Oiler Alumni

Charity work – Duty and privilege

Wayne Gretzky left the Edmonton Oilers in 1988. His hockey travels would take him to stops in Los Angeles, St. Louis and New York, but the frosty Northern Alberta city, where he carved his incredible reputation, has always remained close to him. The memories he has in Edmonton run deeper than the four Stanley Cups he hoisted here. In January of 2003, almost 15 years after the day he departed to join the L.A. Kings, Gretzky was back in his adopted town trying to lend a hand at the Oilers annual charity dinner.

"Hopefully, we can help out," the Great One said, referring to the newly formed Wayne Gretzky Foundation, which was created to provide hockey equipment to Canadian kids who would otherwise be unable to afford it. "There are great kids out there who don’t have the opportunity to play the game. We want every Canadian kid to be able to play this great game."

Traditions are a big part of the Edmonton Oilers organization. Winning, professionalism, a tight dressing room and an emphasis on charity are among the Oiler ways. Players have always taken an active role in the community and have made a concerted effort to reach out to the people who look up to them, even long after they leave the team. It is more a privilege than obligation.

"What was great about the Oilers then, and now, is that everyone gets involved in at least one charity," says former player Craig Simpson, who is currently an Oilers assistant coach.

There is a saying in the organization: "Once an Oiler, always an Oiler." It rings true off the ice, as well. When Simpson joined the team in 1987, he soon found that being an Oiler meant more than putting on skates. Gretzky took him on a hospital visit that year at Christmas and Simpson has continued to go since, years after his playing days ended. Former coach Ted Green also turned Simpson on to the Spinal Cord Injury Treatment Centre Society (SCITICS) many years back. The Never Say..."Never" Golf Tournament, chaired by Simpson, is now SCITICS main fundraising on the yearly calendar.

The Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation (EOCF) has become an important tool for local and provincial charities looking to raise funds. The EOCF has assisted numerous organizations, such as the Canadian Red Cross Society, United Way, Canadian Cancer Society, Edmonton Christmas Bureau, Edmonton Food Bank, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and Alberta Lung Association, among others. The "Reading...Give It A Shot" initiative in 2002 was another example of a project developed by the EOCF. Edmonton students in grades four to six who worked hard to improve their literacy skills were given tickets to hockey games, happily donated by local businesses.

The Oiler players need look no further than the General Manager’s office for inspiration. In 1990, Kevin Lowe became the first player to win both the King Clancy Memorial Trophy and the Budweiser/NHL Man of the Year Award, granted for leadership qualities and humanitarian contributions. Lowe’s long-time commitment to the Edmonton Christmas Bureau has been an example for all of the Oilers, past and present, to follow.

"There has always been a spirit for doing charitable work," says Simpson. "It really makes this city tick."

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