Three exceptional school crossing guards chosen as Canada's favourites

TORONTO, Dec. 17, 2015 /CNW/ - Three exceptional individuals have been selected as winners of Canada's Favourite Crossing Guard Contest for 2015.  Over the next few weeks, they each will be awarded this honour in their community.

An initiative of Parachute and FedEx Express Canada, Canada's Favourite Crossing Guard Contest honours the extraordinary contributions of dynamic individuals who help keep our children safe. Crossing guards who have made a difference in the lives of students in their own local communities and who have gone beyond the call of duty, have been selected from across the country for the honour.  

"At FedEx Express Canada we put safety above all, both in the workplace and in the communities in which we operate," said Lisa Lisson, president of FedEx Express Canada. "Canada's Favourite Crossing Guard Contest is a way for FedEx and Parachute to raise awareness about the important role crossing guards play in helping our children make it safely to school. It's also a unique way for our communities to say thank you to a group of incredibly dedicated men and women who play an important role in our children's lives."

Canada's Favourite Crossing Guard Contest winners for 2015 are:

1. Swaran Singh, Toronto, ON: For 23 years, Mr. Singh has been a local hero to students, staff and parents of Bedford Park Public School. Mr. Singh has won many service awards and citations including recognition for his efforts that saved a six year old child from injury, an incident which inspired Mr. Singh's to be included in the book Caribou Crossing.
2. Gisele Young, Brampton, ON: After retiring from CIL Plastics, Gisele Young decided to become a crossing guard. Twenty-eight years later, she remains a beloved fixture at Sir Wilfrid Laurier Public School. Going strong at 92 years young, Mrs. Young has remarkably never missed a day of work.
3. Linda Roach, New Maryland, NB: Students at New Maryland School rely on "Miss L" to safely guide them especially when high snow banks obscure crossings. Recently she participated in "active transportation" a research project that encourages students to walk to school.

"Canada's Favourite Crossing Guard Contest allows us to recognize the vital contribution made by these women and men in our communities," said Louise Logan, Parachute President and CEO. "The winners, along with crossing guards across the country, go to work every day, rain or shine, snow or slush, to help children make it safely across the road. They deserve to be celebrated for their great work."

Now in its tenth year, Canada's Favourite Crossing Guard Contest encourages schools, students, teachers and parents from across Canada to nominate exceptional crossing guards in their community. It is part of the Walk This Way pedestrian safety program aimed at reducing pedestrian injuries to Canadian children by raising motorist awareness and making school zones more walkable. Since being launched, 33 exceptional school crossing guards from across the country have been selected as Canada's Favourite Crossing Guards.

Nominations were received from across the country and judging was conducted by a group of safety, community, and private sector leaders. Each candidate was scored in the categories of: evidence of support shown for the crossing guard; safety record of the crossing guard; proactive initiatives the crossing guard has taken; and level of involvement of the crossing guard in the community. The winners receive a crystal maple leaf award that identifies the winner as one of Canada's Favourite Crossing Guards, and $500. As well, each school will receive $500 provided by FedEx Express Canada.

Parachute is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to an injury-free Canada with Canadians living long lives to the fullest. For more details about the Walk This Way child pedestrian safety program by Parachute and FedEx Express Canada and information on pedestrian injuries and how to prevent them visit parachutecanada.org.

About FedEx Corp.

FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services.  With annual revenues of $49 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 340,000 team members to remain "absolutely, positively" focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. For more information, visit news.fedex.com.

About Parachute

Parachute is a national charity helping Canadians stop the clock on preventable injuries. The injury impact is staggering. Preventable injuries are the #1 killer of children. It costs the Canadian economy $27B a year, and worst of all, one child dies every nine hours. Through education, knowledge and empowerment, Parachute is working to save lives and create an injury-free Canada. For information, visit us at parachutecanada.org, follow us on Twitter, or join us on Facebook.

SOURCE Parachute

Lorraine Doherty, Parachute, 416-779-3256 (c), 647-776-5128 (w), [email protected]