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Falcons rockin' to help hospice

A group of students who can hit like a rock, were picking rocks to support a charity close to their coach’s and team’s heart. Seven members of the Foothills Falcons football squad did farm work on Sept.
Seven members of the Foothills Falcons football team picked rocks and clean fields at a spread south of Okotoks to raise $1,000 for the Foothills Country Hospice on Sept. 24.
Seven members of the Foothills Falcons football team picked rocks and clean fields at a spread south of Okotoks to raise $1,000 for the Foothills Country Hospice on Sept. 24. They are, from left, Keaton Goosen, Ajay Chattha, Colten Canturk, Jude Oh, Payton Price, Kaelen Croucher and Keenan Fehr.

A group of students who can hit like a rock, were picking rocks to support a charity close to their coach’s and team’s heart.

Seven members of the Foothills Falcons football squad did farm work on Sept. 24 to raise $1,000 for the Foothills Country Hospice in memory of Shirley Olson, the wife of head coach Darren Olson.

Shirley passed away from cancer in April of 2015 at the hospice.

“It’s a good cause and many people use it and we just wanted to help out,” said Falcons linebacker Ajay Chattha. “I knew Mr. Olson has been through a lot and I truly wanted to help him.”

A good cause and as it turned out, picking rocks turned out to be a good time.

“It was about three hours of our day and we got closer (as teammates),” Chattha said. “It was fun and we got to work towards a good cause — the hospice is a tough place to be.”

Tough, but a compassionate, loving place, according to coach Olson.

“They were unbelievable,” Olson said. “My wife was in there for nine weeks, which is longer than the average stay.

“It’s a terrible place to have to go, but when you are there, they do everything they can to make it as comfortable, peaceful and supportive and loving as they can.

“It is pretty incredible people who can work in that kind of environment… they somehow can keep their positive spirit.”

Much like his 2015 provincial winning football team, Olson saw a hard-working, cohesive, caring team at the hospice.

“It’s is amazing,” Olson said. “The volunteers at the front desk, the full-time staff and I got to know all of them really well, even the guys at the kitchen. You go downstairs and if you need a meal, whenever, they will make it for you.

“It is a totally, selfless environment.”

Shirley was also overwhelmed with the efforts of the hospice.

“Besides from being at home, which we couldn’t pull off, this was the best place for her to be,” Olson said. “I spent every night there. If I needed anything or Shirley needed anything, they were always right there… doing what they could to make her comfortable.

“They are special people.”

Hospice executive director Dawn Elliott was touched by the effort of the students.

“It is absolutely wonderful that young people would think of us,” Elliott said. “Every donation is welcomed and every donation makes a difference. At such a young age it’s wonderful for the young people to learn about helping the non-profit organizations.”

The hospice is hosting one of its biggest galas of the year on Oct. 22 with its Wranglers and Rhinestones Retro Style gala on Oct. 22 at the Foothills Centennial Centre.

“That was the theme of the gala when we were doing our initial fundraising when we built the hospice,” Elliott said. “We want to recognize our founders — the people who started those conversations about putting a hospice in the Okotoks area.”

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