Montreal, June 13, 2023 – The Aléo Foundation and Cascades, in the presence of Mr. Mario Plourde, president and CEO of the Quebec-based multinational company, awarded a total of 80,000 $ in scholarships to 22 outstanding student-athletes during the 19the scholarship program edition.
The Cascades Scholarship Program has also renewed its commitment in the amount of 300,000 $ for a three-year period, from 2024 to 2026. The program has been a resounding success since its inception in 2005. As a key partner of the Aléo Foundation, Cascades has been a major supporter of hundreds of student-athletes over the past two decades. In particular, it has served as a springboard for Alexandre Bilodeau, Mikaël Kingsbury, Alex Harvey, Amélie Kretz, Elizabeth and Françoise Abanda, Emilie and Hugues Fournel and many others in achieving their athletic goals, but also, and above all, in their personal and academic journey. This is one of the many values shared by the Aléo Foundation and Cascades.
The scholarship award ceremony took place at Marie-Victorin Park in Kingsey Falls, an event during which 22 individual scholarships of 2,000 $ and 4,000 $ were awarded to student-athletes from across Quebec competing in 17 different sports. This significant commitment by Cascades to the scholarship recipients is certainly a form of financial assistance, but above all, it is a mark of confidence in each of them as athletes, as people, and beyond the realm of sports.
In their own words:
«Cascades is proud to continue its commitment and financially support the exceptional role models that these student-athletes are. They are a true source of inspiration for all our staff. In fact, they are part of our team! Through this connection, we wish to offer these young people the opportunity to fulfill their potential in all aspects of their lives!»
– Mario Plourde, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cascades
«The Aléo Foundation is privileged to count on loyal partners like Cascades. It is thanks to such a collaboration, renewed for the next three years, that we have been able to act for 19 years as significant allies for student-athletes. We share not only annual scholarship distributions, but also a common philosophy toward the next generation of Quebec leaders.»
– Martin Lavigne, President of the Aléo Foundation
New name, new image, same mission!
The Foundation for Athletic Excellence (FAEQ) has adopted a new name and visual identity: ALÉO – Propelling the athlete beyond sport. This change aims to further highlight its personalized approach where overall well-being and Well-being in performance its scholarship holders are at the center of its actions.
Recipients of the 2023 Cascades Scholarship Program
| Name | Sport | Age | Amount | City | School |
| Maria Elena Andras | Weightlifting | 17 | 2000 $ | Blainville | Saint-Gabriel High School |
| Ann-Sophie Bachand | Short track speed skating | 18 | 4000 $ | Sherbrooke | Collège de Maisonneuve |
| Christopher Booler | Diving | 17 | 4000 $ | Beaconsfield | John Rennie High school |
| Cédrick Brunet | Long track speed skating | 22 | 4000 $ | Gatineau | Garneau College |
| Nathan Brunet | Fencing | 20 | 4000 $ | Longueuil | Cégep Édouard-Montpetit |
| Albert Chagnon | Artistic gymnastics | 15 | 2000 $ | Varennes | De Mortagne Secondary School |
| Louis-Davis Chalifoux | Freestyle skiing | 20 | 4000 $ | Quebec (Cap-Rouge) | Mérici College |
| Adèle Desgagnés | Road and track cycling | 21 | 4000 $ | Montreal (Plateau-Mont-Royal) | Cégep at a distance |
| Alicia Fabri | Figure skating | 20 | 4000 $ | Terrebonne | Business launch training |
| Liliane Gagnon | Cross-country skiing | 20 | 4000 $ | Quebec (Val-Bélair) | Cégep at a distance |
| Xavier Gilbert | Biathlon | 18 | 2000 $ | Québec (Charlesbourg) | Odilon-Gauthier Center |
| Anton Jacobs-Webb | Para hockey | 22 | 4000 $ | Montreal (Plateau-Mont-Royal) | Concordia University |
| Philippe Jacob | Road and track cycling | 19 | 4000 $ | Granby | Granby CEGEP |
| Gabrielle Jelonek | Long track speed skating | 22 | 4000 $ | Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly | Laval University |
| Frédérique Lavigne | Judo | 17 | 4000 $ | Montreal (Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie) | Sainte-Marie School |
| Jacob Legault | Snowboarding | 19 | 4000 $ | Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville | Cégep at a distance |
| Ashlyn Massey | Swimming | 17 | 4000 $ | Saint-Lazare | John Rennie High school |
| Nicolas Rivard | Road cycling | 21 | 4000 $ | Bois-des-Filion | Cégep at a distance |
| Charlotte Simoneau | Weightlifting | 17 | 4000 $ | Saint-Hyacinthe | Cégep de Saint-Hyacinthe |
| Maxime St-Onge | Mountain bike | 17 | 2000 $ | Saint-Denis-de-Brompton | Triolet Secondary School |
| Anne-Catherine Théberge | Alpine skiing | 18 | 4000 $ | Lac-Beauport | Limoilou College |
| Édouard Therriault | Freestyle skiing | 20 | 4000 $ | Lorraine | University of Cambridge |
About Cascades
Founded in 1964, Cascades offers sustainable, innovative and value-creating packaging, hygiene and recovery solutions. The company has 10,000 employees working in a network of nearly 80 operating units located in North America. Its management philosophy, half a century of experience in recycling, and sustained research and development efforts are all strengths that enable it to create innovative products for its customers while contributing to the well-being of people, communities and the planet.
About the Aléo Foundation
Created in 1985, the Fondation de l'athlète d'excellence (FAEQ) has awarded more than $20 million in bursaries to nearly 4,000 outstanding student-athletes from across Quebec. With the aim of clarifying the organization's mission—which seeks to propel athletes beyond sport—the FAEQ changed its name and brand identity in 2022 and is now known as the Fondation Aléo. In addition to continuing to award academic bursaries and provide support services to the leaders of tomorrow, it reaffirms its personalized approach, placing the overall personal development and performance well-being of its bursary recipients at the heart of its actions.
For more information: fondationaleo.ca as well as the official Aléo Foundation pages on our platforms:
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For interview requests or other information, please contact Josée Robitaille at josee.robitaille@fondationaleo.ca.
For more information:
Patricia Demers
Chief Executive Officer
Aléo Foundation
514-252-3171, extension 3728
patricia.demers@fondationaleo.ca
Hugo D'Amours
Vice President, Communications, Public Affairs, and Sustainable Development
Cascades Inc.
819-363-5164
hugo_damours@cascades.com
