Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - November 13, 2025, Winnipeg, Manitoba THRIVE GROWING TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY TO BUILD A STRONG MANITOBA D ementia is a tough diagnosis. Having people to lean on, who deeply understand, is so important. The Alzheimer Society is your place to connect, ask for help and grow your support system. The ‘coffee ladies’ can attest to that. Every week, these five women bring their husbands to the Society for their support group for people living with dementia, and then, together, head across the street to a local coffee shop. What began as a simple coffee break turned into a regular get-together — a time to talk, laugh and support one another. While each of their experiences is unique, they’ve found comfort in knowing they’re not alone. Bev’s story Being part of this group means a lot to Bev. It’s a place where she feels understood without having to explain herself. However, it has been a journey to get here — it was only two years ago that Bev felt lost when she and her husband Bob received the news. “When we got that diagnosis, it really blew my world apart,” Bev says. “I’d never met anybody who knew or cared for someone living with dementia. I didn’t know where to turn for help.” It didn’t take long for Bev to learn about the Alzheimer Society; every doctor she and Bob saw suggested they reach out for support. “That first call was so helpful and changed everything for us. I talked and talked to the point where I apologized,” Bev laughs. “But they told me that’s why they’re here — to listen and help figure out your next steps.” From that moment on, Bev realized she had found somewhere to turn where she’d be heard and understood. “The Society was our saving grace,” says Bev. Join a community of monthly donors Bev often tells her family how grateful she is for the Society and how important it is to help sustain it for others. The programs Bev and Bob attend, the support groups they lean on and the education Bev has learned from, are all possible thanks to donations, big and small. Monthly donations are important as they are a reliable source of funding that allows the Society to plan and budget for the future. “If you’re looking to pay it forward — even if it’s giving just a little bit every month — your donation to the Alzheimer Society will have a lasting impact,” Bev says. “I can’t say enough about how grateful I am for their support.” Ask any of the ‘coffee ladies’, and they’ll tell you — there’s something special that happens when you connect with the Alzheimer Society. Please consider making a gift today that will impact someone’s life in the future. If you or someone you know are experiencing dementia, reach out today. Learn more and connect by visiting their website at alzheimer.mb.ca. Meeting over coffee, connecting through care SPONSORED CONTENT Standing L to R - Josephine, Bev, Judy Sitting L to R - Irene, Lynn. Please consider a monthly gift today. Bev WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM ● B3 NEWS I CITY THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2025 A T a Salvation Army luncheon filled with laughter and nostal- gia on Wednesday, it was Milt Stegall’s poignant football analogy about faith — and the loss of his son this past summer — that quieted the room and touched every heart at Canad Inns Polo Park. Stegall, 55, shared how his faith was shaken after his 20-year-old son, Chase, died unexpectedly from epi- lepsy in June. Chase was found in his dorm room at DePaul University in Chicago, where he was a member of the school’s soccer team. In the weeks that followed, Stegall said he pleaded with God for answers — and fast ones. “(God) told me he was going to tell me in football terms that he knows I’ll understand,” Stegall said, recalling how about 60 to 70 per cent of plays an offensive co-ordinator calls fail for one reason or another. “But God said, ‘I’m the life offensive co-ordinator, and every single play I call has always been right. It’s never wrong. It’s worked every single time. You might not like the play I am calling, but it’s for the betterment of the team.’” Once he heard that message, Stegall said, peace followed. “Without that faith, I’m not sitting here right now,” he said. Stegall credits Winnipeg — his second home — and Blue Bombers fans for helping his family through their grief. When he returned to the TSN panel in July, where he’s worked as an ana- lyst since 2009, the outpouring of sup- port moved him deeply. “That moment topped anything I’ve ever went through,” he said. “And I know that’s crazy to say, because it’s a moment that involved the passing of my son, but just that love and that sup- port and the wrapping of arms around me and my family was part of the therapeutic process.” Stegall first came to Winnipeg in 1995 after three seasons with his home- town Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL. “The first question I asked my agent was, ‘What’s a Winnipeg?’” he said to laughter, before telling the audience that besides marrying his wife and having his two sons, the best decision he made in his life was signing in Win- nipeg 30 years ago. He went on to spend all 14 years of his legendary CFL career with the Blue Bombers. At the time of his re- tirement in 2009, he was the league’s all-time leader in receptions (845), re- ceiving yards (15,153), average yards per catch (17.7), and touchdowns (144 receiving, 147 total), among numerous other records. He was inducted into the CFL Hall of Fame in 2012 and enshrined in the Blue Bombers Ring of Honour in 2016. In 2008, Arena Road was renamed Milt Stegall Drive. “I just drove down there coming here today,” Stegall said. “How many people can look up their own name in an ad- dress?” The Salvation Army’s Winnipeg Hope in the City event Wednesday — which marked the kickoff to the organ- ization’s annual Christmas campaign — allowed Stegall to do something that’s been part of his life since child- hood: giving back. “You need to make sure you help out those who can’t help out themselves right now,” he told the crowd. “I’m in a position to help. It’s OK to spend some time and resources on ourselves, but most of the time we’re doing too much, and there are others out there who need our help. I know how much the Salvation Army does for so many. And the community of Winnipeg has done so much for me. This is my small way of helping give back.” Funds raised will help the Salvation Army continue its essential programs and services, providing hope and sup- port to those who need it most. Meantime, Stegall said the only thing separating Winnipeg from his home- town of Atlanta is proximity to family. He visits several times a year for TSN broadcasts and community events. “I still continue to be involved,” he said. “I’m still giving back to a com- munity that gave so much for me. I’ve never stopped, and I see no reason why it should ever stop. I love this place so much.” He added that, in many ways, Winni- peg hasn’t changed all that much over the years. “It’s not as cold as it used to be,” he said, speaking on a sunny, mid-Nov- ember day where the daytime high reached 6 C and the grass was still green outside. “It’s still friendly Mani- toba. The love is always here. Maybe that’s why I don’t see a change. And there is no need to change when you have such a great structure, a great foundation; there’s no need to change.” Stegall is in town for the rest of the week, with the 112th Grey Cup set for Sunday at Princess Auto Stadium. As for a Grey Cup prediction be- tween the West Division champion Saskatchewan Roughriders and East Division winning Montreal Alouettes? Stegall wasn’t biting — suggesting only that he’s hoping for an exciting game, or maybe even the first Grey Cup tie in CFL history. scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS Milt Stegall chats with Lt.-Col. Donald Blaxten, Salvation Army divisional commander, at the Salvation Army’s Winnipeg Hope in the City fundraising kickoff luncheon Wednesday. Stegall credits faith for getting him through grief of losing son Bombers fans also saluted at Salvation Army campaign kickoff SCOTT BILLECK ;