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Canadiens foundation donates $570,000 to schools, community groups

The money is earmarked to help youngsters from low-income families with the costs associated with leisure activities.

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After two years of having its fundraising activities crippled by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation made a lot of people happy Tuesday when it handed out cheques totalling $570,000 to 41 schools and community associations during a luncheon at the Bell Centre.

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“Our fundraising has been down the past two years, but the future looks much better,” said Geneviève Paquette, the foundation’s general manager. “We were able to add two rinks in Val d’Or and Jonquière as part of our Bleu-Blanc-Bouge project and we are able to help the groups who are here to day.”

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Two of the group’s major fundraising initiatives — the 50/50 draws during Canadiens games and the annual charity golf tournament — were adversely affected by the pandemic.

In a normal season, the 50/50 draw raises more than $1 million for the foundation, while the golf tournament is the largest single event, raising more than $750,000.

“We had games where we had no fans and other games when the attendance was limited and, unlike other provinces, Quebec didn’t permit us to sell 50/50 tickets online,” said Paquette.

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“We weren’t able to hold the golf tournament in 2020 because of COVID and, two weeks before the tournament last September, the NHL told us the players and coaches couldn’t attend the event,” said Paquette. “Only thee foursomes pulled out after they learned there would be no players and our alumni, who are always supportive, pitched in to make it a success.”

The money handed out Tuesday is in line with the foundation’s goal of helping youngsters from low-income families for whom the costs associated with leisure activities are often a major barrier.

“We run a summer basketball camp and we don’t turn any boys and girls away because they can’t afford it,” said Trevor Williams, a former member of Canada’s national basketball team who runs mentorship and basketball programs through the Trevor Williams Kids Foundation.

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“I grew up in  Little Burgundy, which was a rough neighbourhood, and sports was a way to keep me out of trouble,” said Williams. “It also helped me get a university education and helped me represent the great country of Canada. With the funds we receive, we teach perseverance, hard work discipline. We use sports — basketball, hockey, whatever — to teach life skills.”

Foundation chairman Pierre Boivin said that, in addition to the rinks, the foundation has donated more than $19 million to more than 900 groups since it began in 2000.

phickey@postmedia.com

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