Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Signs on as a National Partner with Children's Wish Foundation to Grant the Wishes of Sick Kids
VANCOUVER, Sept. 10, 2018 /CNW/ - Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited ("Gateway") is proud and excited to support Children's Wish Foundation (Foundation) as a new, national partner and Heroes Challenge sponsor in three provinces.
Gateway and its over 9,000 employees will lend their philanthropic support to the Foundation in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario this summer through the organization's annual Heroes Challenge fundraiser event. Through GatewayGIVES, the company's charitable and community engagement program, Gateway employees and management will form multiple teams to participate in the event, taking place in Vancouver, Edmonton, and Toronto on September 28, 2018.
This marks the beginning of a promising relationship with the organizations. Children's Wish Foundation is the largest and only all-Canadian wish granting charity, granting wishes to children aged 3 to 17 diagnosed with a life-threatening condition. Children's Wish has been operating in Canada for over 30 years and has granted over 25,000 wishes across the country.
"A national partnership with Children's Wish speaks directly to what we strive to do in our communities through our GatewayGIVES program. We want to make a positive difference not just with this event but every day in the communities where we operate. I am extremely proud of all our team members who are working to grant wishes for sick children across Canada. In the spirit of granting as many wishes as possible for children diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, I have issued a friendly challenge - the Gateway team that raises the most funds will win a CEO-hosted team dinner," says Tony Santo, CEO of Gateway Casinos.
"The Children's Wish Foundation of Canada is excited to be partnering with Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited. Children's Wish recently granted its 25,000th wish – a significant milestone for a 100% Canadian charity. Forging a new and meaningful national partnership with Gateway Casinos at this time is crucial. Their strong support and engagement at a national level helps position us to grant the next 25,000 heartfelt wishes to children across Canada who have been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness," says Chris Kotsopoulos, CEO of Children's Wish.
By participating in Heroes Challenge, teams of Gateway employees will raise funds to directly support a Wish Child paired with their team. One of these children is James, a six-year-old Kamloops boy who was born paralyzed from the waist down due to neuroblastoma on his spine. James began chemotherapy treatments at only four days old and is now living with severe physical impairments. Gateway is looking forward to granting James' wish.
Gateway is one of Canada's leading gaming and entertainment companies, operating 27 properties across the country. The GatewayGIVES program aims to build stronger, healthier and more vibrant communities by offering not just their resources, but also their know-how, and properties to support local charities and initiatives in the communities where they operate. In 2017, Gateway donated over $1 Million to more than 1,500 local organizations and charities in Canada.
About Gateway Casinos & Entertainment
Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited ("Gateway") is one of the largest and most diversified gaming companies in Canada. Operating in British Columbia, Edmonton and Ontario, Gateway has 9,000 employees and operates 27 gaming properties with more than 380 tables, over 13,200 slots, 77 restaurants and bars and 561 hotel rooms. As the new service provider for the Central Gaming Bundle in Ontario, Gateway has brought two more properties and one new planned build in Wasaga Beach or Collingwood to the Gateway portfolio when fully implemented. A multi-pronged growth strategy has seen Gateway diversify and expand its product offering, including developing proprietary casino and restaurant brands, which has dramatically improved the gaming customer experience while attracting new customers. This includes brands like Match Eatery & Public House, Atlas Steak + Fish and the new Halley's Club. In 2017, Gateway celebrated 25 years in the business of gaming and entertainment in Canada. Further information is available at www.gatewaycasinos.com.
About Children's Wish Foundation
Children's Wish Foundation of Canada is the largest and only all-Canadian wish granting charity dedicated to granting wishes to Canadian children between the ages of 3 and 17 who are diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. For more than 30 years, Children's Wish has worked tirelessly to grant heartfelt wishes to more than 25,000 children and their families – that's three wishes each and every day, all year long!
Children's Wish has chapter offices and professional staff in every province, and each wish family is assigned a dedicated Wish Coordinator who is able to personally and carefully structure each heartfelt wish experience to meet the particular needs of the child and their family. Travel wishes include all siblings 21 years and under living in the same household, and families travel worry-free thanks to exclusive Blue Cross insurance.
Our newly expanded reach, which includes children diagnosed with a serious neurological or genetic illness, means continued strong wish referral support through our medical community. Wish referrals continue to increase year over year, and we are proud to maintain our 'no waiting list' policy, thanks to our generous donors. More information: www.childrenswish.ca
SOURCE Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited
For further information: Media Contacts: Tanya Gabara, Gateway Casinos & Entertainment, 604-296-5052, [email protected]; Jill Slattery, Children's Wish Foundation of Canada, 778-383-1413, [email protected]
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