Join JYSK Canada and “be a fan” of Special Olympics

 Toronto, ON, June 23, 2009 –The “Be a Fan: Donate, Coach, Compete” campaign returns next month to JYSK retail stores in support of Special Olympics Canada. From July 2 to 31, 2009, customers of the home furnishing retailer will be invited to make a donation at any of its 39 locations in support of the sport movement, which marks its fortieth anniversary in Canada this year.

 JYSK customers can donate to Special Olympics either in-store, or online atwww.jysk.ca . All funds collected through the campaign are used to provide sport training and competition opportunities to Canadians with an intellectual disability.  

 “JYSK is proud to be a national sponsor of Special Olympics Canada. JYSK is a fan of Special Olympics because we too are a fan of values like respect, commitment, generosity and pride. The Be a Fan: Donate, Coach, Compete campaign is one other way JYSK invests in our communities since donations will stay in the communities where we live and do business.” - JYSK Canada.

“Special Olympics Canada is truly fortunate to have a tremendous partner like JYSK Canada and its enthusiastic team of 708 employees supporting our efforts to enrich the lives of more than 32,000 Canadians with an intellectual disability,” said Deborah Bright, president and CEO of Special Olympics Canada. “JYSK supports the dreams of Special Olympics athletes to succeed both on, and off, the playing field.”

 Keep an eye out for Special Olympics athletes who will be in-store coast to coast on Saturday, July 4, 2009. The four retail locations in Quebec are set to welcome Special Olympics ambassadors the following weekend, on Saturday, July 11, 2009.

 JYSK has been a national partner of Special Olympics Canada since 2006, continuing the tradition of sponsoring Special Olympics chapters worldwide when the company was founded in Denmark in 1979.

 About JYSK Canada
The first JYSK store was opened in Canada in 1996 by Jakup Jacobsen in Coquitlam, British Columbia. Today there are 38 JYSK stores in Canada with locations in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and most recently, in Quebec and Nova Scotia. JYSK will continue to expand across Canada over the next several years. With a passion for Scandinavian design, products range from furniture to accessories, including mattresses, bedding, and outdoor products that will enhance any living spaces with a sense of sophistication at affordable prices.

About Special Olympics Canada
Special Olympics Canada is dedicated to enriching the lives of Canadians with an intellectual disability through sport. A national not-for-profit organization with more than 13,000 volunteers and coaches, it provides sport training and competition opportunities to over 31,000 athletes of all ages and abilities. For more information, visit www.specialolympics.ca.

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For more information, please contact:

Lynne Williams,
Director Advertising
JYSK Canada
T: 604-472-0722
E:lynnew@jysk.ca

Susana Petti
Director, Advertising                                                     
Public Relations and Communications
Special Olympics Canada
T: (416) 927-9050, etc. 237
E: spetti@specialolympics.ca
 

In 2009 Special Oympics celebrates four decades of enriching the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities and the community of supporters and fans behind them. In June 1969, in Toronto, Ontario, the very first Special Olympics competition was held in Canada. It attracted 1,400 individuals with intellectual disabilities from towns and cities across the country who came to compete in athletics, aquatics and no surprise here, floor hockey. Today, some 40 years later, the movement has expanded across Canada so that it is no longer just a cycle of national competitions. Rather, Special Olympics has evolved to become a leader in the field of intellectual disability in addition to the year-round sports movement that offers those with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to train and compete, and in so doing, to reach their full potential.

JYSK is proud to be a National Sponsor of Special Olympics Canada. JYSK has been a national partner of Special Olympics Canada since 2006, continuing the tradition of sponsoring Special Olympics chapters worldwide when the company was founded in Denmark in 1979. During the month of July JYSK stores across the country will participate in the “Be a Fan” fundraiser campaign. Customers are encouraged to support Special Olympics Canada by adding a donation to their purchase.

“The Be a Fan: Donate, Coach, Compete campaign allows Canadians to help change the lives of people with an intellectual disability –simply by donating. JYSK supports the dreams of Special Olympics athletes by allowing them to win on the playing field and at life.”
- Deborah Bright, President and CEO, Special Olympics Canada.

Special Olympics Canada is dedicated to enriching the lives of Canadians with an intellectual disability through sport.

It is a national not-for-profit grassroots organization that provides sport training and competition opportunities for 31,000 athletes of all ages and abilities.

More than 10,000 certified volunteer coaches are currently involved with Special Olympics programs every day in virtually every community nationwide.

Special Olympics Canada has been part of a world-wide organization for over 30 years.

Special Olympics Canada National Games are held every two years, alternating between Summer and Winter Games with World Games being held in the year following National Games.

Special Olympics Canada's programs are supported by corporate sponsorship, fundraising activities, government funding, individual donors and the involvement of volunteers in communities across the country.

Special Olympics Canada is structured into regional, provincial and national programs and competitions. SOC athletes also have the opportunity to participate along with more than 150 other countries in

Special Olympics World Summer and Winter Games alternating every two years

75% of all funds raised for Special Olympics Canada remain in the provinces where they are raised.