Three Whitehorse businesses have joined the growing list of supports for the 2007 Canada Winter Games, one at the Diamond level.

Norcan joined the Games on Wednesday, signing an agreement worth $200,000 in value-in-kind, making them a Diamond level Friends of the Games sponsor. Their contribution will be used for vehicle rentals before and during the Games in 2007.

'Sponsoring the Games is important to us because this is a local event and we are a local company,' said Sheldon Leger, rental manager at Norcan. 'The Games will bring many benefits to our community and we are happy to be a part of this huge event.'

At a press conference this morning at the High Country Inn, both the Inn and AON Reed Stenhouse were also announced as sponsors.

The High Country will give a $50,000 contribution in value-in-kind to the Games. As a Klondike Gold Friends of the Games partner, this new addition to the sponsors list will offer the Host Society free room nights, preferred rates, catering and free access to conference rooms.

Barry Belchambers, the owner of the hotel, said he sees the Games as a real opportunity. Belchambers and his wife, Maggie, have been in the Yukon for about 35 years and they believe they have an obligation to the community to take part in important events.

'Maggie and I are very happy to do this,' he said at the conference. 'With the tremendous facilities that are going to be left behind (after 2007), the quality of life in the Yukon is second to none. I don't think there's even a community of 150,000 anywhere in Canada that has the facilities we have.'

The hotel owner pointed out that while he and Maggie can't be part of the Games physically, they will do it in anyway they can.

'The Games needs hotel rooms and we have a hotel so the partnership is an easy fit. We regard this as a wonderful opportunity to participate in this way to help the Games be a wonderful success.'

Committed to providing the Games with a $30,000 cash contribution, AON Reed Stenhouse is the local branch of a national insurance corporation, which specializes in risk management.

Also dedicated to supporting sport involvement in communities across Canada, the Mammoth Ivory Friends of the Games partner is proud to join the 2007 Host Society in its efforts to stage this momentous event, said Cheryl Woodford, senior vice-president and branch manager of AON Reed Stenhouse.

'AON is just really pleased to be able to contribute back to the community,' she said. 'I know everyone in our office here in Whitehorse is really looking forward to helping out in any way they can as volunteers also.'

Whitehorse Mayor Ernie Bourassa, who is also the volunteer vice-president for 2007, said Woodford has been putting money aside for this purpose since 2000, to make sure there were sponsorship funds available when the community hosted such a large event.

'It's fantastic to see this level of local support,' said Bourassa. 'And I'm sure the local business community is going to continue this level of support as well.

'In the next two months, you're going to see about six or seven test events (for the Canada Games) which are going to contribute a lot to the businesses here in Whitehorse. I'm sure Barry (Belchambers) and every other business in the community is looking forward to hosting these athletes and anyone else taking part.'

The Games Host Society sponsorship division has been meeting with businesses across Canada in an effort to raise the $7-million target. They are launching a local campaign this month and have sponsorship levels designed to accommodate all sizes of business.

'We are well on our way to achieving this goal,' stated Paul Flaherty, volunteer vice-president of the sponsorship division. 'The generous support of businesses such as Norcan will help us reach this target. We are very appreciative of local businesses joining the Games and supporting our efforts.'

Meanwhile, students in Watson Lake recently won the contest to name the official Yukon mascot for the 2007 Games. All schools throughout the Yukon were invited to participate in the contest.

Linda McDonald's Grade 8 Kaska class chose the name 'Y˙ka', and the Liard First Nation Education and Language Department has granted approval for the Games to use the traditional word meaning 'Northern Lights', for the official Yukon mascot a husky.

Watson Lake Secondary School students Tim Lane, Kline Stewart, Milo Spring, Kecia Shepard, Dana Robson, Brittany Dennis, Brady McMillan, Kevin Pete and Shanay Pete, with the assistance of Zuneza Cove, will be honoured on January 25 at a special assembly.

Members of the Host Society will be traveling to Watson Lake to congratulate and celebrate along with the community. Y˙ka, along with his mascot friends from the N.W.T. and Nunavut� whose names will be released at the celebration will share in the huge first birthday party that will be held at the recreation centre from 5-7 p.m.