Stuffed with Hugs: Your Gift. Your Choice. Saturday 17th May
Make an animal for free to donate to your choice of three beary special causes
On Saturday, 17th May, 2008 at the Build-A-Bear Workshop® store in Covent Garden, kids of all ages have a chance to give back... their way.
Build-A-Bear Workshop® is inviting Guests to help stuff golden retrievers and velvet puppies with extra hugs and love to be donated to children’s health and wellness, literacy and pet charities.
On this special Stuffed with Hugs™ Day, Build-A-Bear Workshop invites the first 100 Guests in its stores in the UK and Ireland - to make an animal for free then donate the stuffed animal to one of three causes – which they have indicated are important to them. No cost to you – just share your time and love.
It’s all part of Stuffed with Hugs: Your gift. Your choice. Since the event began, more than 275,000 furry friends have been made and donated to children in need of a hug across the world.
This year’s charities are:
• The National Deaf Children’s Society – a charity dedicated to creating a world without barriers for deaf children and young people
• National Literacy Trust - changing lives through literacy
• The Blue Cross – Britain’s Pet Charity - providing care, promoting companionship, and enhancing animal and human lives
This is the first time in the Stuffed with Hugs‘ programme’s history that Build-A-Bear Workshop® is partnering with multiple organizations and asking its Guests to choose where their furry friends are donated. The charities will distribute the animals to those in need of hugs in local areas.
“We are beary excited about this year’s Stuffed with Hugs programme,” said Pete Manley, Covent Garden Build-A-Bear Workshop Chief Workshop Manager. “By allowing our Guests, especially our young Guests, to have a role in deciding where to donate the animals they make, we hope to reinforce the value and joy of giving back and that simple acts can go a long way to make others smile.”
Also new to the Stuffed with Hugs™ programme this year is the opportunity for Guests in www.buildabearville.com™, the online world from Build-A-Bear Workshop, to learn about helping others through the Stuffed with Hugs event. Visitors to buildabearville.com can respond to a call to action to participate in real world Stuffed with Hugs activities. Beginning 7th May, a White Fluffy Puppy will appear in the online world handing out virtual gifts representing health and wellness, children’s literacy and animal education. White Fluffy Puppy will let visitors know about Stuffed with Hugs and how they can participate at any Build-A-Bear Workshop store.
As a thank you for helping, Stuffed with Hugs participants will also receive a code to get 1,000 Bear Bills™ for their online character in buildabearville.com, as well as a Build-A-Bear Workshop offer worth £2 off a £10 purchase.
Build-A-Bear Workshop stores in America, Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa are participating in the annual Stuffed with Hugs charitable programme.
To learn more about Stuffed with Hugs: Your Gift. Your Choice. activities or to find the store in your area, visit www.buildabear.co.uk. See stores for details.
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. The company currently operates more than 375 Build-A-Bear Workshop stores worldwide, including company-owned stores in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland and France, and franchise stores in Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa. 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, Build-A-Dino® stores and friends 2B made® doll locations. In December 2007
Build-A-Bear Workshop extended its in-store interactive experience online with the launch of its virtual world at www.buildabearville.com. Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE: BBW) posted total revenue of $474 million in fiscal 2007. For more information, call 888.560.BEAR (2327) or visit the company’s award-winning Web sites at www.buildabear.com and www.friends2bmade.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 Workshop, 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.
