Rotary Club and The Children's Wish Foundation of Canada Join Forces to Make
Olympic Wishes Come true

PICKERING, ON, Feb. 10 /CNW/ - The Children's Wish Foundation of Canada and the Rotary Club of Calgary Olympic announced an alliance today that will help grant the most heartfelt wishes of six Canadian children with life threatening illnesses at the XXI Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver .

"The assistance and support of members of the Rotary Club of Calgary Olympic have made it possible for us to send six children from across the country to share an unforgettable Olympic experience with their families," commented Lyanne Goulin, Director, Wish Granting for Children's Wish.

The children, 14-year old Marc-André from St-Etienne, Quebec , 8-year old Samuel from Jonquière, Quebec , 11-year old Madison from Springfield , Ontario, 5-year old Ava from Cambridge, Ontario, 14-year old Graham from Tantallon, Nova Scotia and 14-year old Sébastien from Pointe aux Trembles, Quebec will each attend several Olympic events with their families.

Note to journalists: Some children and family members may be available for press interviews in Vancouver . Availability may vary according to their schedule and factors relating to the children's day-to-day health and well-being. Check with contacts listed below for availability.

The Calgary Olympic Rotary Club - chartered in 1988 and named after that year's Winter Olympics, hosted by Calgary - raised $30,000 to cover the families' transportation and lodging costs. Tamara McCarron, the club's community service co-chair, said members decided this year that a service project linked to the Vancouver games would be a natural fit.

"We felt the Children's Wish Foundation exemplifies the spirit of both Rotary and the Olympics," McCarron said. "Even though these children may not be competing for gold, their spirit and dedication make them just like the many Olympic athletes competing in Vancouver . It is a wonderful and privileged opportunity to help make these children's wishes come true. It is our hope to give them an experience they will never forget."

Rotary members will also offer additional volunteer support for the families during their Olympic visit to Vancouver , plus a few added surprises for the kids. Rotary is an international humanitarian service organization of 1.2 million men and women belonging to more than 33,000 clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. For more information, visit rotary.org.

Each year, thousands of Canadian children between the ages of 3 and 17 are diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses. Since 1984, The Children's Wish Foundation of Canada has worked tirelessly to grant exceptional wishes to 15,000 children and their families.

This year, the Foundation expects to grant 1,000 new wishes as it commemorates 25 years of service across Canada . The Foundation has never refused a wish to an eligible child, and with the help of volunteers and generous donors, is able to grant nearly three wishes every day. Each wish is an individual adventure, carefully structured to meet the needs of a particular child and family.

The Foundation is a grassroots charity with chapters in every province and territory. For information on Children's Wish, visit www.childrenswish.ca.

For further information: Paul St-Germain, Director, Communications, The Children's Wish Foundation of Canada, [phone], ext. 240, 1-800-700-4437, [email protected], www.childrenswish.ca; Tara Johnson, Rotary Club of Calgary Olympic, [phone], [email protected]