"My aunt and uncle were living in Terwilliger at the time and their neighbour worked for the Oilers," Hordo explained. "He told them he was going to have the Stanley Cup that day and invited them over. My aunt then called my parents, knowing how big of an Oilers fan my dad was, to come as well. My dad dropped everything and raced home to pick up my mom and myself. As my dad tells the story, he says the first thing he did when we saw the Cup was think to put me in it and start snapping photos."
Hordo said her parents framed the photo and it hung in their house her whole life until she moved out and took it with her. Getting a second chance to have her photo taken with the Cup - and being able to remember the moment this time - was a special experience.
"Having the privilege of seeing Lord Stanley on Monday for the second time was very cool and memorable," she said. "Saying I was excited is an understatement. I am not only a lifelong hockey fan, but a born and raised Edmonton Oilers fan. When we learned on Monday morning that we would get the opportunity to see the Stanley Cup, I immediately knew I needed to bring that photo with me.
"It is just such a unique experience to be able to have, not only the original photo from 30 years ago, but to be able to take a second photo with it as an adult in this unique circumstance. I am so grateful for the unforgettable opportunities afforded to me by working at Rogers Place."
Hordo joined the Rogers Place team with Aramark in June 2016, three months prior to the arena's grand opening. During the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs in Edmonton, she has managed the operations of Studio 99, which is Rogers Place's elevated sports bar on the loge level.
Studio 99 has hosted dinners for the NHL teams living in the ICE District bubble, as well as the staff who have been working tirelessly to execute the unprecedented two-month event.
"Seeing the same people over the course of the last two months has allowed us to get to know so many new people who work with the NHL, the NHL teams themselves, and all those who work so hard to bring us the production of the Hub City," Hordo said. "It's been a great experience."
Plenty of new friends made, and one old friend reunited with named Stanley.
