Stingers put cooking skills to the test for charity barbecue dinner
Members of Edmonton’s newest sports team fired up the grills on Tuesday afternoon to make dinner for children in hospital and their families.
The Edmonton Stingers basketball team said that barbecuing burgers and hot dogs for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House is one way for them to give to the city.
“As a team, we take pride in helping out the community,” said Stingers shooting guard Kenny Otieno, who took the helm at the grill. “Any chance that us players can go out of our way outside of basketball to help out, we definitely want to do as much as we can.”
Otieno and his teammates — plus team mascot Buzz — spent some time shooting baskets with the kids at the home before getting down to work.
Most nights, volunteer groups cook dinners for families at the Ronald McDonald House. But it’s a special experience to have professional athletes visit with the kids, said Suzanne Pescod, the charity’s Northern Alberta marketing and communications director.
“You can just see the look on the kids’ faces when they walk through the door, especially these big, tall athletes. Their eyes just light up,” Pescod said.
“We like to say that we’re a home away from home, but this makes it a bit more special than just being at home.”
The Stingers are midway through their inaugural season and are enjoying a jump in interest following the recent Toronto Raptors playoff run and NBA championship. Otieno, who grew up in Edmonton and Lethbridge, says he wouldn’t be surprised to see an influx of Canadians entering professional leagues in the future.
“More and more (Canadians) every year get drafted, but in 10 to 15 years, there’ll probably be a lot more,” he said.
The Edmonton Stingers sit third in the Canadian Elite Basketball League with a 6–4 record. Their next home game is July 4 against the Hamilton Honey Badgers at the Edmonton Expo Centre.