Neighbourhood Challenge and Volunteer group winners announced

Two programs award $17,000 to community groups and neighbourhoods

Vancouver, BC – May 28, 2015 – The best costumes, signs, decorations, dance moves, and volunteer enthusiasm were recently acknowledged by the Vancouver International Marathon Society, race organizers for the BMO Vancouver Marathon. Nineteen community organizations claimed a total of $17,000 in cash prizes for their enthusiastic support on May 3, 2015.
Through two programs, the Neighbourhood Challenge presented by Chevron, and the Community Awards supported by BMO Financial Group, schools, charities, organizations, clubs, non-profits, and neighbourhood supporters are eligible to receive cash prizes.

In 2015, nine neighbourhood groups took home $7,000 on behalf of the Neighbourhood Challenge presented by Chevron and 10 community groups that volunteered on race day received $1,000 each for their exemplary model of volunteerism, courtesy of BMO Financial Group.

The grassroots Neighbourhood Challenge program presented by Chevron was introduced in 2015 to acknowledge the special role that neighbourhoods play in bringing the marathon weekend to life. With a goal of finding innovative and fun ways to support and cheer on runners, the inaugural Neighbourhood Challenge deemed nine neighbourhoods category winners:

Largest number of spectators

• Coal Harbour Resident Association

Best decorated station, house or business

• Yaletown Business Improvement Association
• Simran Nanson (9 years old) and Daniel Nanson (Father)

Best group or team costume

• Bloco Energia, local band
• Team Finn – volunteer organization that raises funds and awareness for paediatric cancer

Best cheer or dance routine

• ‘NSTEP (Nutrition Students Teachers Exercising with Parents)
• Bloco Energia, local band

Best high school, college or university

• David Thompson Secondary
• Canadian Nursing Students’ Association

A great example of these winning groups is local band, Bloco Energia, who brought smiles, tunes and costumes to the course race day with 15 members performing upbeat songs for runners in Dunbar. In addition, 9 year old, Simran Nanson and her father got their cheer on with creative and motivating signs outside their house in the Cambie area on May 3^rd.

“Engaging neighbourhoods around community events such as the Vancouver Marathon is important to Chevron,” says Adrien Byrne, spokesperson of Chevron. “Congratulations to all the winners of the Neighbourhood Challenge who created an exciting experience for runners, volunteers, and other supporters on race day.”

The Community awards were open to any club, society, charity, non-profit, school, university, or association that took part in the event and met the Community Awards criteria. This included providing a minimum of 25 volunteers on race day, creating an enjoyable experience for runners, spectators, and the community as well as demonstrating spirit and enthusiasm while abiding by all safety rules.

Ten Community Group winners

• KidSafe Project Society
• Down Syndrome Research Foundation
• Immigration Services Society of BC
• Canadian Blood Services Vancouver
• Surrey BC Chinese Community
• Ride2Survive
• Canadian Mental Health Association
• World Vision – Team World Vision
• Quest Food Exchange
• The Bridge Church

“When you are there it is something different,” said James Kitamura, Regional Vice President at BMO Financial Group, the title sponsor of the BMO Vancouver Marathon that brings hundreds of volunteers to the event each year. “Unless you have experienced it, you just can’t explain the feeling it is to be a part of the BMO Vancouver Marathon.”

A huge congratulations and thank you to all groups who volunteered their time and energy during the 44^th BMO Vancouver Marathon. Over 4,000 volunteers came out during race weekend to support Vancouver’s only marathon event.