Paul Hamilton of FC Edmonton new team ambassador to the Stollery

In a close game of air hockey, Paul Hamilton faced defeat in the hands of a young Stollery patient. During a fun-filled afternoon last week, three of the team’s players visited children in treatment at the hospital, playing games, signing autographs and even taking on arm wrestling competitions.

Paul Hamilton, an FC Edmonton starting defenseman and key player is pleased to be named the team’s ambassador to the renowned hospital. Hamilton looks forward to the opportunities this relationship will bring, allowing him and his teammates to support the community that strongly supports their team.

“When you spend a short amount of time with the kids and you see the joy that it brings them, there is no better feeling” says 21 year old Hamilton. “It’s amazing to see that you can make an impact on someone, going through a tough time, if only for a couple of minutes. People look up to FC Edmonton players as role models, not only on the field, but off as well. It is very important for us to be active in the community.”

After 20 minutes of intense air hockey with one particular young patient, Hamilton recognized the importance of his visit. “At first he was shy, but once we played for a couple of minutes, he had a huge smile on his face,” says Hamilton, “it was what I enjoyed most from the visit.” The boy’s aunt, Amy Campbell, expressed that “[the players] made a huge impact, it’s so nice to see these guys come and give the kids a little bit of their time.” Paul looks forward to seeing the young boy at a FC Edmonton home game this upcoming month.

Paul and teammates plan on several more visits to the Stollery “Beach Room” before the season’s close. The team returns home from a ten-day road trip and play at Foote Field, August 6, 7:30 PM.