Get out and Vote for Pembroke on July 14

Press Release

Pembroke is one of the 20 finalists in the Kraft Celebration Tour with the chance to win a $25,000 award and garner national attention on TSN.

The city learned on Canada Day that it was chosen out of a field of 190 communities to compete for the 10 winning spots on the tour which will take place later this summer.

If Pembroke wins, it will become the host of an official Kraft Community Bar barbecue which will be broadcast on TSN. The $25,000 will be used for improvements to the Pembroke Memorial Centre.

The city came to Kraft's attention after fans of the Pembroke Lumber Kings submitted essays detailing why Pembroke deserves a community award.

"It was great news," said Susan Ellis, economic development and recreation manager. "Now the competition is on."

Pembroke has been matched with the Town of Mattawa. On Thursday, July 14, both communities will compete online to garner the most supporting votes.

Ms. Ellis said this is the perfect time to win something of this magnitude given the Lumber Kings' winning the RBC Cup, the Fred Page Cup and CJHL championships. She also believed the 60- year-old PMC is an ideal candidate for consideration.

"It has a lot of hall of famers and a large fan base," she said. "It's venerated throughout the Ottawa Valley and we are 'Hockey Town Canada'."

Voting will start at noon with each face-off lasting 24 hours. The winner of each face-off will then be announced during the SportsCentre broadcast in the evening. You can vote often, however, the use of mechanical or automated programs is not permitted and will result in a disqualification of those votes.

"This is a really engaging opportunity and it would be really fun to win it," said Ms. Ellis. "The key is you don't have to be from Pembroke to support our bid."

The Kraft Celebration Tour is on the road from Aug. 19 to Aug. 28. The other finalists are Armstrong, B.C., Trenton, Ontario, Creston, B.C., Wallaceburg, Ontario, Edson, Alberta, Devon, Alberta, Kyle, Saskatchewan, Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, Saint Raymond, Quebec, La Durantaye, Quebec, Estevan Saskatchewan, Swan River, Manitoba, Shippagan, New Brunswick, Saskville, New Brunswick, Arborg, Manitoba, MacGregor, Manitoba, Ingonish Beach, Nova Scotia and Port Hood, Nova Scotia.


To vote on Thursday, July 14 beginning at 12 p.m., go to www.kraftcelebrationtour.ca.

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)