MONTREAL – The Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation is proud to announce the success of the 15th edition of the #oneGOALtoASSIST RadioTéléDON, presented by Bell. Thanks to the generosity of fans, partners, and the public across Quebec, an impressive total of $212,760 was raised to get underprivileged youth active. The amount makes this year’s event one of the most successful editions to date.
This year's telethon was broadcasted on RDS, 98.5 FM and TSN 690, coinciding with the Montreal Canadiens’ final matchup of the season against the Boston Bruins. A record number of supporters tuned in to contribute over the phone, online or by text message. Various other fundraising initiatives were also launched to engage members of the public eager to support the cause. The Foundation's 50/50 Lottery, available online and in-game at the Bell Centre, amassed a staggering jackpot of $124,290 – the third-highest since the beginning of the regular season –, with half of these proceeds dedicated to the RadioTéléDON. Additionally, fans had the opportunity to acquire exclusive items through the Foundation's weekly auction, secure mystery bags on RDS, and purchase Foundation merchandise along with player-used mystery hockey sticks, all available in limited quantity through Tricolore Sports.
“We are immensely thankful for the tremendous generosity displayed by the public and Canadiens fans who, for the 15th consecutive year, have rallied once more to our call for solidarity. Their unwavering support enables us to continue our mission of aiding youth in need, particularly as we embark on the construction of our next refrigerated BLEU BLANC BOUGE rink in Quebec City, which represents an investment of over $2.4 million. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our esteemed partners, as well as the entire Canadiens family, whose varied contributions have played a pivotal role in the success of this year's RadioTéléDON,” stated Geneviève Paquette, General Manager of the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation.
To date, over $2 million has been collected and redistributed throughout Quebec thanks to the generosity of donors, the dedication of volunteers and the support of partners since the very first edition of the RadioTéléDON. Year after year, the funds raised help the Montreal Canadiens Children's Foundation carry on with its mission to help vulnerable youth across the province, in part by offering introductory ice-skating and ball hockey programs during the school year, as well as overnight camp stays over the summer holiday. Part of the proceeds are also donated each year to community organizations for projects and activities that allow children in need to adopt healthy lifestyles through physical activity. The Foundation will soon unveil the full list of organizations that will receive financial support this spring to get young people in their region active.
The Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation and its board of directors would like to express their sincere gratitude towards the outstanding support from Bell and the team’s broadcasters who contributed not only to the fundraising efforts, but also helped bring to light the Montreal Canadiens family’s commitment to contribute significantly to the welfare of the community. The Foundation would also like to thank Interac Corp for kickstarting this campaign by matching the first $10,000 in donations made by the public. The success of this 15th edition would not have been possible without the involvement of past and present Canadiens players, their spouses, numerous sports and cultural personalities and members of the organization who all graciously volunteered their time to collect donations over the phone.
Finally, the Foundation thanks fans everywhere for their generosity and unwavering support. Those wishing to donate can still do so at foundation.canadiens.com.
