October 31, 2011 09:17 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Star-Studded Event Raises More than $520,000 for Education Foundations and Children with Special Needs
MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif.--(
BUSINESS WIRE)--The SKECHERS Foundation today announced that more than $520,000 was raised for children with special needs and education through yesterday’s SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk. The 20ll donations were significantly higher than last year’s Pier to Pier Walk’s total of $380,000 thanks to the record number of walkers, more than 7,000 people, and the many donations by local and national businesses, including presenting sponsor Kids Foot Locker.
“I believe that it is our obligation as parents and business leaders to provide assistance to wonderful organizations like The Friendship Circle, which touches the hearts of so many, and to help schools during these tough times.”
“Three years ago we had 2,200 people come out, and last year we had 3,800 walkers. I got an email at 1 a.m. this morning from a team leader saying that we were at 7,200 walkers. This is our biggest turnout yet,” Michael Greenberg, president of SKECHERS, told the crowd at the SKECHERS Pier to Pier Walk on Sunday. “But I want each one of you to tell a friend about this so next year, we can raise more money for children with special needs and our kids’ education.”
Greenberg later added: “I believe that it is our obligation as parents and business leaders to provide assistance to wonderful organizations like The Friendship Circle, which touches the hearts of so many, and to help schools during these tough times.”
Sunday’s event, which was a 3.4 mile walk from Manhattan Beach to Hermosa Beach and back, was hosted by fitness expert and SKECHERS ambassador Denise Austin, who rallied the crowd before the walk. Dancing with the Stars host and SKECHERS spokesperson Brooke Burke Charvet and legendary Hall of Fame baseball manager Tommy Lasorda also spoke to the crowd about the importance of education and fitness.
“I have four kids and as a mom, education is a high priority on my list,” Brooke Burke Charvet told the crowd. When I think about what’s happening (within the education system) and how all of you are giving back, through your efforts and your contributions and donations, and to come out here today, and walk and gather and spend time with the family and friends, it’s really incredible. You should all be proud of yourselves today for making such a difference.”
“This is a great country we live in,” Tommy Lasorda said from the Pier to Pier Walk stage. “We’re always able to help somebody in need and what you’re doing here today is helping. You ought to be congratulated for what you’ve done here, you should be proud, you should walk prouder this year then you did last year. Just remember one thing, to paraphrase the words of the great general Douglas MacArthur: ‘We shall return.’ I hope we get more people involved next year.”
In addition to presenter Kids Foot Locker, sponsors of the 2011 SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk include Wells Fargo, Body Glove, Merrill Lynch, Chevron, Ross Stores, Marriott, Premier Displays & Exhibits, Marshalls, United Legwear, Waste Management, Equinox, Shape Magazine, Star Magazine, Union Bank, AT&T, Team One and Nestle, among others.
The Friendship Circle, a non-profit organization that assists children with special needs and their families through one-on-one peer mentoring and social recreational programming (
www.gotfriends.com).
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 producing 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, as well as under several uniquely branded names. 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
Canada,
Brazil,
Chile, 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 (
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 SKECHERS’ Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 and its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2011. The risks included here are not exhaustive. SKECHERS operates 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 Company assess the impact of all such risk factors on its respective business 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.
Contacts
SKECHERS USA, Inc.
Jennifer Clay, 310-937-1326
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20111031006617/en/SKECHERS-Pier-Pier-Friendship-Walk-Breaks-Records
This press release also appeared on
MarketWatch and
TheStreet under the headline "Friendship Circle Members Join SKECHERS President Michael Greenberg On Stage During The Opening Ceremonies For The Walk.,".
