/R E P E A T -- Canadian Paralympic Committee and RONA invite media and public to experience the first-ever Parasport Festival in Regina/

Come try adapted sports, meet athletes and learn how to get involved!

REGINA, March 5, 2012 /CNW/ - The Canadian Paralympic Committee, in partnership with RONA, will host Regina's first-ever Parasport Festival on Saturday March 10 and invites both the media and public to come try out sledge hockey, para-alpine skiing and wheelchair rugby!

Meet Paralympic athletes, get autographs and see how they apply their athletic skills to earn gold medals for Canada! Discover opportunities to get involved - whether as an athlete, coach, parent or volunteer. All activities are free and open to everyone.

"This Festival is a great opportunity to ensure more Canadians with a disability are aware of the opportunities out there for them to be physically active," said Karim Salabi, Vice President of Marketing - Image and Sponsorships at RONA. "We're delighted to partner with the Canadian Paralympic Committee to present this pioneering event in Regina and we invite everyone to come out and experience the thrills of parasport."

WHAT:
A Parasport Festival: Learn about and try several parasports!

WHEN & WHERE:
Try out sledge hockey, para-alpine skiing and wheelchair rugby!
Saturday, March 10 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
YMCA of Regina, Downtown, 2400 13th Avenue

HOW:
Simply drop by the demonstration, or send an email to Laura Ferris, Coordinator, Recruitment
Program: [email protected]. Phone: [phone] x233

MEDIA CONTACT ONSITE: Marie-Hélène Cayer - Cell. : 613-293-3358

For more information, please visit www.Paralympic.ca/getinvolved.

Paralympic athletes attending: Shan Noyes (Para-Alpine Skiing), Amy Alsop (Goalball)

Volunteers, Coaches, Athletes and Administrators from: Regina Ski Club, Pilot Butte Sledge Hockey Club, Regina Wheelchair Rugby Club, Regina Rowing Club, Saskatchewan Sailing Club, and Canoe Kayak Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan Blind Sports Association; Event Volunteers from RONA.

About the Canadian Paralympic Committee

The Canadian Paralympic Committee is a non-profit, private organization with 46 member sports organizations dedicated to strengthening the Paralympic movement. The Canadian Paralympic Committee's vision is to be the world's leading Paralympic nation. Its mission is to lead the development of a sustainable Paralympic sport system in Canada to enable athletes to reach the podium at the Paralympic Games. By supporting Canadian Paralympic athletes and promoting their success, the Canadian Paralympic Committee inspires all Canadians with a disability to get involved in sport through programs delivered by its member organizations. For more information, visit www.paralympic.ca.

About RONA

RONA is the largest Canadian distributor and retailer of hardware, home renovation and gardening products. RONA operates a network of more than 950 corporate, franchise and affiliate stores of various sizes and formats. With close to 30,000 employees working under its family of banners in every region of Canada and more than 17 million square feet of retail space, the RONA store network generates over $6 billion in annual retail sales. For more information, visit rona.ca.

Alison Korn
Manager, Media Relations
Canadian Paralympic Committee
Tel: [phone] x243
Cell: 613-298-4927
[email protected]

Laura Ferris
Coordinator, Recruitment Program Support
Canadian Paralympic Committee
Phone: [phone] x233
Cell: 613-298-1195
[email protected]

Nadia Goyer
Senior Advisor
Communications and Public Affairs
RONA
Phone : [phone] x5271
[email protected]

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