During the week of Oct. 18 to 22, Tracey Kalbfleisch and the Sculpted Finery community celebrated Warrior Week in honour of Peyton Kalbfleisch, Kalbfleisch’s son, who had his first brain tumour removed 13 years ago. 

Tracey owns Sculpted Finery which is a Sherwood Park-based fitness studio that offers barre and pound classes. The studio also has a clothing line that is available at Keylime Athletic Wear in Sherwood Park.

The Sculpted Finery community got together and celebrated by dressing according to a different theme each day that week. Themes included jersey day, the ‘80s, and a grey theme because the brain tumour ribbon is grey.

Members were able to donate money to go towards Peyton’s Projects, the company Peyton has for making hockey stick chairs, instead of using their class passes. Also, everyone who made a donation was entered into a draw to win a hockey stick chair from Peyton. 

One member, Bonny Funke, a Zyia Active representative, also did an online shopping party through the studio and donated $10 from each purchase to Peyton’s Projects. 

Tracey said that in the past, they have donated to the Stollery Children’s Hospital and the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital “because those are the two hospitals that he’s (Peyton) most involved with.”

This time, Tracey said, they donated everything back to Peyton so he can purchase new tools and materials for the hockey stick chairs. Over the four days, the community raised $685. The funds are going towards new equipment such as a new saw because Peyton has been using his grandfather’s old saw, which no longer has a safety guard, and towards the cost of wood to make the chairs. 

Tracey finds new ways to celebrate her son with the Sculpted Finery community every year on the anniversary of removing his brain tumour as well as in May, which is brain tumour awareness month. 

Kalbfleisch said, “This week couldn’t have come at a better time just because he’s had so many struggles and declines. . . . He’s a warrior, and he’s a fighter. He’s able to work and everything, and it just seemed this week we needed to celebrate him because it just seemed like a bunch of turndowns from places.”

She also said that “people need to understand that they (people with disabilities) are the strongest, hardest-working people too, and they fight for where they are, and they probably have better qualities than some people that don’t have an illness or disability.”

Because Peyton hasn’t been able to get into post-secondary school or find employment, making his hockey stick chairs is his only job right now. People can find Peyton’s chairs on Instagram under the username @peytonschairs. 

It takes anywhere from 11 to 15 hockey sticks to make a single chair. Kalbfleisch said if anyone wants to donate old or broken hockey sticks or purchase a chair, they can contact Peyton through his Instagram or by phoning Chris Kalbfleisch at 780-818-8610.

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