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CANADA: Leslie Nielsen Reprises Role for Ontario March of Dimes Campaign TORONTO, Jan. 5 /CNW/ - Leslie Nielsen is reprising a familiar role, but it has nothing to do with the movies. Nielsen - one of Canada's best-known actors and funnymen - is re-uniting with Ontario March of Dimes. For the second year, the star of the recent hit movie, Scary Movie 3, is continuing his role as Honorary Campaign Chair for the charitable organization. Their annual Door-to-Door Campaign is the charity's largest fundraising initiative of the year. For over half a century, Ontario March of Dimes' volunteers have been canvassing their neighbourhood homes raising money for the much-needed programs and services for people with physical disabilities. On Jan. 5 - the official launch of the campaign - more than 17,000 volunteer canvassers will be at it again, hoping to raise $1 million across the province. "Ontario March of Dimes helps people with many different disabilities in so many ways," says Nielsen, who will be featured in a series of television, radio and print ads, promoting the organization. The first appearance of Ontario March of Dimes canvassers in Canada was in 1949 when Marching Mothers(R) organized to raise money for a polio cure. Desperate to save their children from this deadly disease, mothers across Canada went knocking on every neighbourhood door they could find. In 1955, thanks to their heroic efforts, the polio struggle was over with the discovery of the Salk vaccine. What originally started out as a grassroots effort to find a cure for polio, however, evolved into serving people with all types of physical disabilities, including multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, cerebral palsy, post-polio syndrome, stroke, paraplegia and many others. "Ontario March of Dimes is doing it all for people with physical disabilities," adds Nielsen. "Whether it's to help them find a job, acquire a mobility aid or provide attendant care, they help people with physical disabilities live independently and part of their own communities." January is Ontario March of Dimes Month. Monies raised from the Door-to-Door Campaign also help support programs like the Stroke Recovery Network(R), Conductive Education(R) and the Assistive Devices Program. For more information, call 1-800-263-DIME or visit www.dimes.on.ca. Ontario March of Dimes is one of the largest charitable rehabilitation organizations in Ontario, providing a wide range of services across the province to enhance the independence and community participation of people with physical disabilities. For further information: Media Contact: Tom Bartsiokas, Media Relations, ONTARIO MARCH OF DIMES, Provincial Office, 10 Overlea Blvd., Toronto, ON, M4H 1A4, Tel: (416) 425-3463 OR 1-800-263-3463 ext. 240, Cell: (416) 305-0084, Fax: (416) 425-1920, [log in to unmask], www.dimes.on.ca SOURCE: Canada Newswire http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/January2004/05/c7523.html * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn