Campuses nationwide show support for New7Wonders campaign
(Bay of Fundy, NS/NB – September 29, 2011) – Universities across Canada and Maine unveiled giant sevens this morning to show their support for Canada’s only finalist in the global New7Wonders of Nature campaign. The universities each created unique sevens as part of a competition organized by the Bay of Fundy Tourism partners to encourage students to vote in the campaign.
Participating universities included three from the provinces and state bordering the Bay of Fundy: Acadia University, Mount Allison University, and the University of Maine at Machias. Additional support came from across the country, with University of Waterloo, University of Calgary and the University of British Columbia all taking part.
“Having this swell of support from across the country is really important to our efforts in getting Canadians to vote in the campaign,” said Terri McCulloch, Executive Director of Bay of Fundy Tourism. “Not only is it wonderful to see the creative sevens and have students voting for us, but the timing is really important as we head towards the end of the campaign on November 11.”
The student-created sevens that sprouted up this morning were judged on their creativity and the way in which they engaged the student body. Entries included a human seven made up of Fundy mud-covered Acadia students, to a giant inflatable 7 engineered by UBC students. The University of Calgary made a 7 from non-perishable food bank items, while Mount Allison hung a seven from the atrium of their student’s centre that was covered with photos of students with a seven.
The winning 7 was a tie between the mud-covered human seven from Acadia University and the giant inflatable 7 from the University of British Columbia.
“Students have a lot of reasons to be proud of Canada’s entry in the New7Wonders contest,” said McCulloch. “From the world’s highest tides to abundance of fossils and diverse marine life, the Bay of Fundy really deserves a place as one the New7Wonders of Nature.”
In addition to the giant sevens, student organizers also encouraged their peers to vote in the campaign, using quick response codes to deliver the voting website. There are three ways to vote for the Bay of Fundy in the New7Wonders of Nature campaign: free voting online via www.votemyfundy.com, via the New7Wonders of Nature Facebook Page or by texting FUNDY to 77077 on any Canadian cell phone (cost: $0.25 per text vote).
“We hope this wave of momentum that the students have provided us will continue and reach others across Canada,” said McCulloch. “Now is the time to vote with only a few weeks left in the campaign.”
About the Bay of Fundy
The Bay of Fundy is a 270 km (170 mile) long ocean bay that stretches between the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia on Canada’s east coast. The Bay of Fundy is best known for the highest tides in the world and has been compared, in marine biodiversity, to the Amazon Rainforest. The Bay is the summer feeding area for half the world’s population of endangered North Atlantic Right Whales and 12 other whale species. It is home to the world’s most complete fossil record of the “Coal Age” (300 million years ago) as well as Canada’s oldest dinosaurs. The Bay of Fundy is home to two UNESCO Biosphere Reserves (Bay of Fundy & Southwest Nova) as well as the Joggins Fossil Cliffs UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Stonehammer Geopark in Saint John.
About Bay of Fundy Tourism
Bay of Fundy Tourism is the official nominating committee of the Bay of Fundy in the New7Wonders of Nature campaign. The organization’s mandate is to raise the profile of the Bay of Fundy as a Canadian nature tourism icon. This non-profit association is supported by Nova Scotia Tourism, Culture & Heritage; New Brunswick Tourism & Parks; the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), and Regional Development & Tourism Associations.
Photos accompanies this release. All Sprouting 7 photos can be found on the Bay of Fundy Tourism’s Facebook page.
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Heather Creighton Spriet
m5pr
902-422-2988
heather@m5pr.ca
Travis Smith
m5pr
902-465-3152
travis@m5pr.ca
