The Co-operators supports tree-planting efforts following tornado

The Co-operators has pledged $5,000 to Tree Canada to assist with tree planting efforts following the damage caused by an F2 tornado that touched down near Ottawa on Aug. 2.The amount is in addition to the claims The Co-operators handled when the tornado ripped through the Madawaska Valley, causing extensive damage to the nearby town of Combermere.”As an insurer, we see the devastation that storms cause on a regular basis,” The Co-operators president and CEO Kathy Bardswick said in a press release. “So it’s very rewarding to help not only our clients, but also their neighbours and the surrounding natural environment.”According to the insurer, the tornado “pummeled” local brush and wildlife throughout the Madawaska countryside. The first tree of the recovery effort as officially planted on Sept 27 (Maple Leaf Day). The majority of the planting will take place in spring 2007.Tree Canada Foundation is a not-for-profit, charitable organization established in 1992. Its president, Mike Rosen, expressed pleasure at The Co-operators contribution. “We really appreciate it when private companies voluntarily step up to the plate to support our work,” he said. “We’re trying to work with the local community to repair the damage caused by the tornado. It’s nice to know we don’t have to do it alone.”The donation was made in recognition of input provided by Co-operators staff, agents and others on the company’s Corporate Responsibility Report. Further information about The Co-operators on sustainability is available in the report, located at www.cooperators.ca