Cooper connects with Canada youth

FINDLAY, Ohio—Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. is marking the first year of a three-year partnership with Hockey Education Reaching Out Society (HEROS) and recently presented the organization with a $25,000 donation. HEROS is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to engaging, motivating and educating children in Canada through involvement in hockey. During the Findlay-based tire maker's recent "Take the Money & Ride" consumer rebate event, the company said Canadians "played an important role in the donation," as Cooper encouraged consumers to contribute a portion of their rebate to HEROS. The company pledged to match each $5 donation dollar for dollar, up to an aggregate of $25,000 in matching donations. "Cooper is proud to support HEROS' dedication to Canadian communities, providing youth with valuable life skills that will pave the path for their future success," said Chris Ostrander, president of Cooper's North America Tire Operations. "Our partnership works so well because the values of Cooper and HEROS align, working toward similar goals of teamwork and education." Since 2000, HEROS has worked with more than 3,200 children "to make their education enjoyable and to help their dreams become a reality," Cooper said. Participants in the program, handpicked from some of Canada's toughest neighborhoods, work with mentors throughout the school year to develop leadership skills and a sound work ethic. With many of the children involved in HEROS coming from households that often cannot afford cars or even three square meals a day, donations to the organization directly fund mentorship training programs as well as the children's hockey equipment. HEROS' Executive Director Norm Flynn said, "We're able to fund the children's participation, equipment and meals for every program and clinic we host. The values of leadership, teamwork and volunteerism learned in this program will last long after the final school bell rings. These are life-long lessons."