WATCH ABOVE: Calgary Stampede Talent Search winner Christian Hudson sings at the Drop-In Centre after donating his winnings.
CALGARY – The Calgary Stampede’s talent search winner donated both his prize money and his time to perform at the Calgary Drop-In and Rehab Centre on Friday.
READ MORE: Stampede singing competition winner shows talent for music and giving
Christian Hudson, 19, presented the cheque to the DI centre Friday morning. Staff announced his actions had spurred even more donations.
“I am thrilled that Christian’s amazing gift inspired others to donate,” said executive director Debbie Newman in a statement. “Over 7,000 people access DI services and support each month. These gifts will help a lot of people rehabilitate and rebuild their lives.”
An additional $15,000 was donated, bringing the total to $25,000 “thanks to Christian’s generosity,” said the centre staff.
Hudson’s take on the 1960s song, “Be My Husband,” swayed the judges of the Calgary Stampede Talent Search in early July. The unorthodox performance used a digital recorder on stage to record his guitar, playing back certain parts, as he sang.
Watch below: Global’s Reid Fiest explains why Christian Hudson donated his talent search prize money.
Hudson spoke with Global News after the win, and explained how he came up with the idea to donate his prize.
When plans to stay with a friend during the competition fell through, he wandered through downtown Calgary looking for a place to sleep.
Along the way, he met a number of the city’s homeless, and their stories struck a chord with the young man from Airdrie, Alta.
“At the time, it was funny – I left the night, I was feeling miserable, like everything in the world had gone wrong,” said Hudson.
“I met these people and realized I’m actually a pretty fortunate fella.”
When he eventually rolled out a sleeping bag along the banks of the Bow River to sleep for the night, he decided if he won the talent search, he wasn’t keeping the prize.
“The scenario ran through my head that (if I won) I decided to give everything away to the folks I met tonight.”
With files from Reid Fiest
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