Eight community heroes in the running to be named Edmonton 2013 Season Scotiabank Game Changer

This season's Scotiabank Game Changer will receive $25,000 towards their charity at the final game of the regular season and a trip to the 101^st Grey Cup

EDMONTON, Oct. 11, 2013 /CNW/ - The countdown is on for which of the eight Regional Scotiabank Game Changer finalists will be revealed on October 18, 2013 as the 2013 Eskimos Season Scotiabank Game Changer. The winner will receive $25,000 for the charity or registered non-profit organization of his or her choice, a trip to the 101^st Grey Cup Game in Regina plus recognition for their great work in the community.

The announcement will be made on field during the second quarter of the final regular season of the Edmonton Eskimos game against the Calgary Stampeders. The winner will be selected as the top Game Changer from a group of eight finalists who had each been named a Home-Game Scotiabank Game Changer earlier in the season and who each received a $1,000 donation for their designated charity.

"Through the Scotiabank Game Changers program, we have all had the opportunity to be introduced to truly remarkable people who have dedicated themselves to helping others," said Michael Wilson, Scotiabank District Vice President, Edmonton District. "These eight game-changing finalists are an inspiration to all of us. On behalf of Scotiabank, I want to congratulate all of the nominees and thank them for the work they do every day to give back to their communities."

The winner will be selected based on a combination of public voting and a judging panel. During the CFL regular season, Scotiabank has recognized 24 Scotiabank Game Changers across sponsored CFL markets.

SCOTIABANK GAME CHANGERS STARTING LINE UP

To celebrate their achievements, the following eight Game Changer finalists will attend the final Edmonton Eskimo game of the regular season on October 18, where the 2013 Season Game Changer will be announced during the game. Below are the finalists and their designated charity or registered non-profit organization.

• Brian Labelle - Boysdale Camp Foundation
• Brian Labelle, a youth and child care worker, has been working with Boysdale Club Foundation for over 20 years, where he started as a camper, then a counselor and is now on the Board of Directors. He is volunteering with the foundation to help re-open the camp and help over 500 kids attend the camp each summer.  He believes in the importance of giving back and works to be a positive role model to less fortunate children in the community.
• Krista Kokot - Friends Church Fellowship
• For the past several years, Krista Kokot, a fitness instructor and nutritionist, has led a fundraising trip to Tijuana, Mexico to help build homes for less fortunate people. She is an active part of her community, acting as a coach, running retreats and seminars on health and fitness. She is dedicated to helping people become a better version of themselves.
• Paul Berthiaume - Motorcycle Ride for Dad
• Paul Berthiaume, a serving member of the RCMP, is the co-chair of the Edmonton Chapter of Motorcycle Ride For Dad, a charity dedicated to raising funds for Research, Education and Awareness for Prostate Cancer. He has dedicated himself to this cause, volunteering his time to help organize the event, promoting the charity on different media outlets and raising awareness in the community about the importance of getting prostate checks.
• Donna Marshall - Kilkenny Community League
• Donna Marshall is a dedicated volunteer of the Kilkenny Community League, which provides community sports and community programs to all ages in the Kilkenny community. She is part of the Community Advisory Committee and works to bring the community together, recruiting help and support for community events for local families. She helped to ensure the creation of the Spray Park at J.A. Fife School in the northeast end of Edmonton.
• Clarence Samuelson - John Maland Concert Band Parent Association
• Clarence Samuelson of Devon, Alberta is dedicated to music and has spent the past 26 years helping youth find this passion as well. He runs the band and music program at John Maland High School and teaches band classes for Riverview Middle School. He is committed to the Devon community and donates his time freely, particularly for projects which promote student involvement in the community. He is currently working with his students to help create an international music festival in Devon, hosting band members from Brazil.
• Jen Ruklic - Canadian Hemophilia Society - Alberta Chapter
• After Jen Ruklic's son Carter was born with severe hemophilia, she decided to learn as much as she could about the disorder by taking seminars and joining the Alberta chapter of the Canadian Hemophilia Society as a secretary. Determined to help raise awareness about the rare condition, she and her friends created a campaign called Carter's Quest, which raises money for the Canadian Hemophilia Society.
• Christy Morin - Arts on The Avenue
• Christy Morin, who wanted to make her neighbourhood in Edmonton a better and safer place, has helped transform Alberta Ave into an area where arts and social activities take place regularly. She helped to set up and maintain the Carrot Coffee and Arts House, which is the cornerstone of the Arts on the Ave organization. She has fundraised to support community events like the Kaleido Family Arts Festival and Deep Freeze: A Byzantine Winter Festival.
• Lisa Mae Buchanan - Northern Lights Health Foundation
• Lisa Mae Buchanan is a dedicated volunteer and has worked on many causes, like volunteering with her dog for the PAWS Therapeutic Dog Handing program to promote hospital patient interaction and recovery, selling raffle tickets, raising awareness for breast cancer, volunteering for health care events and being an enthusiastic mascot for her local hockey team. She is a leader in her community, helping encourage and support teens that are new to volunteering.

For more information about the Scotiabank Game Changers program, go to www.ScotiabankGameChangers.com, visit us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter at @ScotiaCFL  #sbgamechangers.

About Scotiabank:

Scotiabank is committed to supporting the communities in which we live and work, both in Canada and abroad, through our global philanthropic program, Scotiabank Bright Future.  Recognized as a leader internationally and among Canadian corporations for our charitable donations and philanthropic activities, Scotiabank has provided on average approximately $47 million annually to community causes around the world over each of the last five years. Visit us at www.scotiabank.com.

SOURCE: Scotiabank - Sponsorships & Donations

Christina Peck
High Road Communications
416-644-2295
[email protected]

Diana Hart
Scotiabank
416-866-7238
[email protected]