CALGARY – The season may be over for Calgary Flames forward Joe Colborne, but that doesn’t mean his work in Calgary in done.
The 26-year-old is two months away from hosting the inaugural Colborne’s Forces Benefit Concert featuring Canadian country music act Emerson Drive.
“It’ll be a great time to not only have a great concert but to educate people on the military,” Colborne said while speaking on Global Calgary’s Morning News on Thursday.
All proceeds from the July 23 concert will be directed to Support our Troops, with a portion going to The Military Museums Foundation.
Colborne said his relationship with the Canadian Forces began during his time playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
WATCH: One-on-one with Flames forward Joe Colborne
Following his trade to Calgary, Colborne launched Colborne’s Forces. The community program helps purchase season’s tickets for the Canadian Armed Forces so members are able to attend every Calgary Flames home game each season.
The members also meets Colborne and his teammates after the game, and take a tour of the Flames dressing room.
“Even after a tough loss, you come out of the dressing room, everyone’s down, it’s silent, and then you come out and see the smile on their face still, just because they’re having a great time,” Colborne said. “That really means a whole lot and puts a lot of stuff in perspective.”
Members are also saluted throughout the year during games by the sea of red.
“You’re in the middle of a game, you might have just had coach Hartley screaming at me or something like that for a mistake, and then that comes on and for both teams to stand up and salute the member, is just so cool and it leaves me with chills almost every time.”
Cpl. Buddhika Wickramasinghe, a member of the 41 Service Battalion, attended the Flames final home game of the season with his dad, and experienced Colborne’s appreciation firsthand.
“I was shocked… you’re a star athlete and you’re excited to see us?” Wickramasinghe said. “Then he even got to know, which was, I thought the best part, because that’s something I’ll always remember: his character. For me personally…it makes me proud to be who I am and makes me proud to do what I do.”
Colborne’s inspiration for launching the benefit concert came during an interaction with members of the Armed Forces before taking a flight to Kelowna.
Colborne said organizing the event has been one of the most rewarding things he’s done.
“It’s been a long time coming. We put a lot of work into it … it’s going to be an amazing night.”
With files from Global’s Brendan Parker
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