Press Release
Teddy bears to be stuffed, fluffed and sent with love to families who have been affected by Hurricane Charley
WHO: Build-A-Bear Workshop® Guests from 3 to 103
WHAT: In a special effort to help families who have been affected by
Hurricane Charley, Build-A-Bear Workshop invites all Guests to come visit the
store at International Plaza and Westfield Shoppingtown Brandon and make a bear
for free. Two hundred bears from each location will be donated to the local
Red Cross Chapter for distribution to families who have suffered from the hurricane.
WHERE: Build-A-Bear Workshop
International Plaza
2223 N. West Shore Blvd
Suite 181
Tampa, FL 33607
Build-A-Bear Workshop
Westfield Shoppingtown Brandon
426 Brandon Town Center Mall
Brandon, FL 33511
WHEN: Saturday, August 21, 2004
10 a.m.
WHY:
-By participating in Stuffed with Hugs™, Guests can help those in need.
-The hug of a Teddy Bear can bring a smile to any child who is facing difficult
circumstances.
About Stuffed with Hugs
The purpose of Stuffed with Hugs is to give children a chance to help others.
"Build-A-Bear Workshop® is a store for, and about, kids," said
Build-A-Bear Workshop Founder and Chief Executive Bear Maxine Clark. "Stuffed
with Hugs has allowed kids to put smiles on the faces of tens of thousands of
other children. It is a simple, yet significant way for kids to help other kids
and make a difference."
As part of their philosophy of giving back to the community, Build-A-Bear Workshop has initiated several key programs to support various causes that help both children and animals. The program, Stuffed with Hugs, was created to give families and children the chance to help others. On May 15, 2004 over 40,000 teddy bears were made across the U.S. and Canada and donated to children of military families through the USO. Teddy bears made in Canada were donated to children through Easter Seals. In addition, each time a new Build-A-Bear Workshop store opens, a Stuffed with Hugs event is held to benefit the community. Stuffed with Hugs began in 2001 and since then Build-A-Bear Workshop has donated over 125,000 bears to worthy causes.
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 160 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 and recently opened stores in
Japan, Korea and Denmark. The company is on track to open more international
stores this year including its first store in France and Australia, 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.