And with a goal of crossing the finish line in a speedy time of just three hours and 10 minutes, Courtnall has also pledged to personally donate $1,000 for every minute he comes under his target.

Members of the public can support Courtnall by visiting www.courtnallclassic.org

“For Cam and I, this race is personal,” said Courtnall. “I am running for our parents – for Cam’s mom and dad who he lost to cancer, and for my father who I lost to suicide. And as I’m pounding the pavement next week, I can say for certain that thoughts of dad, and the many people like him who suffer each day from mental illness, will push me closer to the finish line.”

In 2003, Courtnall and his brothers Bruce and Russ founded the Courtnall Celebrity Classic Society as a way to raise funds for mental health and awareness about mental illness stigma. Three successful weekend gala events and golf tournaments were held in 2003, 2004 and again in 2011. To-date, the society has raised millions of dollars for the cause, with more than $3M directed towards initiatives within the brothers’ Victoria, BC community. Monies raised by the brothers also helped open the doors to the Archie Courtnall Centre, an emergency psychiatric unit located in the heart of the West Coast city and named in honour of the brothers’ father.

Neely launched the Cam Neely Foundation for Cancer Care in 1995, soon after his parents Marlene and Michael passed away from cancer. Designed to help patients and their families during treatment, the Boston-based foundation has raised more than $18M to-date and has helped thousands of families affected by cancer.

Both from Vancouver Island, BC, Courtnall and Neely played alongside each other for the Boston Bruins from 1986 to 1988. Courtnall retired from hockey in 2000 after playing for such other NHL teams as the Vancouver Canucks, the Edmonton Oilers, the Washington Capitals and the St. Louis Blues; while Neely, first drafted by the Canucks in 1983, played for the Bruins from 1986 until his retirement in 1996.

About the Courtnall Celebrity Classic Society
The Courtnall Celebrity Classic Society was created by Geoff, Bruce and Russ Courtnall to help take the stigma out of mental health. The society has raised millions of dollars to date, with more than $3M directed specifically to the support of mental health initiatives within the community of Victoria, BC. In 2004, the society helped create the Archie Courtnall Centre, an emergency psychiatric unit named in honour of the brothers’ father. For more information, visit www.courtnallclassic.org.

About the Cam Neely Foundation for Cancer Care
The Cam Neely Foundation for Cancer Care was created in 1995 after the passing of Neely’s parents, Marlene and Michael, from cancer. This difficult experience inspired Neely to help others living with cancer. With the dream of honoring Marlene and Michael and the hope of helping others dealing with similar circumstances, the Cam Neely Foundation was created to help cancer patients and their families during treatment. For more information, visit www.camneelyfoundation.org.

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Suggested Tweet: Help former #NHL player Geoff Courtnall and raise $ for #mentalhealth & #cancer http://bit.ly/HsK4zh #BostonMarathon #yyj #bos

Media Contacts:
Brian Cant, Tartan Group: 250-592-3838 or brian@tartangroup.ca
Deirdre Campbell, Tartan Group: 250-592-3838, 250-882-9199 (cell) or deirdre@tartangroup.ca

“It is hard to talk about our fundraising success when we are hearing about so many of our friends battling mental illness and not winning,” says Geoff Courtnall. “Our hope is that the dialogue will continue and more people will speak out about the need for better mental health care and support.”

The funds, which will be donated to VHF, were raised thanks to numerous individual donors, tournament and event sponsors, golf tournament entrants, a 12-hour CFAX 1070 radiothon, a gala dinner with live and silent auction as well as a ticketed after party at CLUB 9ONE9.

“We’d like to express our sincere thanks to the Courtnalls for their time, energy and continued commitment to improving health care for those living with mental illness,” said Ted Hughes, Building Care Together campaign co-chair. “The funds raised through their efforts will help purchase leading–edge equipment and patient programs for mental health in our new Patient Care Centre. We are deeply grateful for their dedication to this important cause.”

“Geoff, Bruce and I are blown away by the support from our donors, sponsors and community,” said Russ Courtnall. “We’re astounded by the number of people who’ve come forward, wanting to share their stories about battling mental illnesses. The more we talk about it, the better it is for people listening who get into that dark hole and feel they’re all alone. They’re not—there are millions of people like them.”

Highlights from the event include:

• Trinidad Drilling coming on board early as the title sponsor.
• The CFAX 1070 Radiothon – with calls from Wayne Gretzky and Howie Mandel, a single $25,000 donation from The Butchart Gardens, interviews with mental health sufferers and medical professionals and in-person appearances by stars such as Valeri Bure (former NHLer) and Candace Cameron Bure (actress, played D. J. Tanner on Full House).
• The Fairmont Empress’ red carpet, with A Channel’s live two hour coverage, where members of the public were able to snap pictures and get autographs signed by participants like Matthew Craven & Manny Malhotra.
• Live performances by Alan Frew, Don Felder, Aaron Pritchett, Kraig Nienhuis, Ken Lavigne & Ty Bachmann.
• A beautiful day of golf where the tournament’s top prize was won by Ron McLean’s fivesome.

“It was a week we won’t soon forget, and our hope is the Courtnall Celebrity Classic kick started the momentum needed to help the Victoria Hospitals Foundation reach its overall goal of $4 million towards mental health,” says Bruce Courtnall, who is also on the Building Care Together Campaign cabinet. “We look forward to doing what we can to keep that momentum going for mental health care.”

About the 2011 Courtnall Celebrity Classic
Now a three-time success, and presented by Trinidad Drilling, the 2011 Courtnall Celebrity Classic took place in Victoria July 21 to 24, 2011. Thanks to event sponsors, including the Victoria Golf Club, Victoria Conference Centre, Strathcona Hotel and Fairmont Empress, the-star studded long weekend included a radiothon, fundraising dinner, silent and live auction, after party at CLUB 9ONE9 and celebrity golf tournament. Previous Courtnall Celebrity Classics, held in 2003 and 2004, raised more than $2M for the Victoria Hospitals Foundation and helped open the doors to the Archie Courtnall Centre, a Psychiatric Emergency Services Unit at the Royal Jubilee Hospital. Funds raised from the 2011 Classic are to purchase equipment and patient and staff education programs in support of mental health treatment in the new Patient Care Centre, as part of the Victoria Hospitals Foundation’s overall $25M Building Care Together campaign. For more information, visit www.courtnallclassic.org.

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Media Contacts:
Brian Cant, Tartan Group: 250-592-3838, 250-896-3844 (cell) or brian@tartangroup.ca
Deirdre Campbell, Tartan Group: 250-592-3838, 250-882-9199 (cell) or deirdre@tartangroup.ca