Grey Cup gets warm welcome in Snow Lake

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This article was published 20/10/2015 (3817 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

They may be a small town, but Snow Lake has a big place in their hearts for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Canadian Football League.

On Tuesday afternoon, they also wrote a bit of history as the Grey Cup made its first appearance in the town of just 726, and many of those folks made it out to the community hall to get a chance to see the CFL’s most cherished chalice up close.

“I’m not surprised at all,” said Snow Lake mayor Kim Stephens to see such a great turnout. “It’s just a great opportunity for our small town to get a chance to be part of the cup’s trip north and I know everyone was very excited to be part of it.”

The day was spent eating hot dogs and guzzling soft drinks while also sharing a moment many said is now a life-long memory.

“This is just awesome,” said Connie Bartlett, still wearing her smile after posing for a picture with the Cup and former Bombers Doug Brown and Brett MacNeil. “It is such a great opportunity for our community to be able to come out and see something like this.”

For MacNeil, who played in the CFL for 10 seasons, most of which were in a Bombers jersey, it’s also an opportunity to relive some of the glory of his playing days, and a chance to talk with people who share the same passion for the game he does.

“It’s something that you miss from your playing days. When you retire you don’t have as many opportunities to visit with the fans,” said MacNeil. “So we’re all over events like this and to be able to interact with the true CFL fans, people who have been watching you on TV for years and they remember you.

“They just want to be a part of it and for us to be a small part of the CFL and the history of this great league and the Blue Bomber Football Club it’s very humbling.”

Snow Lake is the fourth stop as part of an eight-day tour through northern Manitoba with the Grey Cup, a journey that will take the CFL’s holy grail to 24 events in 11 different communities including Churchill, where it will venture out to see polar bears.