Sears - Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada Golf Tournament Raises $330,000 to
Help Canadian Children and Youth Reach their Potential

MARKHAM, ON, Aug. 19 /CNW/ - Close to 300 associates and suppliers of Sears Canada teed off at the 23rd Annual Sears - Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada Golf Tournament at Station Creek Golf Club in Gormley, Ontario last week. The goal of this annual event is to help Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada provide children with opportunities to succeed in life.

Sears Canada suppliers showed their support for Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada (BGCC), a leading provider of after school programs supporting the healthy physical, educational and social development of more than 200,000 children and youth annually, by raising over $165,000 through the tournament. Sears Canada generously matched the suppliers' donation, bringing the total funds raised to $330,000. Over the past 23 years, the annual golf tournament has raised nearly $3 million in support of BGCC.

"I thank all of our Sears associates and suppliers who made this tournament the most successful yet," said Dene Rogers, President and CEO, Sears Canada. "Sears has long believed in Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada's mission to provide Canadian children and youth with a safe, enriching place to go after school. The Clubs provide needed support to Canadian families and are a critically important service that helps young people improve their life opportunities as Canada's future adults and citizens. With the support of our suppliers, we have been able to make a real difference in the lives of youth coast to coast."

Sears Canada is BGCC's longest-standing and most significant partner, having supported BGCC for 45 years. With this generous support from Sears Canada, Boys and Girls Clubs have been able to provide beneficial programs to thousands of young Canadians and their families, both after school and during school holidays, which help young people learn important skills for life and develop healthy behaviours and relationships with peers and caring adults.

"We are thrilled with the outcome of the tournament," said Pam Jolliffe, President and CEO, Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada. "With this annual gift, BGCC is able to provide strong support to its member Clubs to help them offer safe, constructive places for children and youth to develop and flourish when school is out."

In the past nine years, Sears Canada has also donated over $2 million to provide Sears After School Enhancement Grants to 100 Boys and Girls Clubs to help expand and enrich their after school programs, which offer a variety of fun, supervised activities for kids including: cooking instruction, nutrition education, dance and art classes, bullying awareness and homework help.

In addition to the after school grants, Sears support assists new Clubs with expanding their reach to serve more young people in communities where it is most needed. Sears Canada also supports BGCC by providing an option to Sears Card customers to donate points earned through Sears Club, the Company's loyalty program, to BGCC and Sears matches customer donations. Another successful initiative is the Sears Tree of Wishes toy drive campaign which provides gifts to help brighten the Holiday season for many BGCC youth across Canada. Sears also supports local Boys and Girls Clubs across Canada, through the commitment of many Sears stores across Canada, which contribute volunteers and donations to their local Boys and Girls Club.

About Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada

Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada is a leading provider of after school programs that support the healthy physical, educational and social development of more than 200,000 children, youth and their families each year. In 700 community locations across Canada, clubs offer after-school programs in physical recreation, technology, the arts, personal growth and more. Many clubs also provide meals, emergency shelter, family support programs and other supports to children and youth at risk. Boys and Girls Clubs have been helping young Canadians to discover, develop and achieve their potential, for over 100 years. To learn more, visit www.bgccan.com.

About Sears Canada

Sears Canada is a multi-channel retailer with a network of 197 corporate stores, 241 dealer stores, 31 home improvement showrooms, over 1,800 catalogue merchandise pick-up locations, 108 Sears Travel offices and a nationwide home maintenance, repair, and installation network. The Company also publishes Canada's most extensive general merchandise catalogue and offers shopping online at www.sears.ca.

For further information: Media Contact: Matt Ross, Media Relations Specialist/Writer, Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada, 905-477-7272 ext. 270, [email protected]