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The
Montreal Shrine Bowl was based on a vision held by Skip
Rochette (Coach of Concordia) and Grant Peterson (Karnak
Shriner) who saw the success in the U.S.A. of raising money
to help The Shrine Hospitals through football.
In 1987 Grant Peterson (Potentate of Karnak Shriners)
oversaw with Jim Gearey (Game Chairman) the inaugural game.
One of the most anticipated games in the 2007 Canadian
university football season will be the 21st annual Montreal
Shrine Bowl on Saturday, Oct. 13 at 1 p.m. This year’s event
will be the first of back-to-back meetings between these
cross-town rivals and it will feature a much-improved McGill
team against a young Concordia squad.
Last year’s contest, between the Redmen and the Stingers,
produced a record charitable donation in excess of $85,000
in net proceeds, more than double the previous year’s
totals. Since the inaugural Bowl game in 1987, this event
has resulted in $604,000 being directed towards the Hospital
in Montreal.
Nine simple words — “Strong legs run that weak legs may
walk” — have become the official motto of the two-decade old
Montreal Shrine Bowl, a game that has benefited the Montreal
Shriners Hospital for Children, which offers free
high-quality medical care to children who have orthopedic
problems or severe burn injuries.
Not only has this special game increased awareness of the
Shriners Hospital and its free treatment of burn victims and
disabled children. The annual affair has also created a
greater awareness of the calibre of football in the Quebec
University Football League, which has produced the national
championship winner in four of the last eight seasons. Over
the past decade, the Montreal Shrine Bowl game has produced
46 football players for the pros, including three in the
National Football League – Concordia defensive back Mark
Montreuil, plus McGill linebackers J.P. Darche and Randy
Chevrier.
In addition, the annual East-West Shrine Bowl in California,
an all-star affair that serves as a showcase for 74 college
football seniors, have invited Canadians to participate
since 1985 — usually one from eastern Canada and one from
the west. In 11 of the last 19 seasons, a player from the
Quebec league has been selected to participate in that game,
which is arguably the premier all-star contest in North
America.
But that's not what makes this "Football's Finest Hour."
What makes the Shrine Game so special is its true purpose --
helping to support the 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children.
Every year since 1925, the East-West game has been played to
raise money and to help make the public aware of the expert
orthopedic and burn care available for children, at NO cost.
The East-West game is an event that has raised more than $14
million (U.S.) for Shriners Hospitals and perhaps more
importantly, has raised awareness to millions of people
about the mission of this extraordinary philanthropy.
Over the years, five players from the Quebec conference have
graduated from the Montreal Shrine Bowl to play in the
East-West Shrine game. They include ex-McGill All-Canadians
Matthieu Quiviger (who went on to play for the Montreal
Alouettes), Val St. Germain, currently with the CFL’s
Saskatchewan Roughriders and Randy Chevrier, now with the
CFL’s Calgary Stampeders after stints in the NFL with Dallas
and Cincinnati. Others include former Concordia
All-Canadians Paul Vajda, who played for the Saskatchewan
Roughriders and kicker Dave Miller-Johnston with the Ottawa
Renegades.
Of the 45 Canadian university players who have participated
in the East-West game, all but one have gone on to pro ball,
including McGill’s aforementioned Randy Chevrier, plus
ex-Queen’s offensive tackle Mike Schad who had a long career
with the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams.
The Shrine Game has never been "just another football game"
and it has a long history of distinguished players and
coaches. The 84th annual East-West game is scheduled to be
played in Houston, Jan. 19, 2008.
The Shriners represent many things: good times, camaraderie,
and tradition. But what really binds together the more than
500,000 Shriners nationwide is an attitude of caring.
By Earl Zukerman
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