Motorcity Saturn and RBC Royal Bank put some drive in Durham College student's trip home for the holidays
December 6, 2006
Second-year Business student wins 2007 Saturn Ion Coupe and spreads some festive cheer
OSHAWA, Ont. - The Student Association at Durham College, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and Trent in Oshawa (SA) announced today that Michael Molnar, a second-year Business - Marketing student at Durham College will drive a new Saturn Ion Coupe home for the holidays courtesy of Motorcity Saturn and RBC Royal Bank."The SA is extremely grateful to Motorcity Saturn and RBC Royal Bank for their very generous donation and ongoing support of our on-campus events," said Evan Muller-Cheng, president of the SA. "Thanks to their goodwill and festive spirit, Michael will have a way home for the holidays this December, and for many years to come."
The Win a Saturn Ion Coupe contest ran on campus all semester as part of a joint initiative between Motorcity Saturn, RBC Royal Bank, the SA, and The FreQ campus radio station, and was designed to encourage student participation at on-campus events.
Students who attended any event sponsored by the SA this fall - including the Motorcity Saturn Ion Stuffing Contest which saw 24 students from the Faculty of Health Sciences squeeze themselves into the winning vehicle - or visited the Student Association office, were eligible to fill out a ballot for a chance to win a 2007 Saturn Ion Coupe.
The contest winner was announced during an event held Wednesday afternoon at the Campus Ice Centre, which along with officially drawing the contest to a close, saw Motorcity Saturn, RBC Royal Bank, and the college and university campus donate over five carloads of food to student families and local families in need.
With Terry Johnston, host of CKDO's morning show acting as MC, six different ballots were drawn by Sami Jo Small, one of 20 RBC Olympians and a three-time member of the Canadian Olympic Women's Hockey team who is currently training for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, British Columbia. The goaltender then gave out six keys - with Molnar holding the winning key.
Immediately prior to the Ion draw, Small provided insight into competing at the Olympic level, offering inspiration to members of the Durham College and UOIT men's and women's hockey clubs.
Taking advantage of the centre's NHL-sized ice pads, Motorcity Saturn also showcased four Saturn Ion Coupes loaded with food collected via donations from Motorcity Saturn and RBC Royal Bank, and through the campus's Holiday Food Drive done in conjunction with the Kinsmen Club of Oshawa, Students for Humanitarianism and Action through Respect and Education (S.H.A.R.E.), and the SA. Event attendees were also asked to bring a non-perishable food item to be loaded into the winning vehicle prior to the announcement of the contest winner.
"Motorcity Saturn is very pleased to be part of this initiative to encourage students to participate in the growing UOIT and Durham College campus. We saw this as a great way to support the SA initiatives under Evan Muller-Cheng and show the students what a great car the Saturn Ion could be for them," said Ray Richardson, vice-president and general manager, Motorcity Saturn. "Congratulations to Michael Molnar from the team at Motorcity Saturn!"
The first 50 students, faculty and staff from the college, university and Trent in Oshawa who hit the ice took part in a hockey shootout and the chance to win several different prizes.
"RBC is pleased to partner with the communities in which it operates," said RBC Regional Vice-President, Barry Lockwood. "This sponsorship is important to us because it further reinforces our commitment to helping young Canadians realize their potential through education."
Bev Balenko, vice-president, Academic of Durham College; Margaret Greenley, vice-president of Student Affairs at Durham College and UOIT; Ray Richardson, vice-president and general manager of Motorcity Saturn; Anne Nurse-Richardson, Motorcity Saturn retailer; Barry Lockwood, regional vice-president of RBC Royal Bank; Linda Binns, regional sales manager of RBC Royal Bank; and Diana Iskander, a mobile mortgage specialist at RBC Royal Bank were also in attendance.
About the Student Association
The Student Association at Durham College, UOIT and Trent in Oshawa is a not-for-profit organization that unites over 10,000 post-secondary students. It provides service and advocacy to enhance the educational experience and quality of life for all its members.
About The FreQ
The FreQ is Durham College and UOIT's campus radio station. Established in September 2003, it broadcasts from the Marketplace Cafeteria and is available throughout campus and via the Internet.
About MotorCity Saturn
Motorcity Saturn, located at 1520 Dundas Street in Whitby, Ontario is the largest Saturn Retailer (by volume) in Canada and part of the Saturn Canada network - a division of GM Canada. Established in 1987 by Anne Nurse-Richardson this family business has grown with the Saturn product line and established a firm base in the Durham Region. As a recognized promoter of great community activities, Motorcity Saturn is proud to be a partner in this sponsorship in conjunction with RBC Royal Bank and the Student Association for this promotion at Durham College, UOIT, and Trent in Oshawa.
About RBC Royal Bank
Royal Bank of Canada (TSX, NYSE: RY), and its subsidiaries operate under the master brand name of RBC Financial Group. We are Canada's largest bank as measured by assets and market capitalization and one of North America's leading diversified financial services companies. We provide personal and commercial banking, wealth management services, insurance, corporate and investment banking and transaction processing services on a global basis. Our corporate support team enables business growth with expert professional advice and state of the art processes and technology. We employ approximately 69,000 people who serve more than 14 million personal, business and public sector clients throughout offices in North America and some 30 countries around the world.
About The RBC Olympians program
The RBC Olympians program enables Canadian Olympians and Paralympians to succeed both in competition and in life after sport. Since the program started in 2002, more than 36 current and retired Canadian Olympic and Paralympic athletes have worked as RBC Olympians.
Media contacts:
Scott Toole
Student Association
905.721.0457 ext. 227
scott.toole@dc-uoit.ca
About Ontario Tech University
A modern, forwarding-thinking university, Ontario Tech advances the discovery and application of knowledge to accelerate economic growth, regional development and social innovation. We inspire and equip our students and our graduates to make a positive impact in a tech-focused world. For us, it’s not only about developing the next tech breakthrough. Understanding and integrating the social and ethical implications of technology differentiates us as university. Learn more at ontariotechu.ca.
Media contact
Heather Middleton
Communications and Marketing
Ontario Tech University
905.721.3111 ext. 2197
heather.middleton@dc-uoit.ca
