Kruger Products is committing another $200,000 and introducing a brand-new public voting feature
TORONTO, Nov. 29, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, Kruger Products, Canada's leading paper manufacturer of Cashmere®, Purex®, Scotties®, SpongeTowels®, and Bonterra™, is announcing the return of its Kruger Big Assist program for a fourth year to help make the game of hockey more affordable, accessible and inclusive. Canadians can now go online to nominate deserving minor hockey associations until Feb. 11, 2024. The public will also have a chance to join the assist as, for the first time, the program is introducing a public-voting feature allowing Canadians to cast their vote for the grand prize winner in 2024.
Since its launch in 2020, the Kruger Big Assist has helped remove barriers and make hockey more accessible for all Canadians. Now more than ever, as household costs are rising, support with hockey registration costs is invaluable for many Canadian families. A recent Maru Public Opinion survey commissioned by Kruger Products revealed that more than three-quarters (78 per cent) of Canadians surveyed do not perceive hockey as an affordable sport for most families, and 89 per cent said the cost of playing hockey, more so than other sports, strongly impacts a parent's ability to register their kid(s).
The Kruger Big Assist has donated over $600,000 to over 40 hockey associations across the country, helping thousands of Canadian kids get on the ice and participate in the game. This year, Kruger Products is committing another $200,000, for a total commitment of $800,000 to date.
"At Kruger Products, we understand the pivotal role that sports play in bringing communities together, and the opportunities that present themselves when kids across Canada have access to sports," said Susan Irving, CMO of Kruger Products. "Hockey is woven into the fabric of our country, and as a Canadian company, we're proud to continue giving all kids the chance to play the game they love, while also introducing a new way for Canadians to become more involved in the Kruger Big Assist."
According to the recent survey, as many as four out of five Canadians (80 per cent) said they felt more diversity in hockey would improve the sport and encourage others to join, and 83 per cent agreed that playing hockey provides kids with valuable life skills. But who gets to play? The cost of playing hockey, as well as a lack of diversity in the sport, is a deterrent for families across Canada. The Kruger Big Assist aims to provide opportunities to foster more diversity, equity and inclusion in hockey.
For the program's fourth year, five regional minor hockey associations will each receive a $25,000 donation to help remove barriers that prevent all kids from playing Canada's game. Once the five regional winners are selected, Kruger Products will award an additional $75,000 grand prize to one of the winning associations. The grand prize recipient will be determined by the Canadian public who will vote for one of the five regional winners that best demonstrates how they will encourage more kids to play hockey by helping to remove barriers and make the game more accessible, inclusive and equitable for everyone. The program will ask the Canadian public to cast their vote through an online microsite in April 2024 once the five regional winners are selected.
Canadians can nominate deserving hockey associations until Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. Once the five regional winners are selected, the Canadian public will cast their vote for the grand prize winner from April 7-12, 2024.
For more information on the Kruger Big Assist, please visit mykrugerproducts.ca/en-ca/campaigns/kruger-big-assist.
Kruger Products is Canada's leading manufacturer of quality tissue products for household, industrial and commercial use. Kruger Products serves the Canadian consumer market with such well-known brands as Cashmere®, Purex®, SpongeTowels®, Scotties®, White Swan® and Bonterra™. Kruger Products has approximately 2,200 employees and operates nine FSC® COC-certified (FSC® C-104904) production facilities in Canada. For more information, visit www.krugerproducts.ca.
This Maru Public Opinion survey conducted on behalf of North Strategic was undertaken by the sample and data collection experts at Maru/Blue. 1526 randomly selected adult Canadians and Maru Voice Canada online panelists were surveyed from October 24th to October 25th, 2023. The results of this study have been weighted by education, age, gender and region (and in Quebec, language) to match the population, according to Census data. This is to ensure the sample is representative of the entire adult population of Canada. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size has an estimated margin of error (which measures sampling variability) of +/- 2.6%, 19 times out of 20.
SOURCE Kruger Products Inc.
Leya De Nil, North Strategic (for Kruger Products), [email protected], 647-527-1891
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