Bo Levi Mitchell, Stamps, CFL on TSN panel, Commissioner Orridge do pushups for vets

The CFL and its coaches, players, executives and media members have long been known for their support of charitable causes, such as with the 2014 spread of the Ice Bucket Challenge to raise awareness of ALS and funding for research into the disease (a cause that hit particularly home for the CFL thanks to that disease hitting former players like Tony Proudfoot and O.J. Brigance), and there's a new trend travelling around the league. That would be the "22 Push-Up Challenge," a movement that's been going for several years to raise awareness of suicides by military veterans and raise support for veterans (the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs has estimated that 22 U.S. veterans on average commit suicide each day, and it's a major issue in Canada as well, with The Globe And Mail reporting in February at least that at least 54 Canadian soldiers and veterans killed themselves after serving in war in Afghanistan), and one that's now spreading throughout the CFL.

The 22 Push-Up challenge started in Texas and is led by an organization based there, so it's appropriate that native Texan and Calgary Stampeders' quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell started this one off. Global TV Calgary meteorologist Jordan Witzel, who did this daily for 22 days, challenged Mitchell during the Stamps' bye week last week:

Mitchell and his receivers responded by doing 22 push-ups each and challenging the CFL on TSN panel:

Panel members Matt Dunigan and Milt Stegall did the challenge on-air Thursday:

Dunigan challenged CFL commissioner Jeffrey Orridge, plus Ottawa head coach Rick Campbell and Montreal receiver Duron Carter (on opposite sides in Bumpgate). Orridge responded Friday:

Hamilton special teams coordinator Jeff Reinebold, who was challenged by Stegall, also has already responded:

We'll see who else gets involved with this (Dunigan also challenged to Campbell and Carter, Reinebold challenged Stampeders' special-teams coordinator Mark Kilam, and others may join too), but it's a cool effort and one for a very important cause. It's great to see everyone from CFL players to analysts to the commissioner take this up and raise awareness for the issues veterans face. Supporting the active military has always an important cause for the CFL, and there have been a lot of efforts along those lines, including regular Armed Forces nights from several teams, members of the Eskimos and Alouettes taking the Grey Cup overseas this year to troops in Kuwait, France and the Ukraine, and several Alouettes' players visiting troops in Afghanistan in 2013. Supporting those who have returned from combat is critical too, though, and hopefully this will be just the start of the league's efforts on that front. For more information on the 22 Kill charity and ways to support it, go here; for some ways to help Canadian veterans, check out the organizations Witzel mentioned in his final 22 in 22 video: