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Airline surprises 16 youth leaders with trip of a lifetime

CALGARY, Dec. 23, 2015 /CNW/ - WestJet continues to celebrate the spirit of the season with the Boys and Girls Clubs surprise adventure with WestJet video. As part of an early Christmas gift, WestJet surprised 16 youth leaders from Boys and Girls Clubs (BGC) of Calgary and Orlando, Florida with the adventure of a lifetime. To view the Boys and Girls Clubs surprise adventure with WestJet video, click here.

The heartwarming video stars eight youth from the BGC of Calgary and eight youth from BGC of Central Florida as they travel across North America by plane, volunteer in two communities, forge lifelong friendships and have fun in a way that only WestJet can facilitate. The youth were brought together for the opportunity to share in new experiences, learn from each other and further develop their leadership skills.

"It is an extension of our caring culture to create remarkable experiences for the young people our WestJet Cares for Kids partners serve," said Jenifer Badry, WestJet Team Lead, Community Investment. "Our partnerships are designed to enrich lives, while encouraging and enhancing youth development. These 16 exceptional Boys and Girls Club leaders will never forget their time together and will take back what they learned and apply it in their local clubs and communities."

"We are proud to partner with an organization that promotes kindness and leading by example," said Marlene Deboisbriand, Interim President and CEO, Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada. "Thanks to WestJet, these youth leaders - kind and exemplary individuals themselves - were given an experience they will carry with them forever. The chance to gain a different perspective, help out two different communities and have a brilliant time is priceless."

"WestJet Cares for Kids was born out of WestJetters' desire to positively impact the health and well-being of children and youth," said Badry. "In addition to creating remarkable experiences, we also contribute the gift of flight that helps our charitable partners deliver essential programs to children and youth, raise money and reduce the cost of their business travel."

To read more about the surprise adventure from the perspective of two lucky attendees, visit the WestJet blog.

In 2015, WestJet Cares for Kids donated more than 7,050 one-way flights to our charitable partners. Throughout the holiday season, WestJetters also hosted Christmas parties for 25 Boys and Girls Clubs across Canada.

WestJet Cares for Kids charitable partners are Big Brothers Big Sisters Canada, Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada, The David Foster Foundation, Free the Children, Hope Air, Make-A-Wish Canada, Missing Children Society of Canada, and Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada.

About Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada
Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada is dedicated to supporting and encouraging children and youth as they grow and develop. We are a national charity serving 96 member Clubs that provide services to 210,000 young people in 650 locations across Canada. Our trained staff and volunteers listen to the opinions and ideas of children and youth, applaud their accomplishments, lend support during their struggles and provide ways for them to explore their interests and talents.  With this encouragement, young people develop the confidence and sense of belonging that helps them succeed in school, form positive relationships and mature into responsible, caring adults. For 115 years, we have welcomed children, youth and their families into Clubs that reflect the diversity of Canada in small and large cities, and rural and Aboriginal communities. Visit bgccan.com and follow us at facebook.com/bgccan  and twitter.com/bgccan.

About WestJet
We are proud to be Canada's highest-rated airline for customer service, powered by an award-winning culture of care and recognized as one of the country's top employers. We offer scheduled service to 100 destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Europe. Through our regional airline, WestJet Encore, and with partnerships with airlines representing every major region of the world, we offer our guests more than 150 destinations in more than 20 countries. Leveraging WestJet's extensive network, flight schedule and remarkable guest experience, WestJet Vacations delivers affordable, flexible travel experiences with a variety of accommodation options for every guest. Members of our WestJet Rewards program earn WestJet dollars on flights, vacation packages and more. Our members use WestJet dollars towards the purchase of WestJet flights and vacations packages on any day, at any time, to any WestJet destination with no blackout periods  ̶  even on seat sales. For more information about everything WestJet, please visit westjet.com.

Recent recognition includes:
2015/2011/2008-2005 Canada's 10 Most-Admired Corporate Cultures (Waterstone Human Capital)
2015/2014/2013/2012 Canada's Most Attractive Employer (Randstad)
2015/2014/2013/2012 Top three brands in Canada (Canadian Business magazine)
2015 Best Employers in Canada (Aon Hewitt)
2015/2014/2013 WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard ranked #1 in Canada (MoneySense magazine)
2015/2014/2013 WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard ranked #1 in the Canada's Choice ranking (RewardsCanada.ca)
2014 Interbrand Canada's Best Canadian Brands (rank #20)
2014 Brands of the Year (Strategy magazine)
2014 Canada's Most Preferred Airline (Ipsos)
2014 Value Airline of the Year (Air Transport World magazine)
2014/2013/2012/2011 Highest equity score: airline, vacation package supplier brands (Harris/Decima EquiTrend Study)

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SOURCE WestJet