Stephen’s Backpacks Society will receive all proceeds from ticket sales when the RCMP Musical Ride performs Aug. 9 in Rocky View County.
“We are very excited to be chosen to receive all proceeds from ticket sales Aug 9th 2025,” the Airdrie-based charity stated in a June 25 social media post. “What a great family event and at the same time supporting children in need!!”
The RCMP confirmed in a June 10 release that Rocky View County is among 20 Alberta stops on its 2025 Musical Ride tour. The nationally recognized unit features mounted officers performing choreographed cavalry drills set to music.
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“Spectators can expect to be wowed as the Musical Ride troop, made up of up to 32 RCMP officers and their horses, perform intricate formations and drills set to music at shows in a community near you!” the RCMP stated.
“The RCMP’s Musical Ride performances help raise thousands of dollars for local charities and non-profit groups.”
In an interview with DiscoverAirdrie on June 27, Stephen’s Backpacks Society Director Nancy McPhee said the group didn’t apply for the opportunity — it was selected by someone familiar with their long-standing work.
“I think maybe that’s the reason they chose us,” McPhee said. “The woman remembers us from years ago when she was at Volunteer Calgary, and she remembers the story. And this opportunity came up, and she said, 'I didn’t even have to think twice. I just, you know, I knew we wanted to choose you.'”
McPhee said that recognition was rooted in 19 years of grassroots community work, and one child’s determination.
“I just get up in the morning, and I just feel Stephen’s [her son] passion and his desire to try to make a difference and just to keep trying to help as many children as we can and furnish as many homes as we can,” she said.
“This has kind of become his passion over the years, and he’s never failed.”
According to the Stephen’s Backpacks Society website:
“Stephen’s goal is to help end family homelessness across our nation. He has become a powerful voice for children in need across Alberta through Stephen’s Backpacks Society.”
“Starting with a curiosity when he overheard his parents talking about a homeless family they had seen on a television news broadcast, Stephen (a high-functioning autistic child) asked, ‘are there homeless people in Calgary?’”
“Since that fateful day in 2006, Stephen has faithfully continued his mission to bring awareness to issues surrounding homelessness and has spoken at many local and national events.”
McPhee said proceeds from the Aug. 9 event will go toward one or more of the charity’s three main programs.
“Either back to school, Christmas backpacks, or even furnishing a home, or maybe all three programs, depending on how many tickets are sold.”
She said inflation has hit families hard — and the cost of a single school backpack has nearly doubled.
“In 2021, the cost of a backpack filled with all sorts of school supplies would be around $45, maybe $50 for high school. We’re looking at close to $90 now with calculators and math sets and the high cost of paper,” she said. “Everything has just skyrocketed. It’s crazy.”
Beyond financial hardship, McPhee said, middle-income families are slipping into a growing gap.
“I really feel that even middle class — I mean in terms of making a fairly decent salary — by the time you do your groceries, your car payments, your mortgage…”
“I really believe that a lot of middle-class families are going to be saying, 'I don’t know if we can really afford backpacks and all these supplies.'”
“Those families are slipping through the cracks because we’re focusing more on, you know, children in shelters… but I think there’s children with homes that are struggling right now, as well.”
At the Aug. 9 event, the society will also host a community table.
“We will have a table set up displaying some of our wonderful gourmet cutting boards that also support our charity along with information on all our programs,” the organization said in its June 25 Facebook post.
“[Airdrie city councillor] Tina Petrow is going to be joining us, so I’m very excited about that,” McPhee said. “Stephen makes gourmet cutting boards, and that helps support the charity. So we’ll be putting a few of those out.”
“He says, I hope more people will learn that there are a lot of kids out there that need help.”
McPhee said that message still guides the organization.
“I think the most important message that I would want to get out there is that we can all give something,” she said.
“If every one of us in the community gave whatever we could give to make a difference to those who are hurting…”
“In summary, it’s our mission — rallying communities and the families within to reach out and to help kids that are hurting and families that are hurting.”
“We live in a very noisy world. It’s very busy. Everybody is in a hurry,” she said.
“If we could just reach down and stop for a minute and really feel empathy for everybody that is hurting — and actually for everybody in general — there’s a lot of kids that aren’t on the poverty line that are really hurting.”
“If it’s a smile in a grocery store to a senior who maybe hasn’t seen smiling for a while, a hug to somebody… I just think that’s where the world’s really hurting right now.”
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