Media Advisory / Photo OpportunityBMO Bank of Montreal Celebrates 125 years in Woodstock by Giving Backto the Woodstock Soccer Club
WOODSTOCK,             ON, July 30,  2009 – BMO Bank of Montreal is celebrating             its 125th anniversary in Woodstock by donating $25,000             to the Woodstock Soccer Club. The donation will go towards supporting             the club's             new outdoor soccer fields at Cowan Park. 
“This is an incredible milestone for the Woodstock branch and         we are very excited to share this success with our customers and friends,” said         Susan Brown, Senior Vice President for BMO Bank of Montreal, Ontario         Regional Division. “In the past, BMO has been a proud supporter         of numerous local charities and clubs within the Woodstock area, so we         are very excited to announce our sponsorship of the Woodstock Soccer         Club.”
WHO:
    -  Ernie Hardeman, MPP, Oxford
 
    -  Michael Harding, Mayor of Woodstock
 
    -  Paul Holbrough, Warden of Oxford County
 
    -  David Blyth, Vice President, London District, BMO 
 
    -  Ted Beynen, Steve Hunt, and Joe Odumodu from the Woodstock Soccer Club
 
    -  Eloi Gunn and members of the Woodstock Soccer Academy
 
WHAT:
        125th BMO anniversary celebration 
    -  Presentation of $25,000 Donation to the Woodstock Soccer         Club
 
    -  Cake and refreshments
 
    -  BMO the Bear
 
    -  Prizes including             AIR MILES reward miles giveaway
 
WHEN:
        Friday, July 31st from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. 
Official celebration and speeches from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
WHERE:
          BMO Bank of Montreal
Woodstock Main Office
534 Dundas Street
Woodstock, ON
“BMO is proud to have been a part of the Woodstock community for         the last 125 years, said Jennifer Jimbere, Branch Manager, BMO Bank of         Montreal. “Our team of highly qualified professionals is dedicated         to ‘making money make sense' and providing our customers         with the clarity they need to make the financial decisions that suit         them.”
“As the North American economy recovers from recession, business           conditions in the Woodstock area are poised to improve,” said Michael           Gregory, Senior Economist, BMO Bank of Montreal. “Activity at the           anchor Toyota assembly plant and at other firms in the automotive industry           should           pick up, with vehicle sales now driving up from their lows. Meantime,           the agricultural and food-processing sectors have acted as stabilizing           forces during the downturn, and should remain buoyant amid a favourable           pricing environment,” he added.
BMO in Woodstock
BMO Bank of Montreal has played an active role in the Woodstock community           since it first established the Woodstock branch in 1884. Most recently,           BMO has donated $50,000 to the Woodstock Hospital Foundation, has been           involved with Shelter from the Storm, a national fundraising and awareness       campaign to stop violence against women, as well as The Kids Help Phone.
Since its beginning in 1817,           BMO Financial Group has become one of Canada's         top corporate donors. BMO strongly believes in community reinvestment         as well as corporate and social responsibility in the communities it         serves. BMO also supports soccer from the grass roots up with sponsorships         of over 400 youth soccer teams across Canada, sponsorship of Toronto         FC and BMO Field, as well as becoming the official bank of the Canadian         Soccer Association in May, 2007.
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