Over 1,000 runners will fundraise for 73 charities as part of
Scotiabank Charity Challenge

HALIFAX, May 16, 2017 /CNW/ - Thousands of runners are marking the return of Spring by preparing for the 14th annual Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon. One of Halifax's most important road races and fundraising runs, the Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon features the Scotiabank Charity Challenge supporting 73 local charitable organizations this year. Fundraisers are aiming to surpass last year's tally of $580,000.

"At Scotiabank, we are proud of the way that this city cheers on the thousands of runners, but also the way that Halifax has rallied around the charities that are supported through the Scotiabank Charity Challenge," said Gordon Brost, Scotiabank District Vice President, South West Nova Scotia. "The Scotiabank Charity Challenge provides runners with a way to make their run even more meaningful and make a direct impact in the communities where we live and work."

Taking place over two days, the event will welcome nearly 12,000 participants, to one [or two, in some cases] of six fitness events: the Doctors Nova Scotia Youth 2KM and 4KM Run, the Lifemark 5KM – which will also host a Competitive Wheelchair Division (Saturday), the GoodLife FITNESS 10KM, the Blue Nose Half Marathon, the Killam Marathon Team Relay or the Scotiabank Full Marathon (Sunday).

"This year, we are encouraging each and every participant to recognize and celebrate the accomplishment of crossing the finish line," said Rod McCulloch, Chair of the Board of Directors, Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon. "The Scotiabank Charity Challenge is one element of this event that continues to bring our community together and we're thrilled to once again see so many fundraising on their way to the start line. This event is, and always has been, about having fun, being active and coming together as a community, and we are very proud to celebrate 14 years of doing just that. "

The Scotiabank Charity Challenge is a turnkey fundraising program that provides a simple way for runners to support the charity of their choice and make a significant impact locally. Participating charities keep 100% of the proceeds raised, as Scotiabank pays for all transaction and credit card fees.

Scotiabank offers a Scotiabank Charity Challenge at six sponsored marathon events across Canada including Montreal, Halifax, Ottawa, Calgary, Vancouver and Toronto. 

Scotiabank believes in helping young people reach their full potential, and many organizations who take part in the Scotiabank Charity Challenge have a direct impact on our local youth.  Young people are our future leaders, and it's crucial to provide them with the skills and resources they need to succeed.

For a complete list of 2017 charities participating in the Scotiabank Charity Challenge, please visit http://bluenosemarathon.com/charity-challenge/official-charities/.

Part of the Scotiabank Charity Challenge is a friendly competition between the charities for $24,750 in cash prizes consisting of $4,250 for 1^st place, $2,500 for 2^nd, and $1,500 for 3^rd in the following categories:

• The Official Charity that has the most fundraising runners.
• The Official Charity that raises the most fundraising dollars.
• The Official Charity that raises the largest amount of pledge dollars per fundraising runner.

How to get involved:

• Register for an event: Register for the Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon on the event website until Wednesday May 17th at midnight.
• Fundraise: Once registered, sign up for the Scotiabank Charity Challenge and raise funds for a participating official charity.
• Share! Share your story behind why you support your charity, using #bluenose2017 and #runScotia
• Donate: Visit the Scotiabank Charity Challenge to select an official charity and make a one-time donation.
• Cheer: Support friends and family along the race route and as they cross the finish line. You can also show your support to runners online by using the hashtag #bluenose2017 and #runScotia

About Scotiabank
Scotiabank is Canada's international bank and a leading financial services provider in North America, Latin America, the Caribbean and Central America, and Asia-Pacific. We are dedicated to helping our 23 million customers become better off through a broad range of advice, products and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and investment banking, and capital markets. With a team of more than 88,000 employees and assets of $887 billion (as at January 31, 2017), Scotiabank trades on the Toronto (TSX: BNS) and New York Exchanges (NYSE: BNS). For more information, please visit www.scotiabank.com and follow us on Twitter @ScotiabankViews.

About Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon

Known as 'the people's marathon', the Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon welcomes all ages, abilities and fitness levels to the start line. With the help of more than 1,400 volunteers, the event hosts six fitness events (Lifemark 5KM, GoodLife FITNESS 10KM, Blue Nose Half Marathon, Scotiabank Full Marathon, Killam Marathon Team Relay and the Doctors Nova Scotia Youth Run-2KM and 4KM), and the largest Active Living Expo in Atlantic Canada. Through the Scotiabank Charity Challenge, over 73 local charities raise more than half a million dollars annually. The event takes place annually during the Victoria Day weekend (May 19-21, 2017) in Halifax and expects to welcome 12,000 participants in 2017.

SOURCE Scotiabank