Winnipeg Football Club Continues Outreach to Indigenous Communities in Northern Manitoba with the 2024 Blue Bomber Northern Winter Tour

The Winnipeg Football Club today announced its Northern Winter Tour which will reach Indigenous communities in Northern Manitoba.

Over the next two months, Blue Bombers players and Winnipeg Football Club staff, including Head Coach Mike O’Shea and General Manager Kyle Walters, will travel to 10 northern communities.

“I am very excited about the expansion of the Blue Bombers program with our youth,” said AMC Grand Chief, Cathy Merrick. “This presents a valuable opportunity for First Nations youth to participate in an event without the need to travel away from their respective Nations. I’m pleased to witness major organizations, such as the Blue Bombers, taking concrete steps toward reconciliation, ensuring that every child in this province has the chance for such an experience.”

The team will meet with community leaders, teach flag football skills, and connect with youth in the community over the months of February and March.

 “Our expanded Northern Tour is part of our ongoing commitment to reconciliation,” said Wade Miller, President and CEO of the Winnipeg Football Club. “We appreciate the generous support of the Northwest Company, Wellington-Altus that have helped make this possible, as well as the tremendous commitment from EIC, Perimeter Aviation, and Calm Air with whom we have worked closely to create the tradition of the annual Orange Shirt game in September along with facilitating our Northern Winter Tour.”

“Since the start of the program in 2017 that has brought in youth from Northern Manitoba to Winnipeg to attend Bomber games, we have seen optimism, energy and a sense of awe from the youth of Northern Manitoba,” said Chief Yellowback of the Manto Sipi First Nation. “Experiencing a professional football game in person, let alone meeting the Blue Bomber players, brings our children countless memories they will cherish. The youth of the Manto Sipi Cree Nation certainly have had a very positive experience from their participation and attendance. We are very excited about the expansion of this program to bring the Football Club to our community and expose even more youth to this uplifting experience. We want to thank the Northwest Company, Wellington-Altus, Perimeter Aviation, EIC and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for expanding this program.”