ABBOTSFORD, BC, Jan. 13 /CNW/ - Cricket Canada and Scotiabank are pleased
to announce the launch of the Cricket Canada Scotiabank School Program (CCSSP)
- a program dedicated to teaching and promoting the multi-national game of
cricket to elementary school children across Canada. The program will
initially be offered to elementary schools in the Greater Vancouver Area,
Calgary and the Greater Toronto Area.
    At today's official launch of the CCSSP at Eugene Reimer Middle School in
Abbotsford, BC, students from grades 6 to 8 were treated to a cricket
demonstration by Canadian National Team players and coaches. At the same time,
there were cricket demonstrations for students in Calgary and Toronto.
    "The popularity of cricket in the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, Sri
Lanka, Guyana and the West Indies has carried over into several of Canada's
multicultural communities. Scotiabank is very pleased to partner with Cricket
Canada to offer this new complimentary program to elementary schools in
Canada," said Rania Llewellyn, Scotiabank Vice President Multicultural
Banking. "Through this program, we look forward to introducing the game of
cricket to a new generation of players while instilling teamwork and
interpersonal skills that will last a lifetime."
    "Cricket in Canada dates back to the 1700's. Today, ranked 15th in the
world, Canada is on its way to becoming an international powerhouse in the
Cricket arena. In 2008 alone, Scotiabank's sponsorship made it possible for
Cricket Canada to host the West Indies, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Zimbabwe,
Scotland and Bermuda in several international tournaments," said Atul Ahuja,
Chief Executive Officer, Cricket Canada. "Scotiabank's far-reaching support of
Cricket at the school-level will make it possible for a new generation of
children to gain exposure to this game."
    The Cricket Canada Scotiabank School Program will provide participating
elementary schools with:-   complimentary training workshops for teachers, taught by Cricket
        Canada representatives;
    -   information on the game of cricket; and
    -   introductory plastic equipment designed for children, which can be
        used both indoor and outdoor.After the initial training session, Cricket Canada will continue to
provide follow-up support to the schools in the Program to ensure the game is
being taught and played correctly.
    At the launch, Scotiabank and Cricket Canada also announced that Winnipeg
will host the Cricket Canada Scotiabank High School Championships in August
2009.
    To learn more about or register for the Cricket Canada Scotiabank School
Program, interested elementary schools can visit www.cricketcanada.org.
    In April 2008, Scotiabank and Cricket Canada announced a three year
sponsorship agreement that makes Scotiabank the Premier National Sponsor and
Official Bank of Cricket in Canada. A key component of the agreement is the
Cricket Canada Scotiabank School Program. Scotiabank, Canada's most
international bank, has a longstanding involvement with cricket. In 2008,
Scotiabank celebrated its 10th year as the Official Bank of West Indies
Cricket. In a joint effort with the West Indies Cricket Board in 2000,
Scotiabank launched Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket to help primary school children
gain and maintain an appreciation for cricket, a game that is a significant
part of local heritage, while building important interpersonal skills. Since
the beginning of the program, Scotiabank has provided training and material to
over 220,000 children.

    About Cricket Canada:

    Established in 1892, Cricket Canada, formerly the Canadian Cricket
Association, is the national governing body for Cricket in Canada.

    About Multicultural Banking at Scotiabank:

    Scotiabank continues to build on its solid foundation of serving Canada's
multicultural communities with a dedicated Multicultural Banking division.
Following the launch of the Scotiabank StartRight(TM) program for new
Canadians in 2008, the Multicultural Banking group began a series of
innovative partnerships and initiatives launched to offer unique opportunities
for customers. As Canada's most international bank with a presence in some 50
countries around the world, Scotiabank understands the unique needs of
Canada's multicultural communities. For more information on Multicultural
Banking please visit www.startright.scotiabank.com.
    Scotiabank is committed to supporting the communities in which we live
and work, both in Canada and abroad. Recognized as a leader internationally
and among Canadian corporations for its charitable donations and philanthropic
activities, in 2008 the Bank provided more than $43 million in sponsorships
and donations to a variety of projects and initiatives, primarily in the areas
of healthcare, education, social services and arts and culture. Visit us at
www.scotiabank.com./NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: Photos accompanying this release are available on
    the CNW Photo Network and archived at http://photos.newswire.ca.
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