Press Release
Build-A-Bear Workshop® 2004 Huggable Heroes to visit Westfield Shoppingtown, West County
In addition to the two Huggable Heroes, Marc John Jeffries, a cast member from the animated Bill Cosby series Fatherhood on Nickelodeon, and Madylin Sweetin, the big sister from Everybody Loves Raymond will also meet Guests and sign autographs. Both Marc John and Madylin are members of Kids With A Cause Inc., a service program created to children in need. The Huggable Heroes calendar is being pre-released for this special event only. It will be available to all Guests in all Build-A-Bear Workshop stores beginning December 26. The calendar features all 2004 Huggable Heroes winners along with both Madylin and Marc John.
As an added way to recognize both girls outstanding commitment and hard work to the causes they support, Build-A-Bear Workshop will be presenting them with an award at the company's annual Teddy Bear Awards on the night of the 23rd. Both girls have put forth a tremendous amount of effort to make a difference in the lives of so many and Build-A-Bear Workshop is honored to be able to recognize both Rachael and Brooke.
Rachael created a program called Kids Helping Kids focused on the issue of asthma. She was inspired by her younger brother, John-Henry, who suffers with asthma. She has committed over 2,400 hours to her cause, creating educational events, writing and illustrating children's books and writing, directing and editing public service announcements. Her summer day camps provide an opportunity for children suffering from asthma to "just be like every other kid."
Brooke grew up devoted to the United States Marine Corps "Toys for Tots" program and when she found out that the program often ran out of gifts for teenagers, she contacted schools and organizations that worked with teenagers recruiting donations and assistance to ensure that teens had toys and games to play with as well.
About Build-A-Bear Workshop®
Build-A-Bear Workshop is an interactive, entertainment, mall-based retailer
that invites Guests of all ages to create their own customized stuffed animals
through an exciting bear-making process. The first store opened in St. Louis,
Missouri, in 1997, and the company now operates over 170 locations in the USA
with four stores in Canada. Build-A-Bear Workshop opened its first international
store in Sheffield, England in the fall of 2003, added additional international
stores in Japan, Korea, Denmark and Australia in 2004 and plans to open stores
in France and Taiwan in 2005 making it the global leader in the teddy bear business.
Based on a survey compiled by Shopping Centers Today, a publication of the International
Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), Build-A-Bear Workshop was one of six retailers
chosen and presented with the ICSC "2004 Hot Retailer Award". For
more information on the company and its products call (877) 789-BEAR (2327)
or visit the company's award-winning web site at www.buildabear.com.
About Kids With A Cause, Inc.
Kids With A Cause, Inc. (founded in September 1999) was created to provide a
helping hand to the children of the world who, through no fault of their own,
suffer from poverty, hunger, sickness, lack of education, abandonment, neglect
and/or abuse. The members behind Kids With A Cause are primarily celebrity youth
and teens (from film, television & the recording industry), who recognize
that they have been very fortunate and understand, even at a young age, that
it is never too early or never too late to donate their time to help others
and give back to the community and to the children of the world.