Wanted: Service Minded Kids
Reward: $10,000
In Celebration of Youth Leadership Month
Build-A-Bear Workshop®
Launches its Ninth Search for Huggable Heroes
Amazing Young Leaders & Volunteers
Who Make a Difference in their Communities and Around the World
2011 Huggable Hero & CNN Heroes “Young Wonder”
18-Year-Old, Justin Churchman
Accomplished a remarkable goal: Building 18 homes for people in
Juarez, Mexico by his 18th birthday through Casas por Cristo.
Justin’s Story: Justin Churchman, 18 years old from El Paso, TX is helping change lives in Juarez, Mexico, one house at a time. Through Casas por Cristo, Justin was able to accomplish a remarkable goal: building 18 homes for homeless people by his 18th birthday. His efforts include raising $48,000 for building materials by making presentations to organizations and contacting business owners. He also has recruited 75 volunteers to assist in this effort. Justin is a 2011 Huggable Hero & CNN Heroes “Young Wonder”. Millions of young people want to change the world. Justin is actually doing it.
What: In celebration of Youth Leadership month, Justin will tell his story and help inspire kids to accomplish their own amazing feats. Also, he will discuss how kids can be recognized for their good deeds by becoming a 2012 Huggable Hero.
Huggable Heroes: Since 2004, more than 100 exceptional young people have been recognized as Build-A-Bear Workshop Huggable Heroes®. Our annual Huggable Heroes program supports thousands of causes and champions un-bear-lievable efforts of young people who are making a difference. This year, we will add 10 more amazing kids to our growing roster of Huggable Heroes. If you know any young leaders, ages 8 to 18 from the U.S., Puerto Rico or Canada, who provides extraordinary service in their communities or around the world, nominate them today!
Ten winners will receive $10,000 ($7,500 educational scholarship and $2,500 charity donation), plus a trip to St. Louis to be recognized. They also will be featured in the Build-A-Bear Workshop 2013 Huggable Heroes calendar. Nomination forms are available now through February 27th at your local Build-A-Bear Workshop store or online at http://www.lovehugssmiles.com/HuggableHeroes.aspx.
BUILD-A-BEAR WORKSHOP
SEEKS SERVICE-MINDED KIDS
TO JOIN RANKS OF HUNDREDS OF HUGGABLE HEROES …
AND COUNTING
ST. LOUIS (February 2012) –Build-A-Bear Workshop® launches its ninth annual search for Huggable Heroes®. This group will be made up of inspiring young leaders who have a commitment to serve, help others, and make a difference in their community. Kids, ages eight to 18, can be nominated through February 27 by visiting www.buildabear.com/huggableheroes or picking up an entry form at Build-A-Bear Workshop stores in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada.
The 10 selected Huggable Heroes will each receive $10,000 ($7,500 in the form of an educational scholarship from Build-A-Bear Workshop and $2,500 from the Build-A-Bear Workshop Foundation to be donated to the 501(c)(3) charity or Canadian cause of their choice). In addition, the Huggable Heroes will receive a trip for themselves and one parent, or legal guardian, to St. Louis, home of Build-A-Bear Workshop World Bearquarters, where they will be celebrated for their work, participate in a professional photo shoot, and take part in a community service project.
Since Build-A-Bear Workshop first launched the program in 2004, more than 100 Huggable Heroes have been recognized, and have collectively been awarded nearly one million dollars in donations and scholarship money. This year, Build-A-Bear Workshop and its foundation will contribute $100,000 more to the educational development and community-minded efforts of young people who do their part with heart.
Entries will be narrowed down to 80 semifinalists in March and to 30 finalists in May. In June, ten noteworthy young people will be selected and named 2012 Build-A-Bear Workshop Huggable Heroes.
“Our Huggable Heroes provide us with hope and inspiration year after year through their efforts to help others,” said Maxine Clark, Build-A-Bear Workshop founder and chief executive bear. “It always amazes me to see how creative and passionate our youth are and how the Huggable Heroes use these skills to help improve the world around us. It is our mission at Build-A-Bear Workshop to make sure these kids are recognized and awarded for their efforts. We are investing in young leaders today to be future leaders tomorrow.”
Over the last three years alone, Build-A-Bear Workshop Huggable Heroes have raised funds and gathered items valued at nearly $40 million. They’ve logged countless hours giving back, launching toy drives, collecting supplies for underserved children, providing relief to victims of natural disasters, sending care packages and phone cards to soldiers, starting networks that mobilize and empower kids to help others and much more.
To read the stories about the Build-A-Bear Workshop Huggable Heroes and learn more about the program, visit http://heroes.lovehugssmiles.com/huggableheroes.aspx
About Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.
Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. is the only global company that offers an interactive make-your-own stuffed animal retail-entertainment experience. There are more than 400 Build-A-Bear Workshop stores worldwide, including company owned stores in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland, and franchise stores in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, the Middle East, Mexico and South America. Founded in St. Louis in 1997, Build-A-Bear Workshop is the leader in interactive retail. Brands include make-your-own Major League Baseball® mascot in-stadium locations, and Build-A-Dino® stores. Build-A-Bear Workshop extends its in-store interactive experience online with its award winning virtual world Web site at www.bearville.com. The company was named to the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® lists for the third year in a row in 2011. Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE: BBW) posted total revenue of $401.5 million in fiscal 2010. For more information, call 888.560.BEAR (2327) or visit the company’s award-winning Web site at www.buildabear.com.
TRADEMARKS
We would like to thank you for your interest in covering our business. As you write your story, we would ask that you use our full name: Build-A-Bear Workshop® and that when referencing the process of making stuffed animals you use the word “make” not “build.” Build-A-Bear Workshop is our well-known trade name and our registered trademark of Build-A Bear Retail Management, Inc. Build-A-Bear Workshop® should only be used in capital letters to refer to our products and services and should not be used as a verb.
