WINNIPEG -- Hours after being celebrated in a raucous rally by a city that waited nearly thirty years for the Grey Cup to return, two members of the championship-winning Blue Bombers made an unexpected appearance.

Defensive tackle Drake Nevis and his wife Reese came to the Love Lives Here ministry, a trailer that serves sandwiches, hot drinks and provides warmth to patrons at the corner of Martha Street and Henry Avenue in Winnipeg.

They brought with them defensive lineman Nate Brisson-Fast, who is on the Bomber practice roster.

Heather Barefoot, coordinator of the Love Lives Here ministry, said when said she told patrons that Nevis had arrived, “the place erupted.”

“They were so excited. They were so excited. They don’t have that – they don’t get those opportunities. It was beautiful. It was a wonderful moment.”

Barefoot said on a typical evening, the trailer sees between 150 and 200 patrons.

She said clients served by the Christian ministry include people who are homeless, dealing with addiction, poor or marginalized in other ways.

“And dealing with the hurt, and the pain,” she said. “The layers these people come with, the burdens.”

Barefoot also said while she didn’t expect Nevis would stop by in the limited time he had before leaving Winnipeg for the off-season, it was far from his first appearance.

“Drake Nevis and his beautiful wife have been volunteered down there since he hit Winnipeg,” said Barefoot. Nevis originally signed with the Bombers in 2017.

“When they first started coming, no one knew who Drake was.

“I mean, yes, he’s a big man, but they didn’t know he was a Blue Bomber, and they would have never known, because of the humble spirit he has.”

Barefoot said his and his wife’s involvement has influenced her own behaviour.

She told CTV News that while she never watches sports, on Sunday she made an exception.

“I was glued to the TV,” said Barefoot. “We prayed on them, that the Blue Bombers would win.”

Barefoot said Nevis told her after the visit, he was heading to Louisiana, while Brisson-Fast was Michigan bound.

“Here they were, down in the inner city, their last night in town, to bless the people. They brought beautiful food, pizza, to the homeless.”