Robert, Nathan, unborn)
■ Richard Patrick $300
■ Anonymous $500
■ Anonymous $50
■ Sheri Hupp $150
■ Terry and Shirley Meier $200 Garner Mitchell $500
■ Anonymous $100 (in memory of Elsie Nisbet and Hilda Jones)
2020 CAMPAIGN TOTAL: $9,137.00
TO DONATE
■ Contribute online at leaderpost. com/category/cheer-fund-2020.
Mail a cheque to: South Saskatchewan Community Foundation, Attn: Christmas Cheer Fund, 3934 Gordon Rd., Regina, SK, S4S 6Y3. Please make cheques payable to South Saskatchewan Community Foundation, including “Christmas Cheer Fund” in the cheque memo.