Denise Austin Fan: SKECHERS Announces Celebrity Hosts for Fourth Annual Pier to Pier Friendship Walk Presented by Nickelodeon

October 18, 2012 03:32 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Tommy Lasorda, Brooke Burke-Charvet and Denise Austin support children with special needs and education

MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SKECHERS USA, Inc. (NYSE:SKX), a global leader in lifestyle product and innovator of performance footwear, today announced that legendary Hall of Fame baseball manager Tommy Lasorda, Dancing with the Stars co-host Brooke Burke-Charvet, and fitness expert Denise Austin will host the fourth annual SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk on Sunday, October 28. Each celebrity shares a long history with SKECHERS; Lasorda – a loyal friend of the Company for many years – will appear in a new SKECHERS ad campaign later this fall, and both Burke-Charvet and Austin have supported the Company’s footwear collections as celebrity endorsees.

“When I participated in last year’s SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk, it made such a dramatic impact on me that I was compelled to return this year and show my support”

SKECHERS is anticipating 10,000 participants at this year’s Pier to Pier Friendship Walk, which is presented by Nickelodeon, and will aim to surpass the $600,000 fundraising total from 2011. Since its 2009 launch, the walk has raised $1.2 million to help retain vital educational programs, maintain smaller class sizes, upgrade school technology, as well as support The Friendship Circle – a non-profit organization that assists children with special needs and their families through one-on-one peer mentoring and social programming (www.gotfriends.com).

“We are thrilled that Tommy, Brooke and Denise are hosting this year’s walk and devoting their time to help the SKECHERS Foundation raise awareness and funds for these important causes,” said SKECHERS president Michael Greenberg. “Schools rely on this additional funding to maintain valuable programs that are constantly threatened by budget cuts, and the Friendship Circle creates a life-changing environment that not only helps children with special needs, but also influences teen volunteers to become caring mentors who give back to the community. These children are the future of our nation, so it’s crucial that we step up and provide the financial support they need to succeed.”

“When I participated in last year’s SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk, it made such a dramatic impact on me that I was compelled to return this year and show my support,” said Brooke Burke-Charvet. “These kids are truly inspiring, and watching them join together to save our schools and support children with special needs is such a great example for other communities across the country. I hope people recognize what SKECHERS has accomplished through the Pier to Pier Walk, and it compels them to show support for this important cause on a national level.”

Traveling from the Manhattan Beach Pier to Hermosa Beach Pier and back, the 3.4-mile walk will include performances from local school bands, cheerleading teams and free activities for the entire family:

•	8 AM	Check-in and registration
		Sponsor exhibitions and Kids Fun Zone activities
•	9 AM	Opening Ceremony Celebration at Manhattan Beach Pier
•	10 AM	Walk begins

The Pier to Pier Walk will also be followed by the 22^nd annual World Famous Pumpkin Races at the Manhattan Beach Pier.

Individuals, families, team leaders and team members can register online at www.skechersfriendshipwalk.com or by mail for $25. Registration at the Manhattan Beach Pier on the morning of the event is $30. Registered participants will receive a commemorative SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk t-shirt, goody bag and complimentary water and drinks along the walk route. For those who cannot participate, donations will also be accepted until the day of the walk; event sponsors and volunteers are also welcome to participate.

In addition to Nickelodeon, the SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk thanks its sponsors True Religion, Wells Fargo, DIRECTV, WSS, Michael Stars, Kids Foot Locker, Ross, Body Glove, Marshalls, Murad, Chevron, Fresh Brothers, Union Bank, Equinox, Travel Store, Bobeli Screen Printing, Premier Displays and Exhibits, Viva International Group, Adjmi Apparel Group, Bel Air Investments, Dabsan International, O'Melveny & Myers, Diners Club International, Tashman, Mathnasium, United Legwear, Steel Excel and countless others who have provided funds and support to make a difference in children’s lives.

ABOUT SKECHERS Foundation

The SKECHERS Foundation was established to provide families around the world with the necessities and skills to succeed in life. In addition to organizing the SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk, the SKECHERS Foundation funds tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that provide education and job training, shoes, clothing, fitness and nutrition guidance to communities in need.

ABOUT SKECHERS USA, INC. SKECHERS USA, Inc., based in Manhattan Beach, California, designs, develops and markets a diverse range of footwear for men, women and children under the SKECHERS name. SKECHERS footwear is available in the United States via department and specialty stores, Company-owned SKECHERS retail stores and its e-commerce website, and over 100 countries and territories through the Company’s global network of distributors and subsidiaries in Brazil, Canada, Chile, Japan, and across Europe, as well as through joint ventures in Asia. For more information, please visit www.skechers.com, and follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/SKECHERS) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/SKECHERSUSA).

This announcement may contain forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, any statement that may predict, forecast, indicate or simply state future results, performance or achievements, and can be identified by the use of forward looking language such as "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "project," "will be," "will continue," "will result," "could," "may," "might," or any variations of such words with similar meanings. Any such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include international, national and local general economic, political and market conditions including the ongoing global economic slowdown and market instability; entry into the highly competitive performance footwear market; sustaining, managing and forecasting costs and proper inventory levels; losing any significant customers, decreased demand by industry retailers and cancellation of order commitments due to the lack of popularity of particular designs and/or categories of products; maintaining brand image and intense competition among sellers of footwear for consumers; anticipating, identifying, interpreting or forecasting changes in fashion trends, consumer demand for the products and the various market factors described above; sales levels during the spring, back-to-school and holiday selling seasons; and other factors referenced or incorporated by reference in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 and its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended June 30, 2012. The risks included here are not exhaustive. SKECHERS and Nickelodeon operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time and the companies cannot predict all such risk factors, nor can the companies assess the impact of all such risk factors on their respective businesses or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Moreover, reported results should not be considered an indication of future performance.

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