Canadian Schools Prepare to Paint the Town Red

The Canadian Olympic School Program, presented by RBC launches the Paint the Town Red School Kit

VANCOUVER , Jan. 13 /CNW/ - The Canadian Olympic Committee today launched the Paint the Town Red School Kit of materials as part of The Canadian Olympic School Program presented by RBC. With just one month to go before the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games teachers and students across the country can join in the excitement of preparing for the Games and cheering on Canada's Olympic Team. The Paint the Town Red School Kit provides ways for schools to get behind the Canadian team and follow the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games as a class. These resources include the materials to host a school-wide 2010 Olympic Winter Sports Day, create Go Canada bulletin boards, and chronicle the excitement in daily writing journals. A free copy of the Paint the Town Red School Kit can be downloaded at www.olympicschool.ca/red.

"Charles H. Hulse Public School is ready to capture the excitement of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and Paint the Town Red," said Ottawa based teacher, Marsha Kahn . "The Paint the Town School Kit is a ready-made, user friendly way to engage our students and help create an Olympic experience students will never forget".

The Canadian Olympic Committee's Paint the Town Red campaign is designed to encourage all Canadians to show our athletes that we support their efforts and preparations for the Vancouver 2010 Games. Launched in September 2009 , the Paint the Town Red campaign is a fun, easy and inexpensive way for all Canadians to get involved and be a part of the Games.

"Paint the Town Red is a simple concept designed to encourage Canadians to show our athletes that we support their efforts and preparations for the Vancouver 2010 Games and having schools and children involved is even more special," said Canada's Chef de Mission in 2010, Nathalie Lambert . "These Olympic Winter Games will be the biggest celebration in our country's history and Team Canada will be the strongest team we have ever assembled for an international competition. It's not just at the venues in Vancouver , Whistler and Richmond that our athletes will feel the support of the nation. All Canadians, from coast to coast to coast, can play a vital role in showing these athletes how proud we are of them, straight through the Games."

More than 200 athletes will represent the Canadian Olympic Team when the Games officially open on February 12, 2010 . They will be supported by a broader team of 33 million Canadians that has no requirements for participation except national pride. The athletes are counting on their fellow Canadians to be proud and loud as they Paint the Town Red across the country and they are encouraging them to show their support in any way that displays that pride - be it flying the flag, painting their face, installing red lights in their home, schools and work spaces, spreading the red online or whichever creative method they choose. Canadians can visit olympic.ca and download the paintbook of ideas.

About the Canadian Olympic Committee

The Canadian Olympic Committee is a national, private, not-for-profit organization committed to sport excellence. It is responsible for all aspects of Canada's involvement in the Olympic Movement, including Canada's participation in the Olympic and Pan American Games and a wide variety of programs that promote the Olympic Movement in Canada through cultural and educational means. For news and information, visit the COC website at www.olympic.ca and find the team on both Facebook (Canadian Olympic Team) and Twitter (CDNOlympicTeam).

For further information: Whitney Stanford, Hill & Knowlton, [phone], [email protected]; Isabelle Hodge, Canadian Olympic Committee, [phone], [email protected]