Elks working on diverse hiring with help from Moss memorial fund, Winnifred Stewart
Following in Joey Moss' footsteps, Edmonton’s professional football team has hired two employees with disabilities to create a more diverse work environment.
In an effort to create a more inclusive workplace, the Edmonton Elks, with the creation of the Joey Moss Memorial Fund (JMMF), will assist more people with disabilities find employment through Winnifred Stewart.
Chris Presson, CEO and president of the Edmonton Elks, said the new partnership with the Winnifred Stewart Association will allow for the CFL team to employ more people with disabilities. He hopes the partnership will allow for people with disabilities to receive the same work opportunities, while creating a more positive business. The Elks have made it a responsibility to build a stronger community by diversifying the team’s culture.
Supported by the Joey Moss Memorial Fund (JMMF), the Elks have hired two new employees with developmental disabilities, Craig and Carmela. The two have joined the marketing and ticket teams, bringing a positive impact to the Elks business, according to Candace Smallwood, director of development and communications for Winnifred Stewart.
“They have done more for us than we have certainly done for them. They have raised the level of joy in our office,” said Presson.
Moss served as an icon and a leader for people with disabilities, working as a locker room attendant for the Edmonton Oilers and the Edmonton Elks.
- New Edmonton school to be named for Joey Moss
- Joey Moss, Edmonton sports icon, dead at 57
- ‘Heartbreaking news for the city’: Joey Moss tributes continue to pour in
In 2020, the Elks held a fundraiser in honour of Moss, who was employed with the team from 1986 to 2020. The team successfully raised $350,000.
Winnifred Stewart launched a 10-week program in May to assist those with disabilities in preparing for employment. The program offers job-search preparation, work experience, and a boost in self-confidence and work knowledge.
“The folks that I know that do have a disability, they bring something different to the table. They are genuine, caring, honest, and it changes a workplace culture,” said Smallwood.
Smallwood says Craig and Carmela light up the room.
“We know we can be better. We are trying to be better in every facet of our business. They are exemplary examples of giving someone a chance to succeed,” said Presson.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.