Five winning groups selected for the Community Awards, receiving a total of $10,000 for their volunteer efforts at the BMO Vancouver Marathon

BMO Bank of Montreal supports community groups with prize money

Vancouver, BC – May 21, 2013 – Five community organizations have been selected for the 2013 Community Awards, winning $2,000 each for their community spirit and enthusiasm at the BMO Vancouver Marathon that occurred on May 5th. These groups were exemplary examples of volunteerism with their incredible dedication to the event.

For the first time in the event’s history, the Community Awards have been introduced to recognize volunteer groups who contribute the most effort and enthusiasm at the BMO Vancouver Marathon event. The awards were open to any club, society, charity, school, college, university or association that is organized and operated without the purpose of making a profit. The $10,000 for the Community Awards has been provided by BMO Bank of Montreal.

Community groups were required to meet certain criteria in order to be eligible for the awards. This included providing a minimum of 25 volunteers on event day, creating an enjoyable experience for runners, spectators, and the community and demonstrating spirit and enthusiasm at the event. Groups were also required to demonstrate a commitment to the safety of the runners, volunteers, and spectators. This year, over 100 volunteer groups participated in the BMO Vancouver Marathon, contributing approximately 14,000 hours over several months.

The five winning community groups are:

Killarney Secondary School

Church of Scientology

Diversity Community Resources Society

Quest Food Exchange; and

Ride2Survive Cycling

Killarney Secondary School is the largest public secondary school in the city of Vancouver with 2,125 approximate students from over 35 countries. Killarney Secondary brought out 26 volunteers on race day, managing a water station on the Marathon Course. The school has been volunteering at the BMO Vancouver Marathon for an admirable 30 years.

Similarly, the Church of Scientology has taken part in the event for the past seven years in a row. Located in downtown Vancouver, the Church of Scientology is a local hub for all Scientology activities for the surrounding area of the city. This year, 38 church volunteers managed a water station and cheered on runners during the Half Marathon.

The largest community group to win an award is the Diversity Community Resources Society (DCRS), a non-profit agency that offers a wide range of services and programs to culturally diverse communities within the Lower Mainland. DCRS provided a total of 54 volunteers that assisted at the Finish Line, handing out food and water to runners. The DCRS also helped with the extensive clean up after the event.

Quest Food Exchange, the largest non-profit food redistribution organization for the Lower Mainland, brought out 34 volunteers to help operate a water station for runners on the Marathon course. Quest Food Exchange offers access to affordable and healthy food choices for those facing financial hardship.

Ride2Survive Cycling was part of the team that helped escort runners from the Start Line to the downtown Finish on both the Marathon and Half Marathon courses. Ride2Survive is a non-profit society that operates a one-day cycling event from Kelowna to Delta, B.C. to raise funds for cancer research for the Canadian Cancer Society. The Ride2Survive team of 30 cyclists also helped monitor the safety of the course and assisted the medical team with runner injuries.

“We are delighted to recognize these volunteer groups and grateful to BMO Bank of Montreal for their $10,000 contribution to this program,” said Charlene Krepiakevich, Executive Director of the Vancouver International Marathon Society, the non-profit organization in charge of the BMO Vancouver Marathon. “These five community organizations helped to create a fun, safe and memorable experience for runners, spectators and the community. The Society is very grateful to all of the volunteers that contributed to the success of the event.”

About The Vancouver International Marathon Society

The BMO Vancouver Marathon and Half Marathon is organized and operated by the Vancouver International Marathon Society, a non-profit organization. The event is Canada’s largest marathon and has a 41-year history within Vancouver and the running community internationally. The event will take place on May 5, 2013, featuring the three point-to-point courses, showcasing the city’s famous landmarks, shorelines and neighbourhoods. The 2013 events will remain capped at 5,000 for the Marathon, 10,000 for the Half-Marathon, 2,000 for the 8km, 500 for 8km Teen Challenge and 500 for the Kids 1-Mile Fun run participants.

About BMO

BMO Bank of Montreal is proud to be in its eighth year as title sponsor of the BMO Vancouver Marathon. BMO supports the running community through sponsorship of marathon events in Vancouver, Kelowna, Charlottetown, Phoenix, Arizona, and Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin. BMO has a long and proud history of supporting sports in Canada. We believe our ties with sports reflect some of our most deeply held corporate values, such as contributing positively to a healthy quality of life in the community, and promoting the achievements of people, regardless of age or ability.

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