Montreal, April 27, 2023 – The Aléo Foundation has renewed its support for 14 inspiring athletesby awarding them scholarships ranging from 2,000 $ to 3,000 $, for a total of 41,000 $, as part of the 16th edition of the Loto-Québec Scholarship Program.
The main goal of the Loto-Québec Scholarship Program is to annually recognize the achievements of athletes with a physical or sensory limitation. The Aléo Foundation manages the program, in collaboration with organizations that supervise para-athletes. In 2023, Parasports Québec, Cross Country Ski Québec, Hockey Québec, the Fédération de natation du Québec, the Association québécoise de sports pour paralytiques cérébraux, Alpine Ski Québec, Badminton Québec, and Table Tennis Québec are once again collaborating on the program.
Last year's fourteen recipients are all being supported once again by Aléo and Loto-Québec. As a reminder, four participated in the Tokyo and Beijing Paralympic Games, namely Sandrine Bérubé in wheelchair basketball, Lyne-Marie Bilodeau in para-nordic skiing, Alexis Guimond in para-alpine skiing and Danielle Kisser in our nation.
Several former athletes from the Loto-Québec Scholarship Program have left their mark internationally, including Philippe Bédard in wheelchair tennis, our ambassador Charles Moreau, Mark Beggs and Marie-Claude Molnar in paracycling, Marco Dispaltro in boccia, Valérie Grand'Maison para-natation, Dominic Larocque and Antoine Lehoux in para ice hockey as well as Maude Jacques, Rosalie Lalonde and Cindy Ouellet wheelchair basketball.
In their own words:
«It is always a pleasure for Loto-Québec to support several of the province's top para-athletes in their quest for excellence. Our bursary program has proven its worth in the past, encouraging recipients to achieve, and even exceed, their goals. Our bursary recipients can, without a shadow of a doubt, boast of accomplishing wonderful and great things. Their achievements and efforts deserve to be highlighted. Congratulations to these high-level athletes!»
– Eric Meunier, Director of Societal Engagement at Loto-Québec
«Our para-athletes are a tremendous source of inspiration for all Quebecers! It is essential to highlight their major impact in our sporting sphere, and it is with great gratitude that we can do so thanks to Loto-Québec for the 16th year. A prestigious and loyal partner, the state-owned corporation always collaborates very closely with our program, which greatly facilitates the pursuit of our mission. We thank them enormously once again!»
– 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 Loto-Québec Scholarship Program
| Name | Sport | Age | Amount | City |
| Sandrine Bérubé | wheelchair basketball | 24 | 3000 $ | Beauharnois |
| Lyne-Marie Bilodeau | nordic skiing | 22 | 3000 $ | Sherbrooke (Lake Magog) |
| Vincent Boily | para ice hockey | 23 | 3000 $ | Saint-Eustache |
| Félix Thomas Cowan | swimming (S8) | 20 | 3000 $ | Brossard |
| Olivier Dussault | boccia (BC2) | 28 | 2000 $ | Québec (Charlesbourg) |
| Sofia Fassi Fehri | wheelchair basketball | 34 | 3000 $ | Montréal (Saint-Laurent) |
| Alexis Guimond | alpine skiing | 23 | 3000 $ | Gatineau |
| Jean-François Huneault | para ice hockey | 28 | 3000 $ | Saint-Eustache |
| Danielle Kisser | paranatation (SB6) | 26 | 3000 $ | Montreal (The Plateau-Mont-Royal) |
| Mélanie Labelle | wheelchair rugby | 38 | 3000 $ | Longueuil (Saint-Hubert) |
| Samuel Larouche | para-athletics (T51) | 29 | 3000 $ | Saguenay (Jonquière) |
| Marylou Martineau | boccia (BC3) | 22 | 3000 $ | Quebec (La Haute-Saint-Charles) |
| William Roussy | parabadminton (SL3) | 19 | 3000 $ | Mary |
| Gabriel Séguin | para table tennis (class 6) | 22 | 3000 $ | Blainville |
About Loto-Québec
Loto-Québec has been entertaining Quebecers for over 50 years and its activities benefit the entire community. For a 16e Each year, Loto-Québec supports the Aléo Foundation through its scholarship program.
About the Aléo Foundation
Established in 1985, the Fondation de l’athlète d’excellence (FAEQ) has awarded over $20 million in scholarships to nearly 4,000 outstanding student-athletes from across Quebec. With the goal of clarifying the organization's mission to propel athletes beyond sports, in 2022 the FAEQ rebranded and changed its name to Fondation Aléo. In addition to continuing its provision of scholarships and support services to tomorrow's leaders, it confirms its personalized approach, focusing on the overall well-being and development of its scholarship recipients in their performance.
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
