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November 10 Media Release

Vancity partners with local community groups and businesses to collect thousands of holiday gifts for needy Surrey children

Surrey, November 10, 2005 - Vancity is partnering with local non-profit groups, including the Surrey Women's Centre, Kla How Eya First Nations and Surrey Christmas Bureau, to make this holiday special for Surrey-area children.

The goal is to collect more than 4,000 gifts through an Angel Tree gift-giving program in Vancity’s Surrey-area branches and participating businesses.

The angel tree is a Christmas tree strung with paper angels decorated by local school children and Vancity staff. Each one bears the name, age and wish of a needy Surrey-area child. The trees are now on display in Vancity’s Surrey-area branches and various businesses until December 6 and all are welcome to take an angel and fullfill the wish of that child.

Vancity is also putting out the call for local businesses to get on board and put Angel Trees in their locations.

“We will set it up. All they have to do is give us a call,” says Vancity Community Development Manager Lucienne Lehmann.

Gifts can be dropped off at any participating location by end of business on December 6 or at a special Angel Tree Holiday Celebration that will include a free breakfast and entertainment on December 7, 8:00 - 11:00 am at the Ravi Banquet Hall, 8166 - 128th St., Surrey.

For more information on the Vancity Surrey Angel Tree program please contact Lucienne Lehmann at 604-787-3127.

Participating Vancity’s branches include include: North Delta 7211-120th Street, Newton, 7555 King George Highway, Guildford, 108-15175 101st Ave., Surrey City Centre, 10293 King George Highway, and Cedar Hills, 12820 96 Ave.

Vancity is Canada’s largest credit union, with $10.5 billion in assets, more than 315,000 members, and 43 branches throughout Greater Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Victoria. Vancity owns Citizens Bank of Canada, serving members across the country by telephone, ATM, and the Internet. Both Vancity and Citizens Bank are guided by a commitment to corporate social responsibility, and to improve the quality of life in the communities where we live and work.