Home Hardware Dealers Celebrate Blue Jays Fan Appreciation Day with $435,000 Donation to Special Olympics Canada and SickKids Foundation

Print this Article | Send to Colleague

Toronto, ON, Oct 1, 2012 – The cheque for Special Olympics Canada was presented to Arthur Rea, a Special Olympics Gold Medal Athlete and Tom Wright, Special Olympics Canada Board of Directors and will go towards the organization’s goal of enriching the lives of Canadians with intellectual disabilities through sport. The cheque for SickKids Foundation was presented to Sierra Polifemi, SickKids Patient Ambassador and Sarah Bywater, Development Officer from SickKids and will go to supporting research in health and scientific advances to improve the lives of children in Canada.

Home Hardware commemorates Fan Appreciation Day at the Rogers Centre with a $185,000 donation to SickKids Foundation and a $250,000 donation to Special Olympics Canada. (From Left) SickKids Foundation Director Paula Menzes, Home Hardware Stores Limited President and CEO Paul Straus, SickKids Foundation Manager Sarah Bywater, SickKids Foundation Patient Ambassador Sierra Polifem, Special Olympics Canada Board of Directors Member Tom Wright, and Special Olympians Arthur Rea, Aaron Lindsey and Steve Short.

Paul Straus threw the ceremonial first pitch to get the Blue Jays’ game versus the New York Yankees underway.

"Home Hardware Dealers across Canada are committed to supporting the communities where we live and operate," said Paul Straus, President and CEO, Home Hardware Stores Limited. "Our relationships with Special Olympics Canada and SickKids reflect our Dealers’ dedication to supporting children and athletes from coast to coast."

In addition to the cheque presentations and ceremonial first pitch, several other elements are included in Home Hardware Fan Appreciation Day. The first 20,000 fans to arrive at the Rogers Centre received a t-shirt presented by Home Hardware and nine lucky fans won the shirts off the backs of the Blue Jays players. "We are very grateful for Home Hardware’s generous donation, which will make a big difference for the patients and families that rely on SickKids," said Sarah Bywater, Development Officer from SickKids. "Corporate donations like Home Hardware’s allow us to continue to provide world-leading research, learning and care for children from across the country."

"Home Hardware understands the transformative power of sports in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities," said Tom Wright from Special Olympics Canada. "Special Olympics is grateful to Home Hardware and its Dealers for their ongoing commitment and partnership. You make it possible for our athletes to reach their full potential through your tremendous support."

About Special Olympics Canada
Special Olympics Canada is dedicated to enriching the lives of Canadians with an intellectual disability through sport. It is a national not-for-profit grassroots organization that provides sport training and competition opportunities for over 31,000 athletes of all ages and abilities. More than 10,000 certified volunteer coaches are currently involved with Special Olympics programs every day in virtually every community nationwide. Special Olympics Canada National Games are held every two years, alternating between Summer and Winter Games with World Games being held in the year following National Games. Special Olympics Canada’s programs are supported by corporate sponsorship, fundraising activities, government funding, individual donors and the involvement of volunteers in communities across the country.

About Home Hardware Stores Limited
100% Canadian owned and operated, Home Hardware Stores Limited has a presence in every Canadian province and territory and is the country’s largest independent, Dealer-owned hardware, lumber, building materials and furniture cooperative. Founded on January 1, 1964 by 122 independent hardware Dealers, the cooperative now includes close to 1,100 stores, under the Home Hardware, Home Building Centre, Home Hardware Building Centre and Home Furniture banners, with annual collective retail sales of more than $5 billion. Home Hardware’s independent Dealer-Owners, recognized by the North American Retail Hardware Association as Canada’s best-trained Dealer group, have access to 100,000 quality brand name and private label products, a world-class distribution system and draw upon the power of Home Hardware’s network to provide their local communities with top quality products and services at competitive prices.

For more information, please contact:
• Lindsey Dietrich, Public Relations Coordinator, Home Hardware Stores Limited at 519-664-2252 ext. 6676 or lindsey.dietrich@homehardware.ca  

• Rob Wallace, Public Relations and Promotional Events Manager, at 519-664-4710 or rob.wallace@homehardware.ca