For one afternoon, Varughese Field felt a little closer to Commonwealth Stadium.

Quarterback Cole Snyder, linebacker Nick Anderson and offensive lineman Carter O’Donnell visited Cold Lake on June 8 as part of the Lakeland Co-op-presented Edmonton Elks Hometown Takeover Tour, giving local football players and fans an opportunity to meet CFL athletes without leaving Lakeland.

The event featured autographs, photos, player meet-and-greets and an on-field session with members of the Cold Lake Minor Football Association.

Lakeland Co-op helped bring the event to the community through its partnership with the Edmonton Elks.

“We’re so glad that they’ve stopped in the Lakeland to help us inspire youth and connect with our community,” said Lakeland Co-op’s Sue Wojcik. “This is a great event for us.”

Wojcik said Lakeland Co-op was proud to help bring the Edmonton Elks’ Hometown Takeover Tour to Cold Lake, giving local youth and football fans an opportunity to connect with professional athletes in their own community.

Bringing Professional Football to Rural Alberta

According to Edmonton Elks Community Coordinator of Amateur Football Ryan Brower, the Hometown Takeover Tour is designed to bring professional football directly into communities across northern Alberta.

“Co-op sponsors this initiative called the Hometown Tour,” Brower said. “We’ve been up to Grande Prairie, we were in Wainwright last week, Cold Lake today and we’re hitting a few more communities later this summer.”

Brower said visits like these are valuable not only for local athletes but for the players themselves.

“It’s really eye-opening, especially for our players who are not from here, to go see these rural communities,” he said. “And then just the calibre of football and the passion for the game that’s everywhere, the coaches that are giving back, it’s all good stuff.”

The stop came just days after the Elks opened their CFL season with a victory over Ottawa, adding even more excitement for fans who came out to meet the players.

Opportunity Close to Home

Cold Lake Minor Football coach Kelly Johnson said bringing professional athletes directly to the Lakeland creates opportunities many local players might not otherwise experience.

“We always have to go somewhere,” Johnson said. “Being from Bonnyville and Cold Lake, we have to travel. It’s nice when somebody comes to us.”

Johnson said local players benefit from seeing first-hand how elite athletes prepare and train.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to learn from some of these guys, too,” he said.

Feeling at Home in Alberta

For Snyder, who is entering his second CFL season, the trip north was another chance to connect with football fans across Alberta.

“It’s been great, honestly,” Snyder said of his time with the Elks. “Just another chance to continue playing football has been amazing.”

The quarterback said Edmonton reminds him of the community atmosphere he grew up around.

“It’s a very similar type of feel,” he said. “So I really love it.”

He added that exploring Alberta has been one of the highlights of his time in Canada.

“There’s a lot to love about Alberta and the league.”

Community Partnership

Lakeland Co-op General Manager JP Boyko said the event reflects Co-op’s commitment to supporting local communities and youth programming.

“Co-op is there for the community,” Boyko said. “If we can bring something to the community, we’ll definitely do it.”

For the hundreds of local athletes and football fans who had the chance to meet CFL players in their own backyard, the visit was about more than football.

It was a reminder that even in rural Alberta, big-league opportunities can still find their way to small communities.