Birks, Jenn Heil and Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau host 350 guests for an evening
benefiting Plan Canada's Because I am a Girl campaign in Montreal

Unveiling of new BIRKS pendant designed by Olympic athlete Jenn Heil to benefit her charity of choice

MONTREAL, Sept. 30 /CNW Telbec/ - Birks, Olympic athlete Jenn Heil and Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau are host to a very glam evening tonight at the Birks Montreal flagship store where 350 guests are gathering for an event benefiting Plan Canada's Because I am a Girl campaign. Thanks to the generous participation of sponsors and participants, the event will help accelerate girls' education through scholarships in Burkina Faso. Tonight is also where the most recent addition to BIRKS' Jenn Heil Collection of jewellery is being unveiled: the Dream pendant is now available at Birks stores across Canada where a portion of sales will benefit Jenn's charity of choice, Plan Canada.

"When girls anywhere around the world are presented with equal opportunities they can improve their own lives and achieve their dreams," says Olympic medalist and BIRKS brand ambassador Jenn Heil. "During the 2010 Winter Olympics, I pledged to support Plan Canada and the Because I am a Girl campaign to help girls in developing countries get access to a brighter future. I was extremely proud to garner the support of sponsors and friends too and tonight is Birk's turn to take part in this important effort. The Dream pendant we are unveiling tonight symbolizes the future young girls can aspire to when they have access to the necessary resources including education," she concludes.

"Jenn's commitment and dedication continue to inspire us," says Tom Andruskevich, President and CEO of Birks & Mayors Inc. "It is with great pride that we are hosting tonight's event in partnership with our many sponsors to support Jenn's charity of choice, Plan Canada, as well as introducing a new item in Jenn's eponymous collection to support the Because I am a Girl campaign, the Dream pendant, sure to become a new favourite among our customers," he concluded.

Unveiled at tonight's event, the new Dream pendant designed by Jenn Heil for BIRKS is made of sterling silver and features a circle as central design element. With its smooth texture, the pendant evokes the boundless nature of dreams. Inside the circle a butterfly is suspended, symbolizing the growth and transformation of an individual when given the opportunity to pursue their dreams. The butterfly is engraved with a pattern from a hand-made handbag that Jenn received while visiting a remote village in Burkina Faso with Plan Canada.

Birks' event rallied the Montreal business community: close to 30 corporate sponsors joined the company in its effort to raise funds for Plan Canada's Because I am a Girl campaign. The event also called on the support of the fashion and entertainment community: Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau is hosting the evening; renowned designer Andy Thê-Anh is presenting select looks from his 2010 fall-winter collection and singer-songwriter Annie Villeneuve is performing live. Many swoon-worthy items are offered through raffle prizes as well as a live auction where two athlete experience packages are available to bidders: one is a ski trip in Jenn Heil's company while the other is an ice-skating afternoon with Olympic medalist and BIRKS brand ambassador Joannie Rochette. Joining Jenn Heil at the event are many other Olympic athletes, among them Jean-Luc Brassard, Bruny Surin, Kim St-Pierre, Marianne St-Gelais and Charles Hamelin.

About the event's sponsors

Birks extends a special thank you to all of the evening's sponsors and corporate partners. Diamond-level sponsors of the event are: AIM Holdings., Andy Thê-Anh, Birks Café par Europea, Chatelaine, Crossworks, Marcelle, The Montreal Gazette, Mont-Roy, The National Post, Power Corporation, and Sid Lee.

About BIRKS

Birks & Mayors, Inc. (Amex "BMJ") is a leading operator of 64 luxury jewellery stores in the United States and Canada. As of September 30, 2010, the Company operated 33 Birks stores across most major metropolitan markets in Canada and 29 Mayors stores across Florida and Georgia, as well as two retail locations in Calgary and Vancouver under the Brinkhaus brand. Founded in 1879, BIRKS is Canada's premier luxury brand and was the Official Supplier of Jewellery for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. For more information, please visit www.birks.com.

About Plan Canada

Plan Canada is part of Plan International, a global movement for change, mobilizing millions of people around the world to support social justice for children in developing countries. Founded in 1937, Plan is now one of the world's oldest and largest international development agencies, working in partnership with millions of people around the world to end global poverty. Not for profit, independent and inclusive of all faiths and cultures, Plan has only one agenda: to improve the lives of children. For more information about Plan or its Because I am a Girl campaign, visit www.plancanada.ca.

/NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available at http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited members of the media/

For further information:

Or to obtain pictures of the event:

Eva Hartling
Director, Public relations & Events
Birks & Mayors Inc.
514-397-2496
[email protected]

Cathy Chalmey
Coordinator, Public relations
Birks & Mayors Inc.
514 397-2501, ext. 3687
[email protected]