Rob Vanstone: The receivers give back — thanks to the Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation
Karen Kuzyk looked closely at her little red raffle ticket as Kian Schaffer-Baker read off the numbers, one by one.
“Three, four, one …,” the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ receiver began.
So far, so good.
“… six, six, four.”
Yeah, that’s the ticket!
Just like that, Kuzyk had won a draw for a green and white No. 89 jersey, autographed by Schaffer-Baker.
As a bonus, he was seated a mere six feet away from the lucky winner on Friday morning at the Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation Breakfast Social — held to kick off the first full day of Touchdown Atlantic festivities.
The jersey presentation concluded the proceedings at the Lord Nelson Hotel and Suites in Halifax.
After posing for a photo with the personable pass-catcher, Kuzyk was delighted to chat about the new addition to her already considerable collection of green garb.
“The funny thing is that I had spoken to Kian earlier, because my friend Koreen is a huge fan of his,” she said. “Before I left, she told me, ‘If you see Kian, say hi to him for me.’
“Now I can send her a picture of me wearing his jersey.”
The tentative plan is for Schaffer-Baker, who recently resumed practising after undergoing hip surgery in the off-season, to be back in the lineup by Labour Day weekend.
He is on the Touchdown Atlantic trip as one of the player hosts, along with former Roughriders running back Wes Cates.
Schaffer-Baker and Cates flew to Nova Scotia on the 2023 Fan Charter, which included Roughriders partners and season-ticket holders.
Many of them were at Friday’s breakfast, which began at 8 a.m. … sort of.
“This event actually started at 5 a.m., Saskatchewan time,” Roughriders President-CEO Craig Reynolds told the attendees, “and I know for a fact that many of you did not go to bed early last night.”
It has been proven over time, though, that the Roughriders’ fan base is inexhaustible.
The tireless efforts of everyone who devotes their time to the Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation (SRF) are also something to appreciate.
Established in 2019, the SRF has already given $1.8 million back to the province.
“It has had a massive impact in so many ways,” said Reynolds, who cited the Foundation’s three pillars — amateur football, health, and education.
Roughriders players carry the ball, so to speak, by delivering positive messages to youngsters throughout Saskatchewan via the Rider Reading Program and Win With Wellness.
One of those players, kicker Brett Lauther, just happens to be an alumnus of Saint Mary’s University — where the Roughriders are to oppose the Toronto Argonauts at Huskies Stadium on Saturday (2 p.m., Saskatchewan time).
“We actually had to teach Brett to read upside down,” SRF Executive Director Cindy Fuchs said, “because the kindergarten kids like to see the pictures.”
Lauther’s passion for the SRF and its initiatives is such that on Nov. 21 — the morning after the 2022 Grey Cup game was played at Mosaic Stadium — he drove to the northern village of Sandy Bay.
The excursion consumed 12 hours, each way.
“We stopped at 5 a.m. to get gas,” Lauther recalled. “I was pumping gas, freezing, and a lady walked by and asked, ‘Where are you going?’ I told her we were going to Sandy Bay.
“She said, ‘Ohhhh, the Sandy Bay rollercoaster! There’s not a real road — just ice — and it goes up and down.’ ”
That journey redefined the term “ice the kicker.”
But Lauther made it, as he always does, and made everyone’s day along the way.
It isn’t simply a matter of signing autographs and taking selfies, although Lauther is happy to oblige. He leaves the youngsters with something more.
With mental wellness in mind, he talks about box breathing — defined by Medical News Today as “a powerful but simple relaxation technique that aims to return breathing to its normal rhythm after a stressful experience.”
It can also be used to stave off anxiety and enhance effectiveness, as demonstrated by Lauther in the line of duty.
“I do it before each and every kick, or if I’m having trouble sleeping at night,” he told the breakfast crowd while fielding questions from the SRF’s Development Manager, Jonathan Halvorson.
“I’ll have kids come back to me later and tell me that it’s something they used when they were participating in a sporting event or a music recital.
“To be able to actually pass it on the next generation, it’s surreal to me.”
As for Schaffer-Baker, he was able to pass on a jersey — to Kuzyk — and the recipient’s smile said it all.
“So far, that’s the highlight of my trip, but there could be more to come,” she said while in the fine company of her husband (Terry) and close friends (John and Lori Fedirko).
“I’m heading off to Peggy’s Cove right away.”
Dressed to the 89s, of course, in a newly acquired Kian Schaffer-Baker jersey.
