Edmonton Elks to honour Dwayne Mandrusiak at home-opener

Photo: Edmonton Elks

The Edmonton Elks will honour longtime equipment manager Dwayne Mandrusiak at their home-opener on Saturday, the team has announced.

The Elks brought Mandrusiak back into the fold in 2025, allowing him to reach 50 years of service with the team. He worked in community outreach and historian role, with the team indicating his locker room tours became popular with season ticket holders.

“When Larry and Deb (Thompson) purchased the club, they believed that restoring this organization meant more than improving what happened on the field. It meant reconnecting the club with the people, traditions, and values that built it,” said team president and CEO Chris Morris in a statement.

“They believed that family matters, community matters, and that the people who dedicate their lives to this organization should be treated with respect and appreciation.

“One of Larry’s first priorities was bringing Dwayne back to the Edmonton Elks. He felt strongly that ending Dwayne’s tenure after 49 years of loyal service was not the right thing to do. More importantly, he believed that bringing him home was an important step in restoring the culture and identity of this football club.

“Dwayne means a great deal to our players, staff, alumni, and generations of cherished fans. He represents loyalty, humility, and a lifelong commitment to the Double E. As we celebrate his 50th year with the organization, we are also honouring Larry and Deb’s vision of what this club should be — a family, a community institution, and a place that never forgets the people who helped build it.”

Mandrusiak started his career as a ball boy with the Green and Gold in 1973 and went on to spend 49 seasons with the team before being unceremoniously let go amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He was on the sidelines for 18 Grey Cups and helped the team win 11 championships.

Mandrusiak was inducted into the EE Builders Wall of Honour in 2024.

The Edmonton Elks (1-0) will host the Montreal Alouettes (2-0) at Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday, June 20 with kickoff scheduled for 4:00 p.m. EDT. The Alouettes are coming off an impressive win over the Toronto Argonauts, while the Elks spent Week 2 on bye.

The weather forecast in Edmonton calls for a high of 18 degrees and a 60 percent chance of showers. The game will be broadcast on TSN and RDS in Canada and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune in on TSN 690 (English) or 99.5 Montreal (French) in Montreal or 880 CHED in Edmonton.