The Niagara Host Society is excited to announce that PenFinancial Credit Union has become an official partner of the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games — where it will serve as co-sponsor to the Catch The Spirit and Mascot programs, along with sponsoring a leg of the Torch Relay.

Having been a part of the Niagara community’s fabric for over 60 years, PenFinancial possesses more than 20,000 members from the Niagara Region, and has branches in St. Catharines, Welland, Niagara Falls, Fonthill, Fort Erie and Dunnville. Through its Truly Local Commitment program, PenFinancial invests 10% of pre-tax profits into the Niagara community across several pillars, including health/wellness and education, which is part of the reason why it has always had a focus on supporting Niagara’s youth.

This focus is a major reason why PenFinancial Credit Union has signed on to co-sponsor both the Catch The Spirit and Mascot programs for the Games. Specifically, the Catch the Spirit educational program will involve the engagement of Niagara’s youth through presentations at school assemblies for students in junior kindergarten to Grade 8. Shelly, Niagara 2022’s turtle Mascot, will be a key participant in those presentations which will include content relating to environmental sustainability, Indigenous peoples, and the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games.

“PenFinancial Credit Union is incredibly excited to be sponsoring the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games,” said Ken Janzen, CEO of the PenFinancial Credit Union. “As a truly local credit union, it is important to us to give back to our local community, and, by partnering with the Games, we can contribute to the legacy impact that the Games will have on our region. The Games’ emphasis on community, inclusivity and sustainability aligns well to our own values — making the partnership something that our organization, and all of our employees and members, can be very proud of.”

“When we learned about the Catch the Spirit program and Shelly, we knew this was a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity to be a part of something very special. We were immediately impressed with Shelly’s messaging around inclusivity, sustainability and the connection to our local Indigenous history and how that message will be shared with Niagara’s youth.”

“We are beyond delighted to have PenFinancial join Niagara 2022 as a sponsor,” said Doug Hamilton, Board Chair of the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games. “As a community-minded organization with strong ties to the Niagara Region, PenFinancial is an ideal fit to help us to advance our Mascot and Catch The Spirit programs — two important initiatives that were put on pause as a result of the pandemic, but ones that we’re hoping to reignite and fully activate during the upcoming school year.”

Held every two years, alternating between winter and summer, the Canada Games are the country’s marquee event for amateur sport representing the highest level of national competition for thousands of up-and-coming Canadian athletes. More than 5,000 participants and close to 4,500 volunteers are expected to take part in Canada’s largest multi-sport event in the Niagara Region from August 6-21, 2022.

About PenFinancial Credit Union

A truly local values-based credit union that is committed to improving the lives of over 20,000 members and businesses. PenFinancial delivers a full range of financial services online, by mobile and through a network of six branches across Niagara. Through their Truly Local Commitment, the credit union is a proud Certified B Corporation and Living Wage employer who invests 10% of their pre-tax profits into the communities it serves. For more information visit penfinancial.com.

About the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games

At the peak of Niagara’s boldest summer yet, more than 5,000 up-and-coming athletes, their coaches and support staff will gather to compete for the podium in Canada’s largest multi-sport event. From August 6 to 21, 2022, Niagara will surge stronger than ever on the national stage. The 2022 Games, made possible thanks to funding and support from the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario, the Niagara Region, and the Canada Games Council, will give rise to new legacies of ambition, confidence, and compassion that will inspire generations to come.