MARTIN HAVLAT MAKES DONATION TO OTTAWA�S RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE

OTTAWA - Ottawa Senators forward Martin Havlat today announced he is donating $25,000 and a pair of season tickets to Ottawa�s Ronald McDonald House through the Ottawa Senators Foundation.

The announcement was made today by Havlat and his player agent, Allan J. Walsh, at Ottawa�s Ronald McDonald House on Smyth Road. Ottawa Senators Foundation president Dave Ready, Ronald McDonald house president Carol Houston and Ronald McDonald House board member Mark Bonneau were on hand to accept the cheque from Havlat.

�I wanted to do something to help out young kids in our community,� said Havlat. �I am in a very fortunate situation to be playing hockey and having fun every day. These children have not been as lucky, so this is a small way in which I can help them out.�

�This is certainly one of the most exciting events to happen at Ottawa's Ronald McDonald House since it opened in 1984,� said Houston. �Martin's gift goes straight to the heart of our House and to the reason that we are all here, which is to make each parent and child who walks through our doors feel at home. It's not often that something this exciting and special happens and we are very proud to welcome Martin into Ottawa's Ronald McDonald House family."

Ronald McDonald House is a unique place offering an opportunity for families from out of town, with very ill children, to share common concerns and to provide a caring, supportive and home-like atmosphere to families in times of great stress. Ronald McDonald House of Ottawa and Eastern Ontario is a "Home-Away-From-Home" for more than 2000 parents and children annually from Northern Ontario, Kingston to Cornwall and from as far away as Newfoundland. Ronald McDonald House is privately owned and operated by a 15 member volunteer Board of Directors and relies entirely on individuals, community groups and businesses in Ottawa and the surrounding areas for the funding necessary for its continued successful operation as an integral part of Ottawa's medical community.