Family Day - but no family

--More than Half of Canadians are Single - What Are They to do?--

TORONTO , Feb. 8 /CNW/ - Family Day was first introduced in 1990 in Alberta, Canada to honour the family values of the founders of that province and has since expanded to Saskatchewan and Ontario. With these three provinces giving their residents a mid-winter holiday on Monday, February 15 to enjoy time off with their families, many Canadians are left wondering about how to spend this extra time. Statistics Canada* shows that more than half (52 per cent) of the Canadian population is single and the sentiment behind Family Day - the day after Valentine's Day - seems to be aimed towards everyone but them. Recognizing that each person deserves a memorable Family Day experience, the AIR MILES(R) Reward Program offers ideas and tips for Canadian singletons to make the most of their holiday.

"Just because it is the middle of winter and it's called 'Family Day' does not mean Canada's fabulous single population has to spend the day alone," comments Shawna Rossi , director, AIR MILES Reward Program. "There are so many interesting attractions, activities, programs and opportunities that are just a drive, phone call, walk or invitation away. A wide range of options are available through our AIR MILES rewards portfolio which will make this Family Day weekend not only memorable but cost-effective as well."

Rossi provides tips for Canada's singles to make Family Day 2010 the best day ever:

    
    -   Road Trip - Call up the boys or girls, rent a car, book a hotel and
        enjoy a weekend away. Canadians can earn or redeem AIR MILES reward
        miles on their next car rental or hotel stay.

    -   Spa Weekend - Everyone - even the guys - can enjoy a mani-pedi and
        massage. Reward miles can be redeemed for spa packages or earned
        through airmilesshops.ca.

    -   Get Healthy - Stop ignoring New Year's resolutions and use this day
        as the first day to a healthy new start.

    -   Pre-Spring Cleaning - Get a leg up on the cleaning that takes
        forever. Stock up on environmentally-friendly cleaning products
        through AIR MILES My Planet and start scrubbing.

    -   Tour the city - Check out local museums, art exhibits and popular
        attractions that never make it on the to-do list. AIR MILES can be
        redeemed for a number of local attractions in all provinces.

    -   Wine and Cheese Tasting - Invite some friends over and head to the
        local liquor and grocery store; pick out wines and cheeses that have
        always looked appealing. Don't forget to shop at an AIR MILES Sponsor
        to earn valuable reward miles.

    -   Games Weekend - Reconnect with that dusty game console or board game
        and invite some friends over for a game day.

    -   Movie Weekend - Catch up on missed movies in time for the Academy
        Awards and make picks for best picture. Visit airmiles.ca to redeem
        for movie passes or video rentals.

    -   Retail Therapy - From the comfort of home and pajamas and slippers,
        Canadians can log on to airmilesshops.ca and enjoy some shopping
        while earning AIR MILES reward miles.

    -   Visit with Family - Whether it's a sibling, parent, grandparent,
        cousin or aunt, take advantage of the true meaning of Family Day and
        use it as an opportunity to spend the day with loved ones.

    * July 2007

    About the AIR MILES Reward Program
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Founded in 1992, the AIR MILES Reward Program is Canada's premier coalition loyalty program. More than 10 million active Collector accounts, representing approximately two-thirds of all Canadian households, actively participate in the Program. The AIR MILES Reward Program allows Collectors to indulge in leisure, entertainment, merchandise, travel and other lifestyle rewards quickly, simply by doing their everyday shopping for products and services at AIR MILES Sponsors. AIR MILES reward miles can be redeemed for more than 1,200 different rewards, such as movie passes, family attractions, electronic merchandise, sports and recreation, travel and more.

Collectors can shop and collect AIR MILES reward miles at more than 100 brand-name Sponsors across the country, representing thousands of retail and service locations nationally, including RONA, Shell, The Shoe Company, BMO, Metro, Sobeys, Safeway and IGA, and airmilesshops.ca. The AIR MILES Reward Program's website is airmiles.ca.

For further information: AIR MILES Reward Program, Corporate Affairs, [phone], [email protected]