Field Law Announces Southern Alberta Award Winners of the 2016 Field Law Community Fund Program

CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwired - July 26, 2016) - Field Law, a regional law firm with offices in Calgary, Edmonton and Yellowknife, is pleased to announce the Southern Alberta winners of the 2016 Field Law Community Fund Program. Now in its fourth year, the Program, which supports local community initiatives and projects, received a record number of 122 applications this year, 71 of which came from the Southern Alberta community market. Field Law granted one grand prize award and four additional awards in this community market, providing a total of $30,000 in funding to help launch or grow each local project.

In 2016, the Program distributed a total of $75,000 to community initiatives, with $30,000 going to each of the Northern and Southern Alberta markets and $15,000 going to the Northwest Territories market. The Program's selection process for winners included a combination of online voting and deliberation by a local judging panel composed of Field Law representatives, clients and community members. Through the online voting period, the public is given the opportunity to support the ideas they believe to be the most deserving of funding. The votes indicate to panelists which projects resonate with the local community and are factored into their final decision-making.

"We are incredibly proud that the Community Fund Program has continued to grow over the past four years and has an ongoing positive impact in our communities," said Doreen Saunderson, Firm Managing Partner, Field Law. "There are inspiring individuals and organizations finding new and creative ways to make this world a better place and it is our privilege to recognize their efforts through our program. At Field Law, we value community involvement which is why we are always moved by the overwhelming response we receive from the public."

Field Law congratulates the following prize winners of the 2016 Field Law Community Fund Program:

Adapted Bike Program ($10,000 grand prize recipient)

The Adapted Bike Program provides customized bicycles to children with cerebral palsy in order to give them the opportunity to participate in a physical activity. The initiative also offers programs that give families the chance to bike together while their child learns to ride.

School PALS ($5,000 recipient)

The Pet Access League Society (PALS) developed the Schools PALS program to give youth access to pet therapy. Youth who struggle with the challenge of making positive choices can engage in interactive exercises with the PALS therapy dogs that teach them the importance of friendship, positive ways to stop peer pressure and innovative ways to 'stop and think.'

Food Forest Project ($5,000 recipient)

The Phoenix Education Foundation is taking unused space on its school grounds to create a Food Forest with fruit bearing trees and bushes and a pollinator area that protects endangered bees.

Personal Care Items ($5,000 recipient)

The Women's Centre supports women in times of crisis who are living in poverty by supplying them with vital resources through their Basic Needs Assistance program. The program provides women with access to food, personal care items and feminine hygiene products.

Souper Kids ($5,000 recipient)

The Souper Kids initiative, spearheaded by the Soup Sisters, facilitates 28 hands on soup-making events each month across Canada. The soup produced is then donated to local emergency shelters, often helping to reduce operating costs of up to 20 per cent. The program also helps to raise social awareness through forums and promotes healthy relationships and eating habits among youth in the community.

Field Law's preferred causes include (but are not exclusive to) those that support education, healthcare, at-risk youth, arts and culture, homelessness, community and sports, and women's organizations. The Program launched in all three of Field Law's offices in Alberta and the Northwest Territories in 2013 and is now an annual initiative. To learn more about the Community Fund Program, please visit www.fieldlawcommunityfund.com.

About Field Law

Field Law is a western and northern regional business law firm listed as one of the largest in Canada, with offices in Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta and Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. The firm is a proud, strong and independent multi-office regional firm with lawyers dedicated to professional excellence, client service and delivering value. More than 120 lawyers and 170 staff work together to provide a wide variety of legal services to businesses and institutions in corporate and commercial matters, litigation and dispute resolution, labour and employment, insurance, energy, intellectual property, occupational health and safety, privacy, professional regulatory and medical malpractice issues. Additionally, the firm provides private services to individuals including estate planning services and real estate transactions. As a member of SCG Legal, Field Law's clients also gain access to a seamless national and global network of firms allowing members to navigate a complex and ever-changing legal landscape with local support.