Cumberland City Councillor and amateur sports champion Stephen Blais has donated $2,000 to St. Matthew’s High School football program to help replace aging equipment and uniforms. “I am thrilled to help St. Matt’s football program replace aging equipment which will better serve its student-athletes”, says Blais. “Successful high school sports programs develop student leaders which eventually become strong community representatives.”

This donation follows several thousand dollars Councillor Blais has raised for amateur sports in Orléans, including helping fund a Cumberland Panthers’ all-star team travel to Nova Scotia; the Orléans Bengals replacement of outdated football helmets; Cairine Wilson Varsity Girls Soccer Team travel to England; cost offset of uniforms for U15 Girls Cumberland Cobras; fee offsets for less affluent student-athletes at Franco Cité; and fees for at-risk youth to play for the South Ottawa Mustangs.

This donation follows several thousand dollars Councillor Blais has raised for amateur sports in Orléans, including helping fund a Cumberland Panthers’ all-star team travel to Nova Scotia; the Orléans Bengals replacement of outdated football helmets; Cairine Wilson Varsity Girls Soccer Team travel to England; cost offset of uniforms for U15 Girls Cumberland Cobras; fee offsets for less affluent student-athletes at Franco Cité; and fees for at-risk youth to play for the South Ottawa Mustangs.

“In my second year running this program, I wanted to accomplish a great deal for our student-athletes but recognized we needed help,” says Jean-Sorphia Guillaume, teacher and St. Matt’s Head Football Coach. “I can’t thank Councillor Blais enough as we are now accomplishing things that were slated for year three and four.”

The funds were raised by private donors through the annual Golf Classic started by Councillor Blais and donated on behalf of Action Orléans – a not for profit club that has been helping arts, sports, and other groups throughout Ottawa.