Stephen Blais, Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB) trustee for Orléans-Cumberland, announced that will donate his raise to the 2009 Weekend to End Breast Cancer.

The annual event, which takes place this weekend, sees thousands of residents across the National Capital Region participate in a two day, 60 kilometre walk.

"I am very humbled that my donation will contribute to funding so important like cancer research," said Blais. "I am hopeful that the Weekend to End Breat Cancer will continue to grow and that every dollar raised helps protect our mothers, daughters, aunts, nieces, sisters and wives from being stricken by this horrible disease."

Blais' $5,000 donation will be divided evenly between two teams of women from who have taken part in the yearly event which benefits the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation.

One of those groups is from Orléans.

"Breast cancer touches so many Canadians, and with the unselfish support of certain individuals, we are confident that we will create a future without breast cancer," said Linda Egan, executive director of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation.

Scotiabank is also contributing to Blais' donation with $2,000, bringing the total to $7,000.

"Stephen Blais' community spirit and donation to this worthy cause will assist women in our community in our march to end breast cancer," said Debblie Chaudhari, a member from the Orléans team.

When he was elected as an OCSB trustee, Blais said that he would use the 150 per cent yearly raise for trustees for community causes.

In his first year a trustee, Blais established an annual bursary at Carleton University awarded to a graduating student from either St. Matthew Catholic High School and St. Peter Catholic High School in Orléans.

The $5,000 donation to the university was matched dollar for dollar by the provincial government, bringing its total to $10,000.

Phil Beriault, a graduating student from St. Peter's, was the inaugural recipient of the yearly bursary this year.

"I believe in fiscal responsibility, and during the last election campaign, I made a clear promise to give back to the community by donating the 150 per cent raise trustees received," said Blais, a resident of Convent Glen. "As an elected official, I believe incumbent upon me and my colleagues to help raise awareness of issues that affect our community and residents."