TORONTO, October 19, 2010 – Thousands of BMO Financial Group employees from communities across
Canada will participate in the BMO Boolathon in support of Kids Help Phone on Saturday, October 23 and Sunday, October 24. This national event raises much-needed funds to meet the growing demand for the charity's phone- and web-counselling services.
“When kids feel like their issues are too difficult to discuss, their concerns too embarrassing to share, Kids Help Phone is there! No matter is too big or too small, and any young person with access to a phone or computer can reach out to Kids Help Phone day or night and get the help that they deserve – all because of the funds raised from tremendous supporters such as those coming out to the Boolathon,” said Sharon Wood, President and CEO of Kids Help Phone.”
Started as a single-location event by BMO employees in 1991, the BMO Boolathon in support of Kids Help Phone is a Halloween-themed bowling event that has grown into a popular and spook-tacular Halloween tradition. Last year, the BMO Boolathon in support of Kids Help Phone raised $601,000; this year the goal is to surpass last year's success.
“BMO is once again proud to support Kids Help Phone, as it ensures essential phone and online counselling services are available to children throughout Canada,” said Sandra Hanington, Executive Vice President Product Operations, BMO Financial Group and Kids Help Phone board member. “Each year, BMO employees across Canada come together to make the BMO Boolathon the success it has become. We hope to have another great year of fun and fundraising!”
BMO Boolathon for Kids Help Phone 2010 Locations:
Province Community Date
British Columbia Abbotsford Saturday, October 23 Nanaimo Saturday, October 23
Surrey Saturday, October 23
Vancouver Saturday, October 23
Victoria Saturday, October 23
Alberta Calgary Sunday, October 24
Edmonton Sunday, October 24
Grande Prairie Sunday, October 24
Lethbridge Sunday, October 24
Red Deer Sunday, October 24
Saskatchewan Moose Jaw Sunday, October 24
Regina Sunday, October 24
Saskatoon Sunday, October 24
Manitoba Winnipeg Sunday, October 24
Ontario Barrie Sunday, October 24
Brantford Saturday, October 23
Chatham Saturday, October 23
Cornwall Sunday, October 24
Goderich Sunday, October 24
Hamilton Saturday, October 23
Kingston Sunday, October 24
Kitchener – Waterloo Saturday, October 23
London Sunday, October 24
Niagara Sunday, October 24
North Bay Saturday, October 23
Ottawa Sunday, October 24
Quinte Sunday, October 24
Sarnia Saturday, October 23
Sault Ste. Marie Sunday, October 24
Sudbury Sunday, October 24
Thunder Bay Saturday, October 23
Windsor Saturday, October 23
Ontario – GTA Durham (Oshawa) Sunday, October 24
Etobicoke Saturday, October 23
Mississauga Sunday, October 24
North York Saturday, October 23
Toronto Saturday, October 23
York Region Sunday, October 24
Quebec Brossard Friday, October 24
Montreal Sunday, October 24
Quebec City Saturday, October 23
Rimouski Saturday, October 23
New Brunswick Moncton Saturday, October 23
Saint John Saturday, October 23
Nova Scotia Halifax Sunday, October 24
Newfoundland & Labrador Clarenville Sunday, October 24
Corner Brook Sunday, October 24
St. John's Sunday, October 24
For more information about the BMO Boolathon in support of Kids Help Phone taking place in your area and how you can sponsor a boo-ler or get involved, please visit www.kidshelpphone.ca/boolathon.
Kids Help Phone, a national charity serving children and youth, receives no core government or United Way funding. Instead, it relies on the support of community-based volunteers and individual and corporate donors to ensure that its counselling, information and referral services for kids can continue to operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
About Kids Help Phone
Kids Help Phone is Canada's leading youth counselling services, moving kids from distress and isolation to confidence and competence. Available anytime of the day or night, in English and French, by phone and by web, it is the go-to resource for kids in Canada from five to 20 when they need help or trustworthy information on issues that are difficult for kids to discuss with anyone else. A respected national charity, Kids Help Phone is vitally dependent on individual donations and corporate support to remain available to kids looking for help; sometimes looking for a lifeline.
About BMO Financial Group
As a founding sponsor of Kids Help Phone, BMO has been supporting the critical efforts of this organization since it's inception and, through BMO's extensive network of employee volunteers, provides leadership support for chapters of Kids Help Phone from coast to coast. In 2009, notable contributions to Kids Help Phone from BMO Financial Group and its employees included $300,000 raised from the BMO Presidents' Cup Golf event, $200,000 annual sponsorship for Kids Help Phone's Student Ambassador Program and last year employees raised $601,000 during the BMO Boolathon in support of Kids Help Phone (bowling fundraisers) and several other local fundraising initiatives.
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Media Contact:
Lauren Davies Paul Savaria
Kids Help Phone BMO Financial Group
(604) 267-7057 (416) 927-4529
lauren.davies@kidshelpphone.ca paul.savaria@bmo.com
