smart fortwo owners organize cross-Canada Relay (July 18, 2006)
clubsmartcar.ca members drive to raise funds for charity
Toronto, July 18, 2006 - The success of smart in Canada is still unwavering thanks in large part to a passionate and dedicated customer base. A strong consumer interest in smart very much helped launch the brand in Canada less than two years ago. Ever since, several smart owners’ clubs and on-line forums were developed and now thrive all across the country.
One of these very active groups is the Clubsmartcar.ca, the largest privately run smart forum in Canada; it has close to 1,000 members. This past February, smart customer Garry Stearns of Kemptville, Ontario took it upon himself to start organizing a cross-Canada relay which would take place in August. It has been a full-time hobby since.
This initiative will see smart owners drive their own cars in sections of a pre-determined route starting from Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and ending in Victoria, British Columbia. The owners will actually pass a baton through the relay posts. Drivers can drive one hour of the relay, or two hours, six hours or for days.
The relay will start on August 7th and end on August 28th. A total of approximately 10,000 kilometres will be driven and so far, there are at least 75 participants formally registered to drive various sections of the cross-Canada relay. Close to 200 cars will be involved in some way or another.
It was the organizers’ wish and mandate to promote the safety, the long distance capabilities and environmental aspects of the smart fortwo as well as raise funds for charity. The chosen beneficiary will be the Bruce Denniston Bone Marrow Society in close collaboration with the RCMP.
Mercedes-Benz Canada and smart division Canada are pleased to support this ambitious endeavour. No customer program of this magnitude has ever been undertaken anywhere else around the world.
Each province has an assigned captain who is coordinating the driving sections. If smart owners wish to partake in the relay, they can get in touch with Garry Stearns (1-888-339-3374) who will ensure they are contacted by the respective captain.
For more information:
JoAnne Caza 416-847-7550 caza@mercedes-benz.ca
Garry Stearns 1-888-339-3374 g.stearns@sympatico.ca
Toronto, July 18, 2006 - The success of smart in Canada is still unwavering thanks in large part to a passionate and dedicated customer base. A strong consumer interest in smart very much helped launch the brand in Canada less than two years ago. Ever since, several smart owners’ clubs and on-line forums were developed and now thrive all across the country.
One of these very active groups is the Clubsmartcar.ca, the largest privately run smart forum in Canada; it has close to 1,000 members. This past February, smart customer Garry Stearns of Kemptville, Ontario took it upon himself to start organizing a cross-Canada relay which would take place in August. It has been a full-time hobby since.
This initiative will see smart owners drive their own cars in sections of a pre-determined route starting from Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and ending in Victoria, British Columbia. The owners will actually pass a baton through the relay posts. Drivers can drive one hour of the relay, or two hours, six hours or for days.
The relay will start on August 7th and end on August 28th. A total of approximately 10,000 kilometres will be driven and so far, there are at least 75 participants formally registered to drive various sections of the cross-Canada relay. Close to 200 cars will be involved in some way or another.
It was the organizers’ wish and mandate to promote the safety, the long distance capabilities and environmental aspects of the smart fortwo as well as raise funds for charity. The chosen beneficiary will be the Bruce Denniston Bone Marrow Society in close collaboration with the RCMP.
Mercedes-Benz Canada and smart division Canada are pleased to support this ambitious endeavour. No customer program of this magnitude has ever been undertaken anywhere else around the world.
Each province has an assigned captain who is coordinating the driving sections. If smart owners wish to partake in the relay, they can get in touch with Garry Stearns (1-888-339-3374) who will ensure they are contacted by the respective captain.
| Monday, August 7 | Northwest River, Labrador. |
| August 8-9 | Happy Valley - Goose Bay Lewisporte |
| Thursday, August 10 | Lewisporte St-John’s |
| Friday, August 11 | St. John’s Port aux Basques Ferry leaves Port aux Basques 01:30 Aug. 12 (6-7 hour crossing). |
| Saturday, August 12 | North Sydney Port Hawksbury New Glasgow Pictou NS Ferry to Woods Island Charlottetown Summerside to Confederation Bridge Shediac, N.B. Moncton |
| Sunday, August 13 | Moncton Fredericton Woodstock Grand Falls |
| Monday, August 14 | Grand Falls Rivière-du-Loup Quebec City Trois-Rivières |
| Tuesday, August 15 | Trois-Rivières Drummondville Sherbrooke Granby Jacques Cartier Bridge into Montreal Dollard-des-Ormeaux, West Island Laval |
| Wednesday, August 16 | Laval Hull Ottawa via Interprovincial Bridge (Alexander) to group on Mackenzie St. then head to Star Motors Kemptville Kingston Toronto (late afternoon) (MB HQ) Kitchener/ Waterloo |
| Thursday, August 17 | Kitchener/Waterloo London Toronto Barrie Sudbury |
| Friday, August 18 | Sudbury Sault Ste Marie Wawa |
| Saturday, August 19 | Wawa - Thunder Bay |
| Sunday, August 20 | Thunder Bay Dryden Kenora to ON/MN border Winnipeg |
| Monday, August 21 | Winnipeg Brandon to Saskatchewan border Kristian Regina |
| Tuesday, August 22 | Regina - Lloydminster |
| Wednesday, August 23 | Lloyminster Edmonton Red Deer Calgary |
| Thursday, August 24 | Calgary Fort Macleod Lethbridge Canbrook BC |
| Friday, August 25 | Canbrook Nelson Penticton Kelowna |
| Saturday, August 26 | Kelowna Vernon Kamloops Vancouver |
| Sunday, August 27 | Vancouver Horseshoe Bay Ferry Gibsons Sechelt Powell River |
| Monday, August 28 | Powell River Campbell River Nanaimo Duncan Victoria (Mile 0 Trans-Canada Highway) |
For more information:
JoAnne Caza 416-847-7550 caza@mercedes-benz.ca
Garry Stearns 1-888-339-3374 g.stearns@sympatico.ca
smart_press_releases_generic_200x150.png)
