Dawson College and Montreal Canadiens join forces to promote women's hockey

    MONTREAL, Feb. 14 /CNW Telbec/ - An agreement signed today by Richard
Filion, Director General of Dawson College. and Pierre Boivin, President of
the Montreal Canadiens Hockey Club, establishes the Montreal Canadiens Dawson
Women's Hockey Fund to award scholarships to graduating students playing for
the Dawson Blues women's hockey team who plan to continue their academic and
hockey careers at university.
    The announcement of the fund was made this evening at the Bell Centre
during the Canadiens' game with the Florida Panthers.
    "The inspiration for this award was the tragedy of September 13 and our
will, shared by Dawson, to promote women's sports and academic performance,"
said Pierre Boivin. "We will help them to raise, over the coming years, an
endowment fund that will generate an annual $3,000 scholarship for one
student-athlete on the Dawson Women's Hockey Team."
    Dawson women's hockey team has become a top performing athletic team that
is undefeated this season. The scholarships will be named for Dawson graduate
Catherine Ward, who is widely credited for turning the team around during the
2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons when she played for the team.
    "Catherine has shown outstanding character both in her athletic
performance and in her pursuit of academic excellence," said Richard Filion,
adding that her many talents have been recognized on and off the ice.
    Ms. Ward was recruited by several Ivy League schools in the United
States, but chose to remain in Canada and is today enrolled at McGill
University. She was recently named to Canada's under-22 National Women's
Hockey team. She exemplifies the missions and values of the Montreal Canadiens
Hockey Club and Dawson College.
    "The establishment of this fund with the Montreal Canadiens is a winning
combination," said Mr. Filion. "Naming the scholarships for Catherine Ward
brings honour to both our organizations and will inspire deserving young women
to pursue their studies and their dreams."

For further information: Donna Varrica, Public Relations, (514)
931-8731, ext. 1352, (514) 836-2274