TABLE OF CONTENTS CFLAA Mission, Vision, and Values 2 CFLAA Strategic Priorities 2016-2018 3 Message from the President 4 Executive Director Report 5-8 CFLAA 2017 Business Report: Grey Cup 2017 9-11 CFLAA Legends Luncheon 9-11 Grey Cup 2018 12-13 Canadian Men’s Health Foundation 13 Benefits update/Sponsors 14 Appearances 15 Canadian Concussion Project 15 Arland Bruce Concussion Lawsuit Update 16 Website/Social Media 16-18 CFLASF (CFL Alumni Support Fund) 18-19 Looking Ahead 19 2016/2017 Audited Financial Statements (appended) 20-33 1 | P a g e CFLAA Mission: The Canadian Football League Alumni Association unites former CFL players in support of sport, youth, and health related charitable causes, former players experiencing a medical challenge that creates a financial hardship, and the promotion of football in the community. CFLAA Vision: The CFLAA fosters a lifelong relationship between the Canadian Football League and its alumni, and provides support to alumni, to football in Canada, and to other communities it serves. CFLAA Values: In carrying out its mission, the CFLAA values community, tradition, support, connection, fellowship, and service. 2 | P a g e CFLAA STRATEGIC PRIORITIES 2016-2018 Strategic Priorities for 2016-2018 are based on impact of the activity, ability to carry it out, and relevance of the undertaking to the CFLAA mission and strategies. 1) Work with partners including all club alumni associations, the CFL, and the CFLPA to facilitate communication while adding benefits, services, and programs that promote fellowship among alumni and advance each organization’s goals. 2) Grow the CFL Alumni Support Fund and promote its guidelines and criteria among the CFL alumni community. 3) Participate in activities that provide insight into sport-related brain injuries and other health-related issues. 4) Provide good governance and management for the Association to ensure its long-term effectiveness and financial viability. 5) Continue to offer marquee events at Grey Cup and throughout the year that highlight the valuable contribution of alumni and provide alumni with opportunities to participate in the CFL Tradition while supporting the Alumni Support Fund and the efforts of other key partners. 3 | P a g e A MESSAGE FROM CFL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT 2017 represented a new and exciting era in the CFL with the introduction of CFL Alumnus Randy Ambrosie as our new Commissioner. A former Manitoba Bison, Eskimo, and Argonaut Randy was a leader on the OL and after retirement evolved into a leader in business. In one of Commissioner Ambrosie’s first significant moves he fast-tracked the “Diversity is Strength” t-shirt promotion as a positive response to the racial divide observed at a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. In an era where statues representing controversial heroes from wars fought on both sides of a racial divide are coming down we are seeing the CFL, led by Commissioner Ambrosie, promote diversity in the midst of hatred. The unveiling of the Cal Murphy statue in Winnipeg illustrates this point. A Hall of Fame coach who was known as a hard-nosed, old-school task master was also a board member at Holy Cross Church in Regina. Coach Murphy embraced players from all backgrounds and religions and never forced any of his beliefs on his team. Sunday mornings were for worship according to Coach Cal, and he always posted information on the bulletin board for players of all faiths to find their chosen church before attending meetings and training. On game day it is the time where players from across North America unite as brothers to chase a common goal without division and racial divide. That elusive goal is the Grey Cup and to win it brothers from different mothers have to band together to fight as one in the face of adversity. We can hope that social influencers such as Commissioner Ambrosie will help to persuade the narrow-minded population to see each other as CFL players and alumni do -- as teammates, brothers, and sisters. I would personally like to thank all the members of the CFLAA board, which welcomed back the BC Lions Alumni in 2017, for all their work in the last year. The CFLAA is whole and stronger than ever. Brett MacNeil CFLAA President 4 | P a g e A MESSAGE FROM CFL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Another year has gone by and it seems each year they go by faster. I am indebted to our CFL Alumni Board of Directors, Brett MacNeil (President), Hector Pothier (Past President), Bob Bronk (Secretary/Treasurer), Ian Mofford (Montreal), Jim Cain (Ottawa), Rob Bresciani (Saskatchewan), JT Hay and Bill Johnson (Calgary), and Ian Sinclair/Gerald Roper (BC Lions) for their volunteer work over the past year, and to Linda Wood Edwards who handles