Media Releases
April 11, 2006
KidSport and Great-West Life – A Gold Medal Finish
With summer sport registration well underway and a new season soon to be upon us, memories of the 2006 Winter Olympics may be fading, but the impact our Manitoba athletes had at these Games will live on through KidSport – thanks to major donations inspired by Manitoba's Olympic athletes.
Great-West Life is a long time supporter of KidSport in Manitoba and was delighted to see our local Olympians embrace KidSport and its principles. When the Province of Manitoba announced in their most recent budget that it would honour our Olympians with a special donation of $50,000 to KidSport, Great-West chose to go above and beyond their generous annual support to the charity and match the provincial government commitment with an additional $50,000 to get even more of Manitoba’s kids out of the stands and onto the field of play!
Great-West’s Assistant Vice-President of Community Affairs, Jan Belanger, believes in the KidSport mission, saying "The potential of KidSport goes beyond enabling young people, regardless of their economic circumstances, to participate in the sport of their choice. KidSport offers the potential to build character, team skills, confidence and the ability to set goals. Perhaps most importantly, it enables kids to be kids, together - to have fun and be active."
"We believe ALL Kids should have the opportunity to play," stated Sport Manitoba CEO and President, Jeff Hnatiuk. "Sport provides kids with a sense of belonging, self-esteem and confidence while teaching them valuable life skills. The desire to provide this experience for all Manitoba kids truly is in keeping with Great-West's focus on sport funding as a means to facilitate broad participation in fitness and team activity - to encourage overall fitness and good health, as well as personal development, leadership and team skills."
With this donation, Great-West is also encouraging other Manitoba businesses and foundations to contribute to this worthy initiative and to see the benefits KidSport offers our youth and ultimately our community.
A national charity operated in our Province by Sport Manitoba, KidSport both raises funds to assist families financially to register their children in sport, as well as collecting used equipment for distribution to needy kids. Like many charities, KidSport Manitoba depends on the donations it receives to help Manitoba kids get off the sidelines and into the game.
As a leading financial services provider, Great-West and its subsidiaries serve the financial security needs of 12 million people across Canada. Through their national program for corporate citizenship, the Key to Giving, Great-West contributes directly to hundreds of non-profit and charitable organizations across the country.
For further information, please contact:
Tess Wilson
Provincial KidSport Manager
Sport Manitoba
204-926-8351
Email
or
Marlene Klassen
Director
Media and Public Relations
Great-West Life
204-946-7705
Email
