The Edmonton Elks and MHCare Medical launched a new fundraiser on Tuesday called “Cleats of Strength” to raise money for the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation.
The foundation is auctioning off one-of-a-kind cleats designed by a patient at the Stollery Children’s Hospital and Métis footwear customizer, Syngyn Sperling, and worn in a game by one of the Elks.
For every remaining home game, one of the Elks players will wear the one-of-a-kind cleats and anyone in the world will have the opportunity to bid on them. Each pair will be signed by the player who wore them.
The Stollery Children’s Hospital sees as many as 317,461 patients a year and is one of the most specialized children’s hospitals in Canada, said Stacey Amyotte of the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation in a press release.
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“Cleats of Strength” will give our players the chance to make a difference in the lives of kids by teaming up with them to bring their designs to life on a CFL field,” said Victor Cui, Elks president and CEO.
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All proceeds go to the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation to help advance children’s health care by funding specialized care.
On Sunday, the first pair of cleats will be worn by Nyles Morgan, Elks’ linebacker in the home game against the Toronto Argonauts. Bidding for the cleats begins Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. and goes till Monday, June 26, at 8 p.m.
Morgan worked alongside Sperling and a “Stollery kid,” Finley, to create the first pair of cleats for the auction.
The cleats represent Finley’s passion for sea life with marine animals included on them. The shoes have Morgan’s number, 45 on the back of both heels.
Each shoe has Go Elks written on the side and has lyrics from a song Finley wrote during his stay at the Stollery where he received a liver transplant.
The cleats were painted by Sperling who survived respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) when he was a toddler therefore understanding the importance of children’s healthcare.
“Being able to work with the kids at the Stollery and make their dream cleat come to life feeds my soul as an artist,” Sperling said.
To visit the auction, go to GoElks.com.
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