Musical Instrument Lending Library program
expands to more cities across the country
VANCOUVER, March 6, 2017 /CNW/ - In honour of
Canada's 150th
birthday, Sun Life Financial Inc. (TSX: SLF) (NYSE: SLF) is proud
to put more musical instruments into the hands of Canadians.
Through the expansion of the highly successful Sun Life Financial
Musical Instrument Lending Library program, this innovative
initiative will be available in more cities across Canada, giving anyone with a valid library
card the opportunity to borrow a variety of musical instruments
from a local public library free of charge. The announcement was
made today at the Vancouver Public Library.
Sun Life will be making a philanthropic donation to fund the
program operation in addition to donating 150 instruments to each
participating library, including guitars, ukuleles, violins, drums,
xylophones and portable keyboards. Sun Life has also created a
series of six short videos to assist individuals with the use, care
and enjoyment of the instruments. Whether you're a beginner picking
up an instrument for the first time or a seasoned musician, the
program is designed for anyone looking to explore the world of
music.
"Music is an important part of Canadian culture and heritage,
which is why we're thrilled to celebrate Canada's 150th birthday by making
music more accessible to individuals and their families," said
Kevin Dougherty, President, Sun Life
Financial Canada. "At Sun Life, we're committed to building
sustainable, healthier communities and we know libraries are
vibrant community hubs and a rich source of culture. Music and the
arts play an important role in our society and I'm proud that we
can provide the opportunity for so many Canadians to experience and
enjoy the positive power of music."
The Sun Life Financial Musical Instrument Lending Library
program is a natural extension of Sun Life's support of music
education, one that aligns perfectly with the company's
award-winning Making the Arts More Accessible®™ program. Sun
Life believes arts and culture should be celebrated within our
communities and made available to everyone, regardless of their
means.
"The Sun Life Financial Musical Instrument Lending Library is
thriving in Vancouver," said
Sandra Singh, Chief Librarian,
Vancouver Public Library. "The community response has been
incredible. People of all ages - from beginners to those
rediscovering their passion for playing - are borrowing these
instruments, and as a result, we're able to connect more people to
the love of music. We're thrilled to be part of the program, and
excited to be part of supporting Vancouver's creativity, culture and artistic
expression. Thanks to Sun Life's generosity, more Vancouverites are
able to play and experience music."
The Sun Life Financial Musical Instrument Lending Library was
first launched at the Parkdale
Branch of the Toronto Public Library in April 2016, and was later expanded to the
Vancouver and Montréal Public
Libraries. The program is already an overwhelming success in the
first three cities and all instruments were loaned out within two
to seven days of launch. The libraries are all currently
experiencing wait times to borrow an instrument which demonstrates
the true need for accessibility to music. To help meet the high
demand, Sun Life will also be donating an additional 50 instruments
to the Toronto, Vancouver and Montréal programs.
About Sun Life Financial
Sun Life Financial is a leading international financial services
organization providing a diverse range of insurance, wealth and
asset management solutions to individuals and corporate Clients.
Sun Life Financial has operations in a number of markets worldwide,
including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong
Kong, the Philippines,
Japan, Indonesia, India, China,
Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of December
31, 2016, Sun Life Financial had total assets under
management of $903 billion. For more
information, please visit www.sunlife.com.
Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New
York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the
ticker symbol SLF.
Note to editors: All figures in Canadian dollars
Media Relations Contacts:
Alessandra Nigro
Manager, Corporate Communications
Sun Life Financial
T. 416.979.4884
C. 416.859.6918
alessandra.nigro@sunlife.com
Stephen Barrington
Manager, Marketing & Communications
Vancouver Public Library
T. 604.331.3895
C. 604.612.4059
stephen.barrington@vpl.ca
SOURCE Sun Life Financial Canada