"Returns for Leukemia" bottle drive raises over $1 million dollars for life
saving Leukemia and Lymphoma research

TORONTO, June 11 /CNW/ - Take 2,300 volunteers, add 440 Beer Stores, mix it with thousands of caring customers, a fantastic spring weekend and a collective will to find a cure for Leukemia and Lymphoma and what do you get?

$1.065 Million Dollars.

That's what happened on the weekend of May 29th and 30th, when volunteers from The Beer Store and the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 12R24 partnered with the generous people of Ontario to raise money for Leukemia research.

Volunteers, including numerous federal MPs and provincial MPPs, attended each Beer Store across Ontario inviting customers to donate their container deposits when returning their empty beer, wine and spirit containers and the response was overwhelming. All funds collected were donated to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada to help fund life saving research to find a cure for Leukemia, the number one disease killer of children in Canada.

This is the fifth year UFCW Local 12R24 and employees of The Beer Store have partnered together for their annual Returns for Leukemia bottle drive. Over this short time more than $3 Million has been raised for this important cause.

"2010 is the first year that donations have surpassed $1 Million," noted Beer Store president Ted Moroz. "This milestone is a testament to generosity of Beer Store customers and the community commitment of Beer Store employees who volunteered their valuable personal time on such a beautiful weekend," added Moroz.

"We're truly grateful to our members of Local 12R24 and all employees who volunteered their time for this great cause and to the people of Ontario who contributed so generously," said Rob Edwards, president of UFCW Local 12R24. "Without them this event could never have achieved such an impressive result," added Edwards.

"On behalf of the 90,000 Canadians affected by a blood cancer, I want to extend a huge thank you to UFCW Local 12R24, The Beer Store and everyone who so generously donated their time and money," said Nancy Allen, President, Canadian Operations for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada. "We rely on people's generosity to fund life-saving research and provide support to people going through a cancer journey. The Returns for Leukemia bottle drive is making a significant difference in our ability to fulfill these goals!"

For further information: Sandra Ward, 905 361-4207