Bell Community Sport Fund expands in 2007

Feb 21, 2007

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More team sports and additional communities to benefit from
$1,000,000 youth sport grant program
>>

TORONTO, Ontario, Feb. 21 /CNW Telbec/ - Bell Canada, in partnership with
the True Sport Foundation, today announced the expansion of the Bell Community
Sport Fund for 2007 and highlighted the final group of 2006 grant recipients.
The $1 million fund, launched by Bell Canada in January 2005, invests in
community-based sport programs for youth across Canada.
"We are thrilled to be extending this program to more sports and to more
Canadians with another million-dollar commitment for 2007," said Renato
Discenza, Senior Vice President, Enterprise Sales, Bell Canada. "At Bell we
are proud to help Canada's athletes reach the podium, and have learned that
Olympic dreams start when young Canadians have more opportunities to play
sports in their neighbourhoods. The Bell Community Sport Fund provides the
necessary grants to sport organizations, community centres and schools that
help young Canadians get involved in local sport programs."
Previously only available for hockey and soccer programs, in 2007 the
Bell Community Sport Fund will grow to include the following
high-participation team sports: baseball, basketball, cricket, curling, field
hockey, football, lacrosse, ringette, softball and volleyball, in addition to
hockey and soccer.
"The opportunity for more kids to participate in sport and experience the
many benefits that value based sport has to offer is what True Sport is all
about," said Paul Melia, President of the True Sport Foundation. "Bell Canada
and the McConnell Foundation, together, are making a powerful contribution to
our Canadian youth."
New in 2007, The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation is partnering with True
Sport to set up the True Sport Community Fund in the remaining six provinces
and three territories. The True Sport Community Fund will award 40 to
50 grants annually for the next four years.
"This is a great example of a community organization, a business
enterprise and a private foundation joining efforts to have an impact on young
Canadians' lives," said Tim Brodhead, President and CEO of The J.W. McConnell
Family Foundation.
"With the support of the McConnell Foundation, youth in communities right
across Canada will also have better access to sport," added Discenza. "Our
goal at Bell is to help children reach their full potential. The Bell
Community Sport Fund has already given more than 100,000 young Canadians a way
to grow, build relationships and stay healthy."
In 2007, the Bell Community Sport Fund will award individual grants to
not-for-profit community groups and schools across Canada. Information on
submitting applications to the Bell Community Sport Fund can be found at
www.truesport.ca/bellfund. Organizations wanting to apply to the True Sport
Community Fund should visit www.truesport.ca/tsfund.
A complete list of all 2006 grant recipients can be obtained at
www.truesport.ca/bellfund.

About the Bell Community Sport Fund

Announced in January 2005, the Bell Community Sport Fund has distributed
$2,000,000 to community sport and recreations groups who are promoting access
and inclusion for children and youth ages 4 to 17 in the sports of hockey and
soccer. To date a total of 284 communities have received funding assisting
more than 100,000 children and youth and 11,000 volunteers.

About True Sport

True Sport is a national movement committed to the belief that sport
makes a powerful and positive contribution to the development of people and
communities. True Sport emphasizes the key role that sport can play in the
development of a strong and connected Canada. For more information please
visit www.truesport.ca.

About Bell Canada

Bell Canada is Canada's national leader in communications with 28 million
customer connections across the country. The company provides consumers with
simple solutions to all their communications needs, including telephone
services, wireless communications, high-speed Internet, digital television and
voice over IP. Bell also offers integrated information and communications
technology (ICT) services to businesses and governments, and is the Virtual
Chief Information Officer (VCIO) to small and medium businesses (SMBs). Bell
is proud to be a Premier National Partner and the exclusive Communications
Partner to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Bell is
wholly owned by BCE Inc. For information on Bell's products and services,
please visit www.bell.ca, and for corporate information on BCE, please visit
www.bce.ca.

About The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation

The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation is a private family foundation
established in 1937 by John Wilson McConnell (1877-1963). The Foundation funds
initiatives of national significance which address challenges for Canadian
society by engaging people, by building resilient communities, and by
developing a strong knowledge base for the work that the Foundation supports.
The Foundation's vision is a Canada where all people have the opportunity to
develop their potential and contribute to the betterment of their communities
and country.

For further information: for media inquiries, please contact: Jacqueline Michelis, Bell Canada, Media Relations, (416) 581-3311, 1 888 482-0809, jacqueline.michelis@bell.ca; Doug MacQuarrie, Executive Director, True Sport Foundation, (613) 521-3340 x3224, dmacquarrie@truesport.ca; Annie Julien, Communications and Research Officer, The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, (514) 288-2133 x242, ajulien@mcconnellfoundation.ca