Ed Hervey has experienced a lot of things in his football career, with eight seasons and two Grey Cups as a receiver for the Edmonton Eskimos under his belt, but the CFL veteran found himself in unfamiliar territory this past weekend.

Hervey was in Whitehorse as a special guest at the Sports Celebrities Festival Dinner Auction, for the benefit of Special Olympics Yukon (SOY).

And while helping out in the community isn't anything new for the all-star receiver, snowmobiling and bowling aren't normally on his agenda at least, not 5-pin bowling.

'I was thinking, Oh, bowling, yeah I can do this, no problem,' Hervey explained, as he recalled his time at Mad Trapper Alleys with the Special Olympics athletes Saturday. 'Then I got there, turned around and looked at the lanes and realized, I've never seen this before.''

Hervey, who hails from California, was expecting to see 10 pins. Not to be deterred, he took on four athletes for bragging rights, but his lack of experience proved a big factor in the outcome, as did his size. The 5-pin bowling ball resembled a baseball in his large hand, according to spectators.

'I got destroyed in bowling,' Hervey laughed. 'There were four athletes and myself, and I think I finished fifth.'

Just in case that wasn't humbling enough, the reigning Grey Cup champion accepted an invitation from SOY sponsor Dan Charlebois (Canadian Tire) and local investment guru Pierre Lacasse to hit the Skagway Summit on snowmobiles Sunday.

Thankfully, he arrived at Whitehorse International Airport for his flight back home in one piece, and most likely with a few stories to share as well.

'I had a great time here,' said Hervey. 'Special Olympics is a great organization and the athletes were very inspirational. They have a lot of heart and determination. I hope to come back and do it again sometime.

'As professional athletes, I believe it's our job to give back to the community. A lot of people helped me get to where I am, so if I can help raise money for a great cause and inspire people, it's the least I can do.'

Hervey is certainly one of those athletes who puts his money where his mouth is.

He spends a lot of time in the off-season helping out with the Eskimos' Stay in School program, playing basketball against high school students. He was also a featured speaker at a conference on addiction and wellness in Edmonton.

Serge Michaud, the executive director of SOY, said Hervey brought a great message, not only to Special Olympics athletes, but all Yukoners. Some guys would hang up their football cleats after getting tossed around between a few NFL teams unsuccessfully, and eventually landing in the CFL. But Hervey, he pointed out, didn't give up and made a great career for himself in Canada.

'I'm not an Eskimos fan, I'm an Alouettes fan, and I told Ed that,' Michaud joked. 'But I have a lot of respect for him. He's a super guy. He really played the crowd up.

'The athletes themselves came up to me and were so appreciative of having him there. He was just so friendly with them.'

While CFL Commissioner Tom Wright is also the chair of Special Olympics Canada, Michaud said that had nothing to do with his decision to recruit Hervey. Wright has always offered the CFL's support, said Michaud, but he called the Eskimos directly.

'I knew they were a real community-based team and they certainly stepped up to the plate.'

It was thanks in part to Hervey and the Eskimos that this year's dinner auction was 'a roaring success,' said Michaud. While the exact amount of money raised from the annual fundraiser hasn't been determined yet, the executive director said early numbers indicate this was the best year yet for the event.

'Every year, our volunteer core has just been more experienced at what they're doing and the smoother it runs, the less problems there are and the more people are happy.'

Several other factors, such as the good meal fresh salmon donated by the Wharf on Fourth and the quality of the auction items, contributed to the success, he added.

Musical guest Jerry Doucette, whose hits include Mama Let Him Play, had the crowd 'dancing their tails off.' And Hervey wasn't the only athlete to attend Saturday night's dinner auction.

Yukon speed skater Troy Henry, who recently won three gold medals at the Arctic Winter Games in Kenai, AK, and local swimmer Alexandra Gabor, who is ranked number one in Canada in the 12-and-under age division in several events, also took the stage.

'Alex was just absolutely great,' said Serge. 'She's the future and that's what we like having at the event. And Troy was awesome too. We call them local celebrities because that's what they are.'

It's also a commitment of SOY to feature a few of their own athletes at the annual event, and in what is certainly a good sign, Michaud said it's getting harder and harder to pick the athletes because they're all doing so well.

'We have so many accomplished athletes. We ended up picking an athlete from each sport going to the national Games this summer.'

Michaud said overall, the weekend was a great celebration for Special Olympics and at the same time, a great fundraiser.

Events like the Sports Celebrities Festival, as well as this summer's 2006 Golf Gala, presented by Finning, and the Harley Davidson motorcycle raffle, keep the SOY programs alive, and allow athletes to compete in both the summer and winter Games.