A Red Deer Polytechnic graduate has donated $93,075 to help students facing money troubles and to keep two hockey programs running strong. Randy Harper made the gift on June 30, 2026, splitting it equally between a new emergency bursary fund and the Kings and Queens Hockey teams.
Half of the money creates the Randy Harper Student Emergency Bursary Fund. Over the next three years, any RDP student dealing with an unexpected cash crunch can apply for up to $1,500. The other half provides operating support for the men’s and women’s hockey programs through 2029.
Kristine Plastow, RDP’s Associate Vice President, Student Experience, said the donation will make a real difference. “We are extremely grateful for Randy’s leadership and generous donation,” she said, according to Red Deer Polytechnic. “His gift is a critical investment in emergency student support and student-athlete development, which will positively impact learners for years.”
Harper knows RDP well. He first arrived in 1968 as a player for the Kings Hockey team. He later took over his family’s scrap metal company, Harper’s Metals, and helped build it into a multi-million-dollar business. The company, now known as SECURE Metals Recycling, is the largest metals recycler in Western Canada with 12 locations. The business celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2026.
The Kings Hockey team has been especially successful lately, winning three straight Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference championships in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The Queens won their own ACAC title in 2023.
Each year, RDP gives out more than $2 million in student awards. Harper’s gift adds a targeted safety net for students who might otherwise have to quit their studies because of an unexpected bill.
