October 6, 2015

The Alouettes annual hospital visits bring smiles to many kids

Montrealalouettes.com

Montreal – While they are in the thick of the fight for a playoff spot, the Montreal Alouettes players and personnel generously visited the hospitalized children and their families Tuesday, at the CHU Sainte Justine, the Montreal Children’s Hospital and the Shriners Hospital for Children in Montreal. In this emotionally-charged day, the players of the Montreal Alouettes can say mission accomplished as they have put smiles on many kids today, all while providing support to the families in these difficult times.

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“Year after year, the day of children’s hospitals visits is a a very special day for our players and the team personnel. We are very privileged to come together and partake in such community events, said team President and CEO Mark Weightman, who ardently wished to participate in the hospital visits to offer his support. “Our players and coaches are very aware of their role in the imagination of these young people and their families. I am very proud of the dedication of our players, for whom these visits represent real courage and perseverance lessons.”

Divided into three groups, each including members from the coaching staff, cheerleaders and team mascot Touché!, the Alouettes players met with over 200 hospitalized children and their families to encourage and support them in the fight of their lives. In addition to words of encouragement, the Alouettes took this opportunity to hand out gifts, sign autographs and have their pictures taken with the children and their families.

‘It is a very special feeling to have the opportunity to meet these kids and their families. I believe this visit will be engraved in our memories and those of these kids for a very long time”, explained rookie kicker Boris Bede, who experienced his first ever hospital with the Alouettes. “We are very lucky to be apart of this event and share these memories with the kids. There ambition and character is simply incredible, added Bede.”

Playing a leading role in the community continues to be a priority for the Montreal Alouettes. Players visit kids in schools every year through the Together at School with the Alouettes program, as they encourage Quebec students to achieve success in the classroom as well as in their personal lives. The team is also involved in several initiatives to support amateur football in Quebec.