The Edmonton Elks will be honouring a local legend and a major part of the Green and Gold with a permanent tribute at The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium.
On Thursday, the team announced the creation of the Joey Moss Championship Suite. The revamped suite in the southeast corner of the stadium will showcase Moss’ life, all while giving back to a cause that was near and dear to the longtime Double E and Oilers locker room attendant.
A portion of proceeds from the sale of the new suite will support the Joey Moss Memorial Fund through the Winnifred Stewart Association.
”Joey was such an important part of the Elks organization and our city. The Joey Moss Championship Suite is such a beautiful way to remember him. It’s heartwarming to see how his legacy continues and will do so for so many years to come. We cant wait to celebrate our friend Joey here,” Winnifred Stewart Association director of development and communications Candace Smallwood said in a statement.
Moss, who passed away in October of 2020 at the age of 57, was an incredible role model to all Edmontonians. Born with down syndrome, he became a household name with the Edmonton Oilers and the Edmonton Football Team working as a locker room attendant for both organizations starting in the 1980s.
Players and fans alike looked up to Moss for his passion, positive attitude and incredible work ethic. He helped start the Winnifred Stewart Association’s Empties to Winn fundraiser, which supports programs and initiatives for people with disabilities in the Edmonton region.
Fans who take in a game from the new suite can now get an up-close look at a range of items and images showcasing the life of an Edmontonian who was synonymous with the city’s sports teams and inclusive employment.
“The Moss family is thrilled about the Joey Moss Championship Suite and how the Edmonton Elks continue to support Joey’s legacy,” said Joey’s nephew and family spokesperson Adam Walker. “He would be so proud and honoured to have a suite named after him with some of the proceeds going towards the Joey Moss Memorial Fund. The suite represents all of the things Joey loved. This is another great example of how the Edmonton Elks support inclusion and diversity, and how beloved Joey was to their organization.”
The suite is the latest way the Elks are honouring Moss’ legacy, joining other initiatives like the club’s Grey Cup 50/50s in his name the last two years, as well as the team’s Joey Moss Award, which is awarded after training camp to a player who’s persevered through adversity and embodies Joey’s positivity in everything he does.
The team’s previous regime came under intense public scrutiny last year for allegedly banning Moss from the locker room prior to his death, a claim the Elks deny. Nevertheless, new club president Victor Cui has made honouring Moss’ legacy a focal point of the first few months of his tenure.
“Joey’s legacy and ensuring his positive energy lives on means a great deal to our Club and to me personally,” Elks’ VP of partnerships Adrienne Bridgeman said in a statement. “Having seen Joey’s impact firsthand, I couldn’t be happier that we’ve found a fitting way to honour his legacy while continuing our Club’s commitment to using our community platform for good.”
