Sun Life Financial brings the sound of music to the East Coast

Popular Musical Instrument Lending Library program expands
to Fredericton Public Library

FREDERICTON, May 9, 2018 /CNW/ - Maritime music lovers rejoice! Residents in the Fredericton area will now be able to borrow musical instruments from the Fredericton Public Library courtesy of the Sun Life Financial Musical Instrument Lending Library program. Just like taking out a book, this innovative program allows anyone with a valid library card the opportunity to borrow a variety of musical instruments, all free of charge.

Last year, Sun Life announced the expansion of its highly popular Sun Life Financial Musical Instrument Lending Library program, with Fredericton being the seventh city to benefit from this groundbreaking initiative. Through the program, over three million library cardholders across Canada now have access to musical instruments.

"The arts, and particularly music, are a deep part of the East Coast's heritage and we're so happy to be able to bring this program to Fredericton. Music is an integral part of our well-being and a great way to unleash creativity while connecting with each other on a more meaningful level," said Paul Joliat, Assistant Vice-President, Philanthropy and Sponsorships, Sun Life Financial. "At Sun Life, we're committed to building healthier, sustainable communities for life, which is why we're excited to help get more instruments in the hands of Canadians and spread the positive power of music."

Sun Life is making a philanthropic donation of $140,000 to the Fredericton Public Library to fund the program's operating costs. In addition to donating 150 instruments, including guitars, banjos, mandolins, ukuleles, violins, drums and portable keyboards, Sun Life has also created a series of videos to assist with the use, care and enjoyment of the instruments. Whether you're just starting out or you're a seasoned musician, the program is perfect for anyone looking to explore the vast world of music.

The Sun Life Financial Musical Instrument Lending Library program is a critical part of the company's philanthropic support of arts and culture through Sun Life's award-winning Making the Arts More Accessible^TM program. Sun Life believes arts and culture should be celebrated within our communities and made available to everyone, regardless of their means.

"Fredericton is a city alive with music. From internationally acclaimed music festivals to a vibrant local music scene, you can feel the vibe as soon as your feet hit the street. The Sun Life Financial Musical Instrument Lending Library will be a huge success! Fredericton is full of music lovers of all ages, boasting enthusiastic teachers and local acts that have made it big. I'm confident our community will embrace this collection of musical instruments and our library is the perfect place to house this collection. We can't wait to put instruments into the hands, and music into the ears and hearts of Frederictonians," said Jon Holt, Chair of the Fredericton Public Library Board.

The Fredericton Public Library will also be holding a musical instrument donation drive running from May 8, 2018 to May 30, 2018 to add to the collection so that more people will have access to instruments. Residents of the Fredericton region may drop off their donations of new or gently used guitars, banjos, mandolins, ukuleles, violins, drums and portable keyboards at:

• Fredericton Public Library, 12 Carleton Street
• Fredericton Public Library, Nashwaaksis, 324 Fulton Avenue
• Long and McQuade, 981 Prospect Street

Please visit makesomemusicfredericton.ca for more information.

The Sun Life Financial Musical Instrument Lending Library program was first launched at the Toronto Public Library and has since expanded to the Vancouver, Montréal, Calgary, Kitchener and Ottawa Public Libraries. The program is an overwhelming success at all libraries.

Sun Life Financial in the community
At Sun Life Financial, we are committed to building sustainable, healthier communities for life and we're proud to hold the Caring Company designation from Imagine Canada. Community wellness is an important part of our sustainability commitment and we believe that by actively supporting the communities in which we live and work, we can help build a positive environment for our Clients, Employees, advisors and shareholders. Our philanthropic support focuses on two key areas: health, with an emphasis on diabetes awareness, prevention, care and research initiatives through our Team Up Against Diabetes^TM platform; and arts and culture, through our award-winning Making the Arts More Accessible ^TM program. We also partner with sports properties in key markets to further our commitment to healthy and active living. Our Employees and advisors take great pride in volunteering over 29,000 hours each year and contribute to making life brighter for individuals and families across Canada. Read more about Sun Life Financial in the community.

About Fredericton Public Library
The Fredericton Public Library is located at the heart of the capital city of New Brunswick. Part of the New Brunswick Public Library Service, the downtown library branch serves over 700 people per day and is the busiest public library in the province and the busiest public space in the city. The library offers programs and services for all ages and all members of the community, 7 days a week. Housing over 150,000 items including books, newspapers, magazines and audio visual materials, the library also loans snowshoes, seeds for your garden, energy meters, museum passes and offers space for citizens to create and learn. Just across the river, Fredericton Public Library - Nashwaaksis, open 6 days a week, is a public-school library and offers library services to the school population as well as the general public. In New Brunswick, public library service is provided in partnership between the provincial government and participating municipalities.

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.

Note to editors: All figures in Canadian dollars.

Media Relations Contacts:
Hannah Stewart
Senior Communications Specialist
Sun Life Financial
T. 647.256.2136
hanna.stewart@sunlife.com

Julia Stewart
Library Director
Fredericton Public Library
T. 506.460.2809
julia.stewart@gnb.ca

SOURCE Sun Life Financial Canada