Montreal, September 28, 2010 – Sunday, October 3rd is an important day for families of young children all across Quebec. The Missing Children's Network, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Sûreté du Québec, the Montreal Police Service, as well as municipal police agencies, government agencies, local community organizations and The Jean Coutu Group (PJC) Inc., will all team-up in order to ensure the safety of our children and host a Child Identification Day in over 150 participating Jean Coutu stores in Quebec.
A missing child is every parent's worst nightmare. Most parents would like to believe that such an occurrence could never happen to them. While proper precautions and learning safety skills go a long way towards protecting children, cases of lost or runaway children and abductions do occur. Last year alone, there were 7,416 reports of missing children signaled to law enforcement agencies in Quebec.
Police authorities concur that an up-to-date identification booklet is the most useful tool in the event a child is lost or goes missing, because it speeds up the search process considerably. A distraught parent may have difficulty describing his child’s appearance and since “a picture is worth a thousand words” a recent photograph of their child, included within the identification booklet can save precious minutes and make a difference. It is strongly recommended to have this information properly documented rather than rely on one's memory in situations where time is of the essence.
"An important part of the mandate of the Missing Children's Network is to prevent children from becoming victims of abduction and aggression. Our Child Identification Day is an excellent occasion for families to receive a wealth of age-appropriate safety information, along with a valuable tool in the event that their child goes missing," said Pina Arcamone, Director General of the Missing Children's Network. "We would like to warmly thank the Jean Coutu Group and its affiliated pharmacists for their generous support and continuing efforts to help us reach families throughout Quebec with vital information that can help keep children safe."
For the participating Jean Coutu store nearest you, please consult our website at www.jeancoutu.com
About the Missing Children’s Network (Enfant-Retour Québec)
The Missing Children's Network, founded in 1985 is the only non-profit organization in Quebec whose mission is to assist parents who are searching for their missing child and to educate the public in order to prevent children from disappearing. The Missing Children's Network provides front-line services to families who are searching for their missing child. The organization accompanies, supports and counsels these families in the search for their child by working collaboratively with law enforcement agencies, other child search organizations, as well as the media.
About The Jean Coutu Group
The Jean Coutu Group (PJC) Inc. operates a network of 376 franchised drugstores in Canada located in the provinces of Quebec, New Brunswick and Ontario (under the banners of PJC Jean Coutu, PJC Clinique and PJC Santé Beauté) and employs more than 17,000 people. The Jean Coutu Group is one of the most trusted names in Canadian pharmacy retailing. The Company holds a significant interest in Rite Aid Corporation, one of the United States’ leading drugstore chains with more than 4,800 drugstores in 31 states and the District of Columbia.
Hélène Bisson
Vice-President, Communications
The Jean Coutu Group (PJC) Inc.
(450) 646-9611, Extension 1165
[email protected]