Second edition more than doubles funds raised in 2012

MONTREAL, Sept. 4, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - The Air Canada Foundation's second annual fundraising golf tournament raised over $600,000 in support of organizations focused on health and well being of children in Canada. The fundraising event was held Tuesday, September 3, at the La Vallée du Richelieu Golf Club, Québec, as part of the official events of the PGA Montreal Championship Tour and drew 148 participants as well as former Montreal Canadiens sport celebrities and several Championship Tour golf professionals.

"This year's event was a phenomenal success thanks to the generous support of our friends, partners and employees. The funds raised will allow  the Foundation to increase financial and travel assistance to children's hospitals, charitable organizations and causes focused on helping children in need," said Priscille LeBlanc, Air Canada's Vice President, Corporate Communications and Chair of the Air Canada Foundation. "On behalf of all the people whose lives are touched by the Air Canada Foundation, I extend a heartfelt thank you to our loyal sponsors, participants and volunteers for their on-going enthusiasm and generosity."

Last year's tournament helped provide funds to several beneficiaries including $75,000 for the Breakfast Clubs of Canada for the creation of five new programs in communities across Canada; and $50,000 towards the Shriners Hospitals for Children-Canada, based in Montreal, as part of a five-year commitment by Air Canada to support the hospital. More information on the Air Canada Foundation and how Air Canada contributes to the communities where it operates can be found in its recently published 2012 Corporate Sustainability Report, Citizens of the World, online at http://www.aircanada.com/csr

The event featured 37 teams totalling 148 participants who golfed alongside former Montreal Canadiens sports celebrity athletes Stéphane Quintal, Vincent Damphousse, Guy Carbonneau, Mathieu Dandenault, Dave Morissette and Stéphane Richer. Several participants also had the privilege of playing with Championship Tour golf professionals Fred Funk, Chip Beck, Steve Jones and Bobby Clampett who also gave a short golf clinic to all participants before the first Tee off.

Funds were raised through sponsorships, fun events, and silent and live auctions of items donated by tournament partners:

Presenting sponsor

Aeroplan

Patrons of Honour

AAR Corporation
Airbus group
Avis Budget
Bell Canada
Bombardier
Canaccord Genuity
Embraer
GE Aviation Services (GECAS)
GE Aviation
Jazz Aviation and LP Chorus
Rockwell Collins
Telus 

Ambassadors

Airbase Services Inc. 
Aéroport de Montréal
Avianor Inc.
Air France Industries - KLM Engineering & Maintenance
BE Aerospace Inc
Boeing Commercial Aviation
CAE
Carlson Wagonlit Travel
Citigroup
Credit Swiss 
Dale Parizeau Morris and MacKenzie
GA Telesis
Hexaware Technologies
HRG
Honeywell
IBM Canada
Inflight Canada Inc
Interac Association / Moneris Solutions
Lufthansa Technik AG
Marsh and Mercer
MTU Maintenance
Panasonic Avionics Corporation
Pratt & Whitney / IAE International Aero Engines
PricewaterhouseCoopers
RR Donnelley
Sky Regional
Spafax
TD Securities

About the Air Canada Foundation
In celebration of its 75 years of community involvement, Air Canada launched in 2012 the Air Canada Foundation, a not-for-profit organization focused on the health and well-being of children in need. The Air Canada Foundation offers support primarily through travel assistance to core programs including: The Hospital Transportation Program, which donates Aeroplan miles to 15 pediatric hospitals across Canada so children can travel to obtain medical care unavailable locally; the Air Canada Volunteer Involvement Program which encourages employees to give back to their local community by providing them with airline tickets to raise money for causes they support while the employee-led charitable organization, Dreams Take Flight, each year flies hundreds of ill and disadvantaged children to Disney for a day of making wishes come true. To supplement travel initiatives with financial assistance, the airline also engages directly in fundraising activity such as the Every Bit Counts program which encourages customers to donate loose change of all denominations onboard or through airport collection containers. The Foundation also offers continued support to major health-related causes that benefit Canadians and is an active participant in international humanitarian relief activity as the need arises. For more information about The Air Canada Foundation, please visit www.aircanada.com/foundation

About Air Canada
Air Canada is Canada's largest domestic and international airline serving more than 175 destinations on five continents. Canada's flag carrier is among the 20 largest airlines in the world and in 2012 served close to 35 million customers. Air Canada provides scheduled passenger service directly to 60 Canadian cities, 53 destinations in the United States and 67 cities in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Mexico and South America. Air Canada is a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation network serving 1,328 destinations in 195 countries.  Air Canada is the only international network carrier in North America to receive a Four-Star ranking according to independent U.K. research firm Skytrax that ranked Air Canada in a worldwide survey of more than 18 million airline passengers as Best Airline in North America in 2013 for the fourth consecutive year.  For more information, please visit: www.aircanada.com.

SOURCE Air Canada