One of the most famous trophies in the world – the Grey Cup – made an appearance the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in support of the Calgary Military Family Resource Centre (CMFRC).
“Today at the Hall of Fame the Grey Cup is making an appearance, coinciding alongside a fundraiser that supports the Calgary Military Family Resource Centre,” Executive Director Gord Young said. “All the proceeds are actually going to Red Deer and we have started a new opportunity for a person to be boots on the ground resource person in Red Deer.”
According to Young, the organization helps military families with anything they need including deployments, education, jobs, veteran care and emergency daycare.
“Anything that will help the soldier focus on their mission. They don’t have to worry about where their families are at,” Young said.
The initiative is making its first official inroads into Central Alberta.
“We have been doing that in Calgary for 25 years and we have a small footprint here in Red Deer,” Young said. “Now we get to actually move ahead and get someone here who is available for all the troops and their family here.”
The CFL has a long-rooted history with the CFL and Young related a story about CFL players deployed in England during the Second World War.
“One of the famous stories is the Tea Cup, which was a football game where the Canadians and Americans played in England in 1944,” he said. “Of course the Canadians won 16-6. It was interesting because they played NFL rules in the first half and than Canadian rules in the second.”
Young is pleased to bring the CMFRC to Red Deer.
“We are really glad to have this type of partnership and I hope the City of Red Deer sees how unique this partnership is,” he said. “In the upcoming year, there may be three more deployments.
“We don’t where they will come from, but the Canadian people need to understand that people sign up and are prepared to put their lives on the line for us. The sacrifice a family makes with someone making that type of commitment is serious. We are happy to help anyway we can.”
todd.vaughan@reddeerexpress.com
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