Lynn Johnston’s Farley* to be featured on Ontario Licence Plates

[March 22, 2007] Milton, Ontario – Now you can make sure the world knows that you are a fan of Farley and a supporter of the Farley Foundation. On March 26, 2007 the Ministry of Transportation in Ontario will begin selling personalized licence plates starring... you guessed it, Canadian artist and cartoonist Lynn Johnston’s beloved Farley character in his Farley Foundation logo.

The Farley Foundation is a charitable organization which assists seniors and disabled individuals to access the emergency veterinary care of their pets. The Foundation – named after Lynn Johnston’s infamous character Farley -- will receive a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each licence plate. Farley Foundation licence plates will also provide great public relations value when displayed on cars registered in Ontario, by:

• Raising awareness of the Farley Foundation
• Raising the awareness of the human-animal bond, and
• Raising awareness of people and pets in need.

“I am so proud that Farley will be memorialized by a licence plate,” says Lynn Johnston. “The Farley Foundation is a wonderful organization which has done amazing things in a short period of time! The Pattersons would be pleased to know that Farley’s memory is helping to promote animal health and is helping people with pets in need.”

Starting today, the new Farley Foundation graphic licence plates can be purchased through the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario via:

• The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) Issuing Offices
• MTO Service Ontario Kiosks machines (usually found in shopping malls) or
• The MTO web site at http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/ (click on Drivers & Vehicles, then click on Ministry Online Services).

Prices for the plate are set by the Ministry of Transportation and vary depending on one’s personal needs. Options include,

• Regular graphic licence plate – a regular licence plate number with the Farley Foundation logo
• Personalized graphic licence plate – a licence plate with the Farley Foundation logo, plus your creative licence plate number/word
• Graphic licence plate with a Farley Foundation number – a licence plate featuring the Farley Foundation logo, plus the letters FF and a designated number.

Not all options will be available immediately through MTO’s web site. For complete plate option and pricing details, please speak with an MTO sales representative or visit the MTO web site at http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/

About the Farley Foundation
The Farley Foundation assists seniors (in receipt of the Federal Guaranteed Income Supplement) and disabled persons (in receipt of the Ontario Disability Support Payment) to access the emergency veterinary treatment of their pets. Established in 2001 by the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association, the Foundation has distributed over $250,000 to assist more than 800 pets.

*North Bay native Lynn Johnston created the Farley cartoon character as part of her syndicated comic strip, For Better or For Worse®. The beloved English sheepdog was a member of the comic strip’s Patterson family, and died while attempting to save April Patterson, who had fallen in a ravine. The Farley Foundation is named in honour of this much loved character.

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For more information about the Farley Foundation or the above release, please contact:
Nadia Vercillo, Manager of Communications and Public Relations
P. 1.888.262.9811, ext. 4
nvercillo@ovma.org

A high resolution Farley Licence Plate sample is available here.