Second Annual Empire Theatres Movie Day for Kids Featuring 'ASTRO BOY' on
Sunday, October 25

TORONTO , Oct. 20 /CNW/ - The second annual Empire Theatres Movie Day for Kids Help Phone will be taking place on Sunday, October 25 in select locations across the country.

All proceeds from the new release film, 'ASTRO BOY' will be donated to Kids Help Phone, from the 1:30 p.m. screening on Sunday, October 25 at 12 Empire Theatres locations. Tickets can be purchased in advance by visiting empiretheatres.com. Kids Help Phone - Canada's only free, confidential and anonymous counselling and information service for kids and teens - receives no core government or United Way funding. Instead, it relies on the support of community-based volunteers and individual and corporate donors to ensure that it can continue to operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

"The generosity of Empire Theatres and E1 Entertainment in donating all proceeds of these screenings of ASTRO BOY to Kids Help Phone is much appreciated," said Mary Proulx , Vice President, Fund Development and Regional Activities, Kids Help Phone. "Empire Theatres is a very active Corporate Sponsor of Kids Help Phone, and along with their employees they give us tremendous community support which is critical in meeting our mandate of being there for kids across Canada ."

"As a national partner of Kids Help Phone and active participants in many Kids Help Phone initiatives, we are thrilled to host the second annual Empire Theatres Movie Day for Kids Help Phone at our theatres from coast to coast" said Dean Leland , Empire Theatres' Vice President of Studio & Media Relations. "We are especially thankful to E1 Entertainment for their support of this event."

Participating Empire Theatres Movie Day for Kids Help Phone locations include:

    
    Newfoundland & Labrador           Manitoba
    Empire Studio 12, St. John's      Empire Grant Park 8 Cinemas, Winnipeg

    Nova Scotia                       Alberta
    Empire 18 Cinemas Bayer's Lake,   Empire City Centre 9 Cinemas, Edmonton
    Halifax                           Empire Studio 10 MacLeod Trail, Calgary

    Prince Edward Island              British Columbia
    Empire Studio 8, Charlottetown    Empire Studio 12, Guildford, Surrey
                                      Empire University 4, Victoria

    New Brunswick
    Empire Studio 10, Saint John

    Ontario
    Orleans Town Centre 6 Cinemas, Orleans
    Empire Theatres Pen Centre, St. Catharines
    Empire Studio 12 Gateway Park, Kitchener
    

For more information, visit http://www.empiretheatres.ca or http://www.kidshelpphone.ca/movieday/.

About Kids Help Phone

This year marks Kids Help Phone's 20th Anniversary. For the past two decades, Kids Help Phone has been at the forefront in providing help and hope through its phone and web counselling services, earning the respect and trust of kids across Canada . When young people feel like there's nowhere to turn, when parents, schools and social services are unavailable, closed, backlogged or simply not accessible for any reason, Kids Help Phone is there. Young people know that when they reach out to Kids Help Phone, any time of the day or night, they'll be connected with a professional counsellor who can provide immediate, kid-friendly insight, help and direction on a wide variety of issues relevant to youth.

Last year, Kids Help Phone counsellors connected with kids in almost 3,000 Canadian communities more than 2.2 million times. By continuing to reach out to kids in meaningful and innovative ways, Kids Help Phone will remain a trusted part of kids' lives for many years to come.

About Empire Theatres Limited

Empire Theatres Limited with its corporate headquarters in Stellarton, NS and regional offices in Halifax , NS, Toronto , ON and Calgary , AB, is a 100% owned subsidiary of Empire Company Limited. Empire Theatres owns and operates 50 theatres, with 376 screens across Canada (including one IMAX Theatre in Halifax ) from Newfoundland to British Columbia.

Empire Theatres is Canada's second largest and fastest growing film exhibition company providing an exciting out-of-home entertainment experience including traditional film exhibition as well as other content using its digital and satellite capabilities.

With approximately 2,500 employees, Empire Theatres provides excellent employment opportunities for the youth of Canada in an exciting and energetic industry.

CNW Group is proud to be the official newswire provider for Kids Help Phone.

For further information: Virginia Middleton, Coordinator, Public Relations, Kids Help Phone, Telephone: [phone] x 8345, E-mail: [email protected]; Dean Leland, Vice President, Media & Studio Relations, Empire Theatres Limited - Halifax, Telephone: [phone] Cell: [phone]