$2.5M HBC
Foundation Program Helps Fuel Success for Canadian Athletes
TORONTO, Feb. 23, 2018 /CNW/ - With the 2018 Winter
Olympic Games in PyeongChang coming to a close, the HBC Foundation
is proud to celebrate the success of its HBC Athlete Bursary
Program recipients. A total of twenty HBC Athlete Bursary Program
recipients joined the Canadian Olympic Team to compete in
PyeongChang at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games with seven athletes
reaching the podium, adding eight medals to Team Canada's
overall medal haul including four gold, two silver and two
bronze.
The HBC Athlete Bursary Program recipients topping the podium
include Kelsey Serwa – Freestyle
Skiing – Skicross (Gold); Mikaёl Kingsbury - Moguls (Gold); Max Parrot - Snowboard Slopestyle (Silver);
Justine Dufour-Lapointe - Moguls
(Silver); Justin Kripps - Bobsleigh,
two man (Gold); Samuel Girard -
Short Track Speed Skating, 1,000m
(Gold) and Short Track Speed Skating, 5,000m (Bronze) and Charle Cournoyer - Short Track Speed Skating,
5,000 m (Bronze). Each athlete
captured the hearts of our nation as their Olympic dreams came true
in PyeongChang over the past two weeks.
First announced in 2016 by the HBC Foundation, the HBC Athlete
Bursary Program awards 50 Canadian athletes $10,000 per year until 2020. Many Canadian
athletes struggle to cover costs involved with Olympic training.
This $2.5 million investment helps
contribute much-needed funding to Olympic hopefuls across
Canada. Receiving a total of $50,000 over the course of five years, each
recipient can invest toward activities that will benefit their
development, including international competition, sport science
support, training programs, equipment, coaching and nutrition.
"The HBC Athlete Bursary Program is a testament to the HBC
Foundation's ongoing commitment to sports excellence and helping
Canadian athletes as they strive to compete at the highest level
and achieve their goals and dreams," said Alison Coville, President, Hudson's Bay. "Investing in young Canadians to
help them maximize their potential is something we are very proud
of. Knowing we played a role in seeing these incredible athletes
reaching the podium is so inspiring"
Since 2005, HBC Foundation has donated more than $46 million through fundraising programs such as
the Red Mittens, an ongoing annual initiative that is symbolic of
HBC's commitment to Canadian athletes.
The following PyeongChang 2018 Canadian Olympic Team Athletes
are all recipients of the HBC Athlete Bursary Program:
- Mikaёl Kingsbury - Moguls
- Justine Dufour-Lapointe –
Moguls
- Erin Mielzynski, Alpine
Skiing
- Melissa Lotholz, Bobsleigh
- Elisabeth Vathje, Skeleton
- Dustin Cook, Alpine Skiing
- Justin Kripps, Bobsleigh
- Yuki Tsubota, Freestyle
Skiing
- Meghan Agosta, Ice Hockey
- Kelsey Serwa, Freestyle
Skiing
- Marielle Thompson, Freestyle
Skiing
- Simon d'Artois, Freestyle Skiing
- Kimberley McRae, Luge
- Ivanie Blondin, Speed Skating –
Long Track
- Taylor Henrich, Ski Jumping
- Gilmore Junio, Speed Skating –
Long Track
- Samuel Girard, Speed Skating –
Short Track
- Charle Cournoyer, Speed Skating
– Short Track
- Nathan Smith, Biathalon
- Max Parrot, Snowboard
ABOUT HBC FOUNDATION
Established in Canada in 2005 and in the U.S. in 2017, the
HBC Foundation is the North American charitable arm of
Hudson's Bay Company.
The foundation is a Canadian registered charity and a
501(c) (3) non-profit organization in the U.S. dedicated to
improving lives by enhancing physical and mental health through
education, access, research, and empowerment. By channeling the
collective power of HBC's banners in North America, including
Hudson's Bay, Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue, Saks OFF 5TH
and Gilt.com, the foundation helps to transform the
mental health landscape.
ABOUT HUDSON'S
BAY
HBC, incorporated in 1670, is North America's oldest company. Hudson's Bay has grown to become Canada's most prominent department store,
today operating 89 full-line locations and thebay.com. For the
first time since the banner's inception, Hudson's Bay opened outside of Canada with 10 new stores in the Netherlands in 2017, and an online
shopping destination at hudsonsbay.nl. This expansion
introduces a new and exciting shopping experience in the Netherlands, catering to the Dutch market.
Hudson's Bay has established a
reputation for quality, service, and style by offering well-edited
assortments of exclusive and popular fashion, beauty, home and
accessory designers and brands, as well as exclusive food
concepts. It is part of the HBC brand portfolio.
ABOUT THE CANADIAN OLYMPIC FOUNDATION
The Canadian
Olympic Foundation empowers everyone to be an integral part of the
Canadian Olympic Movement through giving in support of our Olympic
athletes and future Olympians. We help enable Team Canada to thrive
on their path to the podium.
ABOUT THE CANADIAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE
The Canadian
Olympic Committee leads the achievement of the Canadian Olympic
Team's podium success and advances Olympic values in Canada. Independent and predominantly
privately funded, the Canadian Olympic Committee delivers resources
that Canada's elite athletes need
to perform at their best and give their everything every
day. The backbone of Canada's
Olympic movement, the Canadian Olympic Committee works with
National Sport Federations to prepare the Team for the Olympic,
Youth Olympic and Pan American Games. By sharing our athletes'
stories, we inspire all Canadians through the power of sport: 24
hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
SOURCE Hudson's Bay