our governance and many other critical board organizational matters. Her stewardship and her “herding” abilities continue to be critical to our association. Thank you to you all! On behalf of the CFLAA Board of Directors, we would also like to thank our dream team of professionals for their supporting legal counsel including Vernon Pahl, Jim Cimba, Bob Sokalski and Trevor Whiffen. Thank- you also to our chartered accountant Paul Kwiatkowski CA, who provides us an audited financial statement each year. Unfortunately, each year we see the passing of many former players. We pass along our condolences to each one of their families and friends. The list can be found on our website www.cflaa.ca. We would like to thank our key contributors for their financial support over the course of the year to help sustain our ongoing operations. They include the CFL, its Member Clubs and Alumni Associations, as well as sponsors Manulife, Three Down Brewing (Matt Giffen), Nissan, Adidas, Jostens, Athabasca University, Freedom Mobile, Rod Pederson Recovery, EMJ Marketing, Payline by Ice, Innovicares, Alumni Insurance Services, and the Grey Cup Festival. Thank you also to all our donors, both individual and corporate. We congratulate and welcome CFL Alumnus Commissioner, Randy Ambrosie. We look forward to an expanded CFL interest in Alumni and current player issues such as health and wellness but most importantly how we can “play in the same sandbox” to grow the game. 5 | P a g e The CFLAA has joined forces with The Canadian Men’s Health Foundation (CMHF). The CFLAA and CMHF have a common mission to get Canadian football fans as healthy as our current players. Included in the fans category are not only former players but their families and friends as well. We have brought the message through the www.DontChangeMuch.ca/CFL via our ambassadors Henry Burris, Davis Sanchez, Etienne Boulay, Shea Emry, Troy Westwood, Orlando Bowen, Kyle Koch, Joe Sardo, and Gene Mack. The CFL has been an invaluable collaborator in helping push our message out via social media. The main reason we began and exist now is to support our own through the CFL Alumni Support Fund. The fund’s goal is to be a last resort for those of our colleagues and families that have fallen on unfortunate financial times due to medical challenges, whether or not they are football-related. The good news is the calls for assistance are not many, but we have been there to help when the call has been made. Please visit our website for more information www.cflaa.ca We are excited about what we have accomplished and for the men we have helped. 6 | P a g e This year’s CFLAA Legends Luncheon Canadian Sports Concussion Project. had close to 1000 attendees including over We have had over 100 former players go through neuro cognitive testing at Toronto Western Hospital. 100 Alumni - the largest ever! Thanks to the We also have over 25 deceased former players who efforts of CFL Ottawa Alumni Association lead donated their brains. The research team is led by by President Jeff Avery and his wing man Jim one of the world’s preeminent neurologists Dr. Cain (Board Member of the CFLAA and Ottawa Charles Tator. The CFLAA was the first and still the Alumni) and to our partners the Ottawa Grey only professional Alumni Association doing such work Cup Festival. Thank you. for which we are extremely proud. We continue to need more participants for the ongoing research. Mike Ditka’s Gridiron Greats Induction Never Alone Foundation Weekend (Las Vegas, NV) This year I was humbled to be honored (founded by former Bomber, Lyle and inducted into the prestigious Bauer). We continue to work together Gridiron Great Hall of Fame. I joined to provide financial and emotional Danny McManus, Angelo Mosca, Hugh support to former players diagnosed Campbell, George Reed, Matt Dunigan with Cancer. and Ray Elgaard. United Way/Servus/CFL Alumni Golf Tournament (Medicine Hat, AB) The event completed its 19th year of operations. It is put on by and to support United Way of Southeastern Alberta. A portion of proceeds also goes to support the CFL Alumni Support Fund. Each year between 40-50 CFL Alumni are participants. 7 | P a g e A special thanks to the folks who’s behind the scenes work contributes to the success of our Association: Patrice Whiffen, Dave Dowsett, Joe Gunnis, and Ed Valtenbergs. Again, our primary goal is to give back to a game we all love and to the family, friends, fans, and community that cheered us on! Be sure to subscribe to Facebook: @cflaa and Twitter: @CFL_Alumni to keep in touch with all CFLAA news. 8 | P a g e CFLAA Business Report 2017 A. Grey Cup 2017 1. Canada Post CFLAA Legends Luncheon – close to 1000 total attendees, 114 Alumni I. Presenting sponsor – Canada Post (secured by Grey Cup Festival) II.