STARS Air Ambulance
A Young Man’s Legacy Thrives With Help From Friends & Teammates
Shane Rogers’ father, Randy Rogers (standing fourth left) joins players and volunteers at the Shane Rogers Memorial Tournament and Silent Auction, held on behalf of STARS. Randy’s daughter Stacey can be seen holding cheque (left).
In a short time, Shane Rogers’ intelligence, athleticism, and determination left a remarkable imprint on those who knew him. Today, his legacy lives in the memories and deeds of his family, friends, teammates, and EPCOR co-workers, who are making sure Shane’s life continues to touch others.
The son of EPCOR Distribution & Transmission’s Randy Rogers, Shane was a gifted student who worked painting equipment for EPCOR while attending the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Business. He was also a member of the Sturgeon Men’s Indoor Soccer Club, where he began playing for Sturgeon Soccer’s youth team at the age of 11.
During the 2008 May long weekend, at the start of his second season with EPCOR, Shane passed away as a result of complications from a swimming accident. He was only 19 years old.
The tragedy came just one year after the Sturgeon men’s team lost its coach, Brian Moulder, another member of the EPCOR family.
“After Shane passed away, the team needed a way to support each other and remember their teammate” said Marianne Lysenko (far left), president of Sturgeon Indoor and former long-time EPCOR employee.
The team began with black armbands, which they had planned to wear during every game that year. They were worn not oonly by current members, but by Shane’s old friends who rejoined the team that season.
“The team needed a more durable solution, so they purchased their own uniforms with the armband sewn into the sleeve, bearing Shane’s jersey number,” said Marianne. “It was a way to make sure #9 was always on the pitch with his team”.
But the armbands did more than that: they planted the seed for the first-ever Shane Rogers’ Memorial Soccer Tournament and Silent Auction in 2009.
“We discussed it with Shane’s family and decided that half the proceeds from the auction should go to STARS Air Ambulance , recalled Marianne, who was instrumental in organizing the event, along with her children and her husband, Ken Lysenko.
With players chanting his name before each half, as they had done all season, the first tournament was a success, raising over $1,400.00 for STARS. The legacy continued in 2011 when the second tournament raised more than $2,100.00, thanks to item donations from EPCOR employees, IBEW 1007 members and individuals from the Bon Accord-Sturgeon area.
“I want to thank all the past and present EPCOR employees, IBEW 1007 members, Marianne and her family, and everyone else who has done so much in Shane’s memory for a good cause”, said Shane’s father, Randy. “Thank you for keeping Shane’s legacy alive.”
The tournament and silent auctions inspired AC Milan Soccer Club, which is affiliated with the youth segment of Sturgeon Indoor, to do even more by founding the Shane Rogers Memorial Scholarship.
The Scholarship will award 18 students – nine males and nine females – $500.00 each. Two of the scholarships will go to one male and one female from Shane’s high school, Sturgeon Composite. The remaining recipients will be selected from applications submitted to the Edmonton AC Milan Club. To be eligible for the scholarship, recipients must embody the values that defined Shane’s life – academic excellence, athletic commitment, and a spirit of leadership.
Those were just a few of the qualities Shane brought everywhere he went, including EPCOR’s North Service Centre, where he left an unforgettable impression.
“He learned the job fast, and he would always help new employees as if he were an experienced veteran of the painting program,” said Paul McKnight, who was Shane’s supervisor. “You’d love to have 30 guys like him working beside you.”
