Community Leaders to help celebrate "C-Store Day" across Canada

TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - August 30, 2017) - Today, community leaders will be volunteering at convenience stores throughout Canada, helping to recognize the important contributions that these neighbourhood retailers make in their communities, and to help raise funds for the Children's Wish Foundation of Canada.

An event that started back in 2012 in Atlantic Canada, for the first time, will be celebrated coast to coast in every province; 175 stores will be participating in more than 50 communities. More than 150 community leaders have volunteered to take a shift at their local convenience store on C-Store Day. The list includes mayors, premiers, federal MP's, chiefs of police and even an Olympic athlete.

"Convenience store owners are an important part of our communities," said Satinder Chera, President of the Canadian Convenience Stores Association. "They are hardworking business people who give young people their first start in the job market, ensure essential household items are available to their customers, regardless of where in Canada they call home."

Provincial chapters of the Children's Wish Foundation of Canada will be accepting donations at participating stores. The goal is to build on the $60,000 raised in 2016. For 2017, the CCSA has committed to funding Zoe's Wish.

Zoe is an enthusiastic five-year-old who has already undergone major surgery to remove a large tumor, a kidney and lymph nodes. She is currently enduring 24 grueling weeks of intense chemotherapy. Zoe was very excited to find out her wish will be fulfilled. "Zoe's wish is a special vacation that includes her family. She couldn't stop talking about how she was taking her brother and sister to Disney," says Zoe's Mom.

Be sure to drop into your local participating convenience store on August 30 and make a donation to help fund Zoe's heartfelt wish. Online donations can also be made at childrenswish.ca/cstore.

The complete list of stores and participants can be found on our website cstoreday.ca.