BMS employees across Canada taking part in third annual Community Action Day

More than 300 across Canada taking part in third annual Community Action Day

More than 300 employees of Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada (BMS) will get the day off from their regular work today, but they won't be taking it easy. Instead, they will be joining company retirees and members of their own families in helping out at a variety of community and charitable organizations as part of the company's third annual BMS Community Action Day.

After the first two successful events in 2008 and 2009, this year's has expanded even further. In the Montreal area of the BMS head office in Ville St-Laurent, employees will be volunteering with the following organizations, helping with different tasks such as painting and cleaning: Moisson Montréal, Héritage Laurentien, Omega Centre, Share the Warmth, Foyer Dorval, West Island Association for the Intellectually Handicapped, West Island Cancer Wellness Centre and West Island Citizen Advocacy.

BMS employees across Canada will be volunteering at a variety of community organizations, including: a food bank in St. John's, a shelter in Halifax, Corvée à la cuisine auberivière in Quebec City, food banks in North York and Guelph, Ontario, the Good Shepherd Centre in Hamilton, the London Food Bank, Winnipeg's Siloam Mission, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in Regina, the Calgary Drop-In Centre, the Edmonton Food Bank and with the Keep Vancouver Spectacular Beach Cleanup.

"For all of us at BMS, Community Action Day is a chance to live up to the company's global pledge to lend a helping hand in communities where we do business," said Wayne Quigley, President and General Manager, Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada. "It is also a great opportunity to sensitize employees to the great work being done by so many community organizations and to inspire them to give back to the community on their own."

Again this year as another part of Community Action Day, BMS will also hold a health clinic from 11 am to 1:30 pm at its head offices for their Montreal TechnoParc neighbours to stop by and have their blood pressure checked and their blood sugar levels measured, to enjoy a chair-massage or receive advice from a nutritionist, a personal trainer, physiotherapist or a life coach. Information workshops on the importance of vitamin D will also be given by Dr. Mitch Shulman, BMS Vice-President of Medical Affairs. All these services will be offered in exchange for a minimum $5 donation and all proceeds will be donated to charitable organizations within the community.