BONNYVILLE – A young man’s battle against cancer 15 years ago continues to inspire support and solidary from the Lakeland community.
On Sept. 21, the Bonnyville Amateur Football Association held its 15th annual Scott MacDonald Memorial fundraiser.
Scott MacDonald, a Bonnyville Voyageur alumnus, was 19 when he passed away in July 2010, said Serena Critch, organizer of the fundraiser.
To honour his memory, MacDonald’s friend and teammate, Tyler Jahn, asked if there was anything that could be done to honor MacDonald’s memory. A fundraiser was held by the Voyageur football team and proceeds donated to the Stollery Children’s Hospital.
But it did not stop there. The fundraiser became an annual effort, and is still going strong 15 years later, helping numerous families in the Lakeland.
“Over the years, we’ve had tremendous support from the community,” said Critch. She added that in addition to the children’s hospital, proceeds in the past have also been donated to Haying in the 30s, the Bonnyville Healthcare Centre, and many people fighting cancer.
A little garden at the Bonnyville hospital was even named after MacDonald as a tribute.
Critch also said that part of the proceeds will go to “baskets” for families in the Lakeland area with children undergoing cancer treatment. These baskets may contain gift cards for groceries or even games for youth.
Each basket costs up to $1,000 dollars.
The efforts would not have been made possible without support from Lakeland communities, according to Critch. “Families always drive up and give support throughout the day.”
“We've had lots of people from all of the communities bid on items in our silent auction, and we usually end up with at least one random parent who offers to shave their head, and the crowd raises money,” she said.
She also thanked the football teams who adjusted their regular football schedule to accommodate the fundraiser.
Every year, as part of the event, minor football games, including regular season games from the Wheatland Football League - as well as the Wheatland Bantam Football League - are held during the fundraiser.
During halftime, crowds cheer as members of the community shave their heads to express their support.
“The community support throughout the whole Lakeland is just always amazing. So, thank you very much for coming out and supporting football and the memorial of Scott,” she said.
Football results
During the day, on the bantam side, the Bonnyville Bandits faced off against the St. Paul Bengals.
The Bengals started strong, landing two touchdowns, and ending the first half with a 14-3 lead. In the second half, the two teams battled it out, but it was ultimately the Bengals that snatched the victory, closing the game with a score of 40-24.
Later in the evening, the Bonnyville Voyageurs played the St. Paul Lions.
The Lions seem to be keeping up their momentum after their previous victory against the Cold Lake Royals and won a convincing 29-3 victory against the Voyageurs.
A peewee game between the Bonnyville Renegades and the Cold Lake Rams also took place earlier in the day, with the Renegades securing the win, 66-42.
