Countdown to the Games! Wow! It’s an unbelievable feeling and privilege to be here in Vancouver during the final countdown to the Games. Here in Vancouver, the anticipation is building to a pitch. Hundreds of elite athletes from Canada and over 80 countries have arrived to compete. For us at our involvement with the Games goes way back and to celebrate International Olympic Day last June, we fired up the grill and hosted barbecues for employees in Montreal, St-John’s, Moncton, Toronto and Vancouver. It was a way to shine a light on our role as the Official Beer Supplier of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic games and get everyone in the company excited about the Games.
Not only are we cheering for Canada to win, we handpicked ten deserving Canadian athletes, to receive our hands-on financial support. In today’s report, you get to meet our “Fund a Champion” athletes and we bring you an interview with Rene Holt our Vancouver Brewery Manager who tells us all about their preparation for the Games.
Compte à rebours des Jeux! L’anticipation est à son comble à Vancouver ces jours-ci. Des centaines d’athlètes de haut niveau du Canada et de près 80 pays sont arrivés et prêts pour la compétition. Molson Coors et ses employés à travers le pays y encouragera évidemment nos athlètes canadiens, mais plus particulièrement aussi à dix d’entre eux, ainsi qu’à toute l’équipe nationale féminine de hockey, à qui nous avons décidé d’offrir notre appui. Dans le Bulletin d’aujourd’hui, nous vous proposons une entrevue avec Rene Holt le directeur de notre brasserie à Vancouver. Il nous parle de la préparation requise afin d’être fin prêt à bien servir les Jeux. On vous aussi nos athlètes récipiendaires de notre campagne « Appuyons un champion ».
The Molson Canadian 2010 Mural Project is complete! Over 13,000 Canadian faces represent the final tribute to Team Canada in a giant mural showcased at our Kitsilano brewery in Vancouver.
A little background:
Beginning last February we asked Canadians of legal drinking age to show their support for their 2010 Olympic and Paralympic athletes by uploading an image of themselves cheering on Team Canada. Throughout the year faces were added to the mosaic in four stages, eventually revealing the final image of a Canadian fan draped in a Canadian flag along with the message “Spirit of the Games”.
The 2010 Mural Project in its 4 Stages
Those who submitted their photograph online have received a personal set of mural coordinates enabling them to find their individual photo in the digital version of the giant mosaic. These can be found at: http://www.2010muralproject.ca
And the best news? Molson Canadian also announced that $175,000 has been raised for the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Teams through a $1 corporate donation made to Own the Podium for each photo added to the Mural Project and more than $160,000 raised through the Give’r For Team Canada promotion.
The final mural will remain in place for the duration of the 2010 Winter Games, and is clearly visible to anyone entering downtown Vancouver via the Burrard Street bridge located next to the brewery. A poster version of the mural is available for purchase with the additional proceeds donated to the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Teams. Those interested in purchasing can visit Shop Molsonfor details.
THANK YOU to the thousands of Canadians who submitted their headshots helping us support our Canadian athletes AND create the nearly 4,000 square foot mural. Are you on the mural? What are you coordinates? I’m at 52 x 44.
If you pass by the brewery in the evening, you’ll find a 140 feet high video projection on the main exterior of the brewery (at Notre Dame East and Papineau). Starting this week until March 2010, a two minute length video projection can be seen continuously from sundown to sunrise. The video features a mix of iconic symbols of Montreal, images of athletes and winter sports scenes.
Describing the sight doesn’t do it justice, so thank you MolsonDouglas for taking a video of it. Take a look – let us know what you think. Cheers!
If you work in a large organization like we do at Molson Coors you can sometimes get caught up in the stream of day to day challenges of the biz and forget the human side of our business and lives. I tend to believe that most people they mean well, they work hard, enjoy life and strive to be better at what they do at work and at home.
In this morning’s Toronto Star in the Insight Section, there is an inspiring story about one of our colleagues who has had a struggle with cancer over the past few years, yet he has been a beacon for the organization and one of the key lead organizors for our VANCOUVER 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games plans. In fact he’s been at the pointed edge of all communications between Molson Coors and the organizing committee from pin approvals to script revisions to making sure that Molson Canadian, Coors Light and Molson Export will achieve their recognition as official beers for 2010.
David Hayes from the Toronto Star tells a wonder story about Hari Sihvo and I am so proud to shout it out and share it here on our Molson Coors Community blog. Special thanks to Hari for sharing his story so publicly, it will no doubt inspire many. Cheers @MolsonFerg
Take a look at the video to find out more about the partnership and program from Ferg Devins (a.k.a. @MolsonFerg), Chief Public Affairs Officer for Molson Coors Canada, Tewanee Joseph, Executive Director of the FHFN, First Nations designer Glenn George and Sammy Kent, Aboriginal Alpine Skier and Aspiring Olympian. (en français)
Canadians from coast-to-coast-to-coast can pledge their support online at blog.molson.com/community/shopand with a minimum donation of $10 they will receivea First Nation-designed 2010 collector pin. 100% of the proceeds will go directly to the Vancouver 2010 Aboriginal Youth Legacy Fund.
About the Collector Pin: created by First Nations designer Glenn George. The pin’s artwork includes an illustration of the sun rising high above two mountain peaks. The sun is meant to give life to the Mother Earth, while the mountains, commonly known in Vancouver as “the Lions,” represent protection.
