BMO Presents 16th Annual Walk so Kids Can Talk for Kids Help Phone

TORONTO, May 2, 2017 /CNW/ - Kids Help Phone's Walk so Kids Can Talk presented by BMO marks 16 years of fundraising at this year's May 7^th events. Canada's largest charity walk in support of children and youth, the annual event is expected to bring together thousands of Canadians at over 37 locations across the country. Last year, over 10,000 people registered to walk, raising over $3.5 million for the cause.

Kids Help Phone is Canada's only 24/7 counselling and information service for young people, offering free, bilingual, confidential and anonymous telephone and Live Chat counselling from professionally qualified staff. Much of the revenue needed to maintain this valuable service is raised through the annual walk.

"BMO is a founding partner of Kids Help Phone and has been a proud sponsor of this annual walk for five years. We're here to help and we continue to deepen our commitment to the social and emotional well-being of young people from every community in Canada," said Joanna Rotenberg, Group Head, BMO Wealth Management. "For 200 years now, BMO has been actively supporting communities. This walk is a good example of how we can make a difference and ensure Kids Help Phone's professional counselling services are always there to help youth persevere through even the toughest circumstances."

"The Walk so Kids Can Talk presented by BMO is Kids Help Phone's single largest annual fundraising event, enabling Kids Help Phone's services to always be open for young people," said Sharon Wood, President and CEO, Kids Help Phone. "Hundreds of young people in Canada reach out to us every day for counselling and information, seeking help and hope from a trusted ally. It is essential for our national charity to always be open for young people who need support in their moments of crisis or need – no matter where they are or what time it is. The Walk is a day for communities across Canada to join together and demonstrate to young people that it's okay to reach out, and that Kids Help Phone is there for them."

For those who are interested in making a contribution or signing up for this year's Walk, please visit http://walksokidscantalk.ca/ to register or donate, and join the social conversation using #WalksoKidsCanTalk.

LOCATIONS

WHEN: Sunday, May 7, 2017

PROVINCE	ADDRESS	REGISTRATION	WALK START*
Alberta	Festival Market - Eau Claire Plaza  139 Barclay Parade SW, Calgary	9:30 a.m.	11:00 a.m.
	Hawrelak Park  9330 Groat Road, Edmonton	9:30 a.m.	11:00 a.m.
British Columbia	Holland Park 13428 Old Yale Road Surrey	10:00 a.m.	11:00 a.m.
	Waterfront Park Rhapsody Plaza 1200 Water Street, Kelowna	10:00 a.m.	11:00 a.m.
	Colliery Dam Park 645 Wakesiah Avenue Nanaimo	10:00 a.m.	11:00 a.m.
	David Lam Park  1300 Pacific Blvd., Vancouver	9:30 a.m.	11:00 a.m.
	Polson Park 2600 Highway 6, Vernon	11:00 a.m.	12:00 noon
	Songhees Point Park 50 Songhees Road Victoria	10:00 a.m.	11:00 a.m.
Manitoba	Axworthy Health and RecPlex  350 Spence Street, Winnipeg	10:00 a.m.	11:00 a.m.
Newfoundland & Labrador	Bowring Park - Bungalow  305 Waterford Bridge Rd., St. John's	11:00 a.m.	12:00 noon
	BMO 1 West Street, Corner Brook, NL	1:00 p.m.	2:00 p.m.
New Brunswick	Wilmot Park 50 Woodstock Road, Fredericton	12:00 noon	1:00 p.m.
	Mapleton Park & Rotary Pavilion 600 Mapleton Road, Moncton	12:00 noon	1:00 p.m.
Nova Scotia	Halifax Emera Oval 5775 Cogswell St., Halifax	12:00 noon	1:00 p.m.
Ontario	Southshore Community Centre  205 Lakeshore Drive, Barrie	9:30 a.m.	11:00 a.m.
	Kingston Park  Paxton Drive,  Chatham	9:30 a.m.	10:00 a.m.
	Ajax Rotary Park 177 Lake Driveway West. Ajax	9:00 a.m.	10:00 a.m.
	F.H. Sherman Recreation Park  388 First Rd. East,  Stoney Creek	9:00 a.m.	10:00 a.m.
	Memorial Centre 303 York Street Kingston	9:00 a.m.	10:00 a.m.
	Waterloo Region Museum & Doon Heritage Village  10 Huron Rd., Kitchener	8:30 a.m.	10:00 a.m.
	Thames Park  15 Ridout Street S.,  London	8:30 a.m.	10:00 a.m.
	Streetsville Memorial Park  335 Church St., Mississauga	8:00 a.m.	10:00 a.m.
	Jaycee Gardens Park  543 Ontario Street,  St. Catharines	8:30 a.m.	10:00 a.m.
	Andrew Haydon Park 3127 Carling Avenue,  Ottawa	8:30 a.m.	10:00 a.m.
	Harrison Park  1155 2nd Ave. East, Owen Sound	9:00 a.m.	10:00 a.m.
	Nicholls Oval Pavilion  725 Armour Road, Peterborough	9:00 a.m.	10:00 a.m.
	Canatara Park - Seaway Kiwanis 1200 Lake Chipican Drive, Sarnia	9:00 a.m.	10:00 a.m.
	Woodbine Park  Coxwell Ave. & Lakeshore Blvd. E., Toronto	8:00 a.m.	10:00 a.m.
	Optimist Memorial Park 1075 Ypres Avenue Windsor	9:00 a.m.	10:00 a.m.
	Boyd Conservation Area 8739 Islington Ave., Vaughan	9:00 a.m.	10:00 a.m.
Prince Edward Island	Rodd Mill River Resort 180 Mill Rd., Route 136, O'Leary	12:00 noon	1:00 p.m.
	Victoria Park Charlottetown, PE	12:00 noon	1:00 p.m.
Quebec	Angrignon Park 3400 Boulevard des Trinitaires, Montréal	8:30 a.m.	10:30 a.m.
Saskatchewan	University of Regina, Riddell Centre 3737 Wascana Pkwy., Regina	10:00 a.m.	11:30 a.m.
	Saskatoon Fieldhouse 2020 College Dr., Saskatoon	10:00 a.m.	11:30 a.m.

*All times local

Virtual Walks:

Alberta: Grand Prairies, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Red Deer
British Columbia: Prince George
Manitoba
New Brunswick: Saint John
Newfoundland and Labrador
Nova Scotia
Northwest Territories
Nunavut
Ontario: Brantford, Burlington-Milton, Huntsville, Sudbury, Thunder Bay
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan
Yukon
U.S.A.

About BMO Financial Group
Established in 1817, and currently marking its 200th year of operations, BMO Financial Group is a highly diversified financial services provider based in North America. With total assets of $692 billion as of January 31, 2017, and more than 45,000 employees, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets.

About Kids Help Phone
Kids Help Phone is a charity that provides counselling and referrals as the only national helpline for young people. Since 1989, it has offered kids and teens hope and support through its confidential and anonymous service. As an organization that speaks with young people every day, Kids Help Phone works to share their perspectives and improve their well-being on a societal level. Kids Help Phone raises the majority of its revenue from individuals, foundations, corporations, and community fundraising.

SOURCE BMO Financial Group

Media Contacts: Michelle Agnelo, Toronto, [email protected], [phone]; Valerie Doucet, Montreal, [email protected], [phone]; Web: www.bmo.com, Twitter: @BMOmedia