Canadian Shopping Centres raise over $85,000

All Proceeds To Benefit Canada's Paralympic Winter Athletes

CALGARY, April 13 /CNW/ - North Hill Centre and Bentall LP announced today that their national Hands Up Canada campaign was a huge success. Fundraising and awareness of our Canadian Paralympic Winter Athletes surpassed initial expectations!

This accomplishment was achieved via the efforts of Bentall LP managed shopping centres and its employees who hosted various fundraisers, special events and athlete appearances.

"Starting in June of 2009, North Hill Centre raised awareness and collected donations at the Annual Stampede Breakfast and a Summer Kids Camp with ice cream and face painters. In the fall there was a Wii Fit Competition with all of Calgary's elite professional athletes and a Paralympic Athlete, where our winners won gold, silver and bronze medals. Valentines Day was celebrated with chocolate lollies for a donation and there was a huge finale of Cheers, Champions and Charity, with Calgary Stampeders, a silent auction, grab bags and a Paralympic viewing station. It was a big year for giving and the support of our community was overwhelming".

"Our main goals by creating the "Hands Up Canada" campaign was to educate the communities that we serve about Paralympic Sport and raise money to support our athletes," said Bonney Rempel, Regional Director, Marketing Retail Services West, Bentall LP.

The website www.handsupcanada.com was created to assist with the goal of raising awareness of The Canadian Paralympic Committee and its athletes. Viewers could send a message of support to our athletes and were encouraged to enter a national contest to WIN a Trip for 2 to the Paralympic Games. Of the 65,000 on-line entries received, Michelle Bradley, a retired physiotherapist from Calgary, AB won our Grand Prize VIP package which included airfare, accommodation, Team Canada gear, event tickets and more. "My husband, Jay, is recovering from two cancers this past year and he is (now) doing great. We are training for a mini-triathlon for cancer survivors and their care givers. In speaking to the Paralympians, we got a fresh look at our own abilities and courage to stay tough," Bradley gratefully expressed.

Our Hands Up Canada campaign also engaged hundreds of students from across the nation, to decorate a "paper" hand. Shoppers at each participating mall were asked to sponsor a hand for a $2.00 donation. In return, they received an uncirculated commemorative Paralympic quarter. In addition, a limited edition pin was created and sold for $5.

"Twenty-nine shopping centres linked together and supported our talented Paralympic athletes. Symbolically the "decorated" hands on display at each participating mall sent a powerful message of Canadian Pride. We would like to thank everyone who generously supported our fundraising initiatives - collectively we tripled our fundraising goal." said Domenic Imbesi, Regional Director, Marketing Retail Services East, Bentall LP

"Our athletes were outstanding and made us proud, and your company's sponsorship enabled the Canadians to become the Winning Team they are. In total Team Canada received 19 Medals, ranking third with 10 Gold, 5 Silver, 4 Bronze." Henry Storgaard, CEO, Canadian Paralympic Committee

About the Canadian Paralympic Committee

The Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) is a non-profit, private organization with 42 member sports organizations dedicated to strengthening the Paralympic Movement by empowering Canadians with a disability through sport. The CPC is responsible for managing the team of athletes who represent Canada at Paralympic Games. By supporting Canadian Paralympic athletes and promoting their success, the CPC inspires all Canadians with a disability to get involved in sport through programs delivered by our members. For more information visit, www.paralympic.ca

Participating Shopping Centres:

    
    1000 ISLAND MALL, ON                   BENTALL CENTRE, Vancouver, BC
    BOWER PLACE, Red Deer, AB              CAPILANO MALL, North Vancouver, BC
    CHAMPLAIN SQUARE, Vancouver, BC        CLOVERDALE MALL, Etobicoke, ON
    COUNTRY HILLS TOWN CENTRE,             DALHOUSIE STATION, Calgary, AB
     Calgary, AB
    DORVAL CROSSING EAST & WEST,           HAZELDEAN MALL, Kanata, ON
     Oakville, ON                          MARCHE CENTRAL, Montreal QC
    DRIFTWOOD MALL, Courtenay, BC          NORTH HILL CENTRE, Calgary, AB
    INTERCHANGE PLAZA, Vaughan, ON         PARKGATE VILLAGE,
    MILTON MALL, Milton ON                  North Vancouver, BC
    PARK & TILFORD, North Vancouver, BC    SQUAMISH STATION, Squamish, BC
    SHERIDAN CENTRE, Mississauga, ON       TAMARACK CENTRE, Cranbrook, BC
    SUNWOOD SQUARE, Coquitlam, BC          VILLAGE GREEN MALL, Vernon, BC
    THE VILLAGE AT VAUGHAN MILLS,          WESTMOUNT SHOPPING CENTRE,
     Vaughan, ON                            London, ON
    WESTGATE CENTRE, Maple Ridge, BC       WILLOWBROOK SHOPPING CENTRE,
    WESTSHORE TOWN CENTRE, Langford         Langley, BC
     (Victoria), BC                        WINDSOR CROSSING, LaSalle, ON
    WILLOWBROOK SHOPPING PARK,
     Langley, BC
    

About Bentall LP

Bentall LP is the largest Canadian-based real estate advisory and services organization, with over $16 billion in assets under management. Our business is built on a solid foundation of real estate knowledge and exacting fiduciary standards. Bentall serves major institutional and private investors, supplying a range of asset management, property management, leasing and development services to over 100 clients. For more information, visit www.bentall.com.

For further information: Bonney Rempel, Regional Director, Marketing Retail Services, WEST, Bentall LP, Tel: [phone], Email: [email protected]; Domenic Imbesi, Regional Director, Marketing Retail Services, EAST, Bentall LP, Tel: [phone], Email: [email protected]; Anna Parisi, Canadian Paralympic Committee, Tel: [phone], Email: [email protected]