By KEVIN BERGER, Local Journalism Initiative
Former Saskatchewan Roughriders running back Wes Cates will appear as a speaker at an upcoming fundraiser for a proposed new library within the community of Hepburn.
The steak and lobster dinner, which will also feature a dance and a silent auction, will be held at Heritage Common in Hepburn on Saturday, October 18.
Tickets are $50 each and come with a $25 charitable receipt and can be purchased online at the Heritage Common website (https://heritagecommon.ca/).
Lisa Braun, director of events and leisure services for the Town of Hepburn, said the proposed new library would be a first for the community.
It is currently in the developing, researching and fundraising stage, so it is not clear yet how much the library will cost. However, Braun indicated it will be located in the Heritage Common building.
“It is part of a strategic plan to develop the building to be a self-sustaining facility for our community and region,” she said.
Though he originally debuted with the Calgary Stampeders, Cates went on to play with the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 2007 to 2011.
He helped the team win the Grey Cup in 2007, where he rushed for 128 yards on 25 attempts with a broken foot.
Cates also earned a spot on the Canadian Football League (CFL) All-Star team in 2008 after ranking second in the league for most rushing yards.
Braun said they wanted to bring out Cates for the dinner because Hepburn is a strong Saskatchewan Roughriders fan community and Wes is a beloved player.
On Thursday, October 9, Hepburn Parks and Recreation put out a call for additional sponsors of the event and volunteers to help run the dinner.
Potential volunteers can message recreation@hepburn.ca or text 306-291-7125.
You can also speak to Jackey Sigstad about bar serving or Deidra Prosofsky about silent auction donations.