BRITISH COLUMBIA, Oct. 17, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Competing in high-performance sports takes hard work, dedication, and focused attention on training and diet. More Rewards — the loyalty program from Pattison Food Group known for rewarding its valued members — continues to extend its reach to support the communities it operates in. It’s kicking off the third year of “Fueling Sport,” its sponsorship program for elite athletes, just weeks before many of them head off to Santiago, Chile to compete in the 2023 Pan-Am or Parapan-Am Games.
“At More Rewards, we recognize that training to compete in high-performance sports is a full-time job that for most athletes, regardless of where they are at in their respective athletic journey, doesn’t pay the bills,” said Rafael Alvarez, General Manager of More Rewards. “We’re entering our third year of supporting Canadian athletes at every level to reach their full potential. We’re so thrilled to help them achieve their goals and make their communities, and all Canadians, proud.”
Launched in 2021 with the goal to support high-performance athletes from Western Canada, Fueling Sport is a year-round program that helps fuel athletes’ journeys via sponsorship and discounted groceries. The grocery discounts and sponsorship funds help ensure the maintenance of a balanced, robust diet during training, and athletes are also encouraged and able to use the funds towards living expenses and travel costs. As it enters its third year, the program has already sponsored more than 100 athletes at all levels, spanning 30 sports.
“There’s a lot that goes into fuelling for my sport: a lot of time, training, and a lot of food,” said Evan Dunfee, a Richmond, B.C.-based returning athlete to the Fueling Sport roster, who will be representing Canada in racewalking at this year’s 2023 Pan-Am Games in Santiago. “The support I’ve received from Fueling Sport has been invaluable. With no other sponsors, I feel so lucky to know that they have my back, all year round – not just at competition time. It allows me to focus way more of my energy towards Santiago this fall, and that podium in Paris next summer. It’s also exciting seeing the program grow: not only will more athletes be better prepared to compete, but the spotlight More Rewards helps shine on them with this program means more athletes getting to be local role models for that next generation, too.”
This year, More Rewards has assembled a roster of 33 high-performance athletes from hometowns across the Western provinces and the Yukon territory. They compete in 28 different disciplines, from volleyball to kitesurfing to wheelchair rugby to BMX, and everything in between. At least 12 of these athletes are bound for the 2023 Pan-Am or 2023 Parapan-Am Games in Santiago, Chile, with the Pan-Am Games kicking off on October 20, followed by the Parapan-Am on November 17. Five Fueling Sport-sponsored athletes have also already qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, with more sure to follow.
Below is a list of all athletes on the year three roster for More Rewards’ Fueling Sport Program:
| MORE REWARDS FUELING SPORT - ATHLETE ROSTER | ||
| Athlete Name | Hometown | Sport |
| Aidan Mulvihill | Squamish, BC | Skiing |
| Aislinn Konig (Ace) | Vancouver, BC | Basketball |
| Alexa Scott | Clandeboye, MB | Speed Skating |
| Amanda Rummery | Edmonton, AB | Track |
| Avalon Wasteneys | Campbell River, BC | Rowing |
| Becca Frangos | Canmore, AB | Climbing |
| Ben Hladik | Vernon, BC | Football |
| Blake Enzie | Calgary, AB | Skeleton |
| Brian Wallack | Whiterock, BC | Basketball |
| Connor Emeny | Toronto, ON | Iron Man |
| Desiree Scott | Winnipeg, MB | Soccer |
| Emily Clark | Saskatoon, SK | Hockey |
| Emily Rolfe | Kamloops, BC | Crossfit |
| Evan Dunfee | Richmond, BC | Racewalking |
| Frances Kelly | Sidney, BC | Kitesurfing |
| Guy Mcnamee | Vancouver, BC | Climbing |
| Jake Thiel | Abbotsford, BC | Rugby |
| Jane Chanell | Calgary, AB | Skeleton |
| Maggie Coles-Lyster | Maple Ridge, BC | Cycling |
| Megan McNaramara | Tsawwassen, BC | Volleyball |
| Molly Simpson | Red Deer, AB | BMX |
| Natalie Sourisseau | Kelowna, BC | Field Hockey |
| Nicole McNaramara | Tsawwassen, BC | Volleyball |
| Nikola Goncin | Regina, SK | Wheelchair Basketball |
| Pamphinette Buisa | Ottawa, ON | Rugby |
| Reece Wallace | Calgary, AB | Mountain Biking |
| Reed Platenius | Tofino, BC | Surfing |
| Regan Yee | Vancouver, BC | Track |
| Romeo Champagne | Whitehorse, YK | Biathlon |
| Taya Hanson | Kelowna, BC | Basketball |
| Tyler Turner | Calgary, AB | Para Snowboard |
| Vaughn Taylor | Regina, SK | Track |
| Zak Madell | Okotoks, AB | Wheelchair Rugby |
*note: roster accurate as of Tuesday, October 17. For a full and up-to-date roster, please see the More Rewards Fueling Sport website.
About More Rewards | More Rewards is one of Western Canada’s favourite loyalty programs with more than 30 years in business and millions of active members. More Rewards provides customers the opportunity to easily earn points on everyday purchases and then redeem for rewards such as free travel, groceries, gift cards and more. With the More Rewards card, you can earn points during almost every grocery shop at Save-On-Foods, PriceSmart Foods, Buy-Low Foods, Nesters Market, Quality Foods and Urban Fare, in addition to hundreds of More Rewards partner locations such as Panago Pizza, Jim Pattison Auto Group, Speedy Glass, and more. | morerewards.ca
Instagram: @more_rewards | Facebook: /MoreRewards
ABOUT PATTISON FOOD GROUP | Established in 2021, the Pattison Food Group is a Jim Pattison business and Western Canada’s leading provider of food and drugs. The Pattison Food Group includes Save-On-Foods, Buy-Low Foods, Quality Foods, Everything Wine, Pure Integrative Pharmacy, Imperial Distributors Canada Inc., and other Jim Pattison Group specialty and wholesale operations. Its businesses employ more than 30,000 team members in its nearly 300 food and drug retail locations and share a passion for giving back to the communities where they do business. Pattison Food Group businesses are leaders in customer service and innovation and are committed to achieving long-term growth.
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