“There’s magic to it”: Roughriders treasure their time at Community Holiday Dinner

SASKATOON — Vanessa Larocque couldn’t keep her excitement bottled up. 

Her elation was obvious for all to appreciate after she asked Saskatchewan Roughriders teammates Evan Johnson and Brett Lauther to sign a water bottle on Thursday during the White Buffalo Youth Lodge’s annual Community Holiday Dinner. 

“I got the autographs for my husband,” Larocque said. “He’s a Roughrider fan, so I knew he’d really appreciate it.” 

To make the gift even more personal, the label of the water bottle was inscribed To: Alex. 

“I’m planning to give it to him for Christmas,” Larocque said, “but maybe I’ll get too excited and give it to him right away.” 

The community dinner was an early gift for 2,500 people — 1,300 of whom were present at the White Buffalo Youth Lodge and another 1,200 who were to receive take-out meals. 

Several volunteers made repeated visits to the buffet line without devouring even a morsel of food. Instead, they filled take-out containers to benefit people who could not be present. 

The multi-course meal was distributed by an assortment of community leaders and prominent people. Johnson, for example, dished out the mashed potatoes, while Lauther was in charge of the carrots. 

Johnson also attended the Community Holiday Dinner last year, when the Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation first took part in the occasion. Johnson and fellow offensive lineman Dan Clark were the Roughriders’ player participants in 2022. 

On Thursday, Johnson and Lauther were joined by four representatives of the Roughrider Foundation — Marnie Forsberg (Project Administration Co-ordinator), Jonathan Halvorson (Development Manager), Karlie McGeough (Marketing Communications Associate) and Caleb Blundell (Operations and Events Co-ordinator) — and the CFL team’s Community Operations Co-ordinator, Karina Peterson. 

“This is a great way for a lot of community members to interact and to spread Christmas cheer,” Forsberg said. 

That mindset has been embraced by the Regina-born Johnson — a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies who lives in Saskatoon with his family during the off-season. 

“I was at an event last night as well and it’s the spirit of Christmas,” he said. “It’s awesome. There’s magic to it. 

“It’s nice to be able to help out, to see the smiling faces, and to make people’s days.” 

One of the widest smiles belonged to 12-year-old Jacob Armstrong, who enjoyed an extended after-dinner conversation with Lauther and Johnson. 

By all appearances, it was an easygoing chat with his buddies, but looks can be deceiving. 

“My heart was pounding,” Armstrong said. “My head was going everywhere. I was trying to keep calm.” 

While expecting to have an enjoyable time with his family and to make new friends, he did not envision being able to rub shoulders with two Roughriders players and three members of the Saskatoon Blades (Easton Armstrong, Grayden Siepmann and William James). The Blades’ players were integrally involved in the process of ensuring that youngsters were able to meet and receive gifts from Santa Claus. 

Also conspicuous were members of the Saskatoon Ice Wolves (of the Saskatoon Minor Hockey Association) and Bridge City Blues (Saskatchewan AA Hockey League). 

One of those teams may eventually include Jacob Armstrong — a hard-shooting, smooth-skating defenceman with the Kinsmen Inner City Hockey League’s Cougars. 

“Jacob was telling me all his sports stories and talking about Connor McDavid,” Lauther said. “He loves the Edmonton Oilers and he loves playing hockey. 

“He was telling me that he hopes the scouts see him. If you keep working hard, anything is possible.” 

Lauther is a prime example to that effect — someone who bounced around the CFL for five seasons before finally establishing a foothold, so to speak, as the Roughriders’ placekicker. 

Beyond that, he is an inexhaustible contributor to the community, as is Johnson. 

“When I met them, I was so excited,” Armstrong said. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh … this is amazing!’ 

“I was shocked when I saw the football players and the hockey players. It was a total surprise to me.” 

It all added up to what his proud grandmother, Laverne Yorpi, referred to as “the best Christmas ever.” 

She, like everyone, enjoyed the musical entertainment that was provided by fiddler Jordan Daniels, whose renditions of Christmas carols wowed the crowd. 

Daniels was mentored by John Arcand, who is known as the “Master of the Metis Fiddle.”  

The presence of Daniels, who has become a regular at the event, was yet another example of the degree to which people pitch in to help the Community Holiday Dinner become such a success. 

“It’s really the essence of community that comes out here,” said Jolon Lafond, director of the White Buffalo Youth Lodge — an inner-city urban leisure facility that was established in 2000. 

“You have the community pulling together and understanding that there needs to be an injection of holiday spirit. That’s really a common thread with all the communities within Saskatchewan.” 

The magnitude and impact of the event is such that planning begins in late June, so one special night is several months in the making. 

“I really like to emphasize the contributions of the volunteers and the sponsors,” Lafond said. “The community really comes together. 

“It doesn’t matter where they’re from or what their background is. They come in here and they understand the goal. It’s to serve and to make sure that everybody who may not have a holiday season ahead of them is able to have something that they can look back on and enjoy. 

“I really enjoy these events. They bring out the best in people.”