A young Quebecer wins TD Friends of the Environment Foundation and Earth Day® Canada second annual Art Contest

- $7,500 environmental grant awarded to École Coeur-Vaillant -  

QUEBEC CITY, Nov. 22, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - The results are in! Today, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation (TD FEF) and Earth Day Canada announced that Emily-Alexandra Sarabia-Tellez is the grand prize winner of the second annual Art Contest. Thanks to Emily-Alexandra's winning submission her school, Ecole Coeur-Vaillant will be awarded a $7,500 environmental grant from TD FEF to support the development of an outdoor classroom or a schoolyard naturalization project.  Emily-Alexandra will also receive a digital camera, and a litterless lunchbox for each student in her class.

Emily-Alexandra's entry, showcasing a cardinal perched on a tree branch in front of a warm fall sky, will also be featured on a limited edition TD FEF reusable shopping bag, which will be available in April 2013 at TD Canada Trust branches across Canada.

"Once again we were amazed by the art created by the talented students from across the country," said Mary Desjardins, Executive Director, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation. "To see the passion displayed by all our contest entrants, and their love for our natural environment is incredible. With such passionate young Canadians among us we know that the environmental stewardship of our country is in good hands."

Emily-Alexandra's submission was one of almost 4,000 contest entries from elementary school students across Canada; students submitted original drawings which explored this year's theme, "how am I connected to nature?" The entrants were then narrowed down to 10 finalists by a panel of judges, with the grand prize winner being decided by a two-week online vote.

"The second annual TD FEF and Earth Day Canada Art Contest was an incredible success," said Jed Goldberg, President, Earth Day Canada. "The creativity these young people exhibited in communicating how they feel connected to nature is heartening. It is our hope that they transfer their enthusiasm for nature into leadership on environmental issues."

Each of the nine runners up will receive a $500 environmental grant for their school, $25 cash and a litterless lunch box as well as the chance to have their artwork featured in the Earth Day Canada 2013/2014 EcoKids Calendar.

About Earth Day Canada:
Earth Day Canada (EDC), a national environmental charity founded in 1990, provides Canadians with the practical knowledge and tools they need to lessen their impact on the environment. In 2004 it was recognized as the top environmental education organization in North America, for its innovative year-round programs and educational resources, by the Washington-based North American Association for Environmental Education, the world's largest association of environmental educators. In 2008 it was chosen as Canada's "Outstanding Non-profit Organization" by the Canadian Network for Environmental Education and Communication. EDC regularly partners with thousands of organizations in all parts of Canada. To donate to EDC, please visit www.earthday.ca.

The word mark "Earth Day" and the Earth Day logo are registered trademarks of Earth Day Canada (1991) Inc. and are used with the permission of Earth Day Canada.

About TD Friends of the Environment Foundation:
Since 1990, TD FEF has provided more than $60 million in funding to more than 20,000 environment projects across Canada. In 2011, TD FEF provided more than $3.6 million in support of 1,058 projects. Thousands of donors give to TD FEF on a monthly basis and TD Bank Group contributes in excess of $1 million annually. TD also covers the management costs of running TD FEF, which guarantees 100 per cent of every dollar donated goes directly to funding environmental projects and programs. For more information on how to donate, visit tdfef.com.

SOURCE: Fondation TD des amis de l'environnement

For further information:

For further information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Fiona Hirst
TD Bank Group
514-289-1670
[e-mail] 

Annik Lapierre
Morin PR
514-289-8688 x 239
[e-mail] 

Keith Treffry
Earth Day Canada
416-599-1991 x 107
[e-mail]