Build-A-Bear: WWF Snow Leopard
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ST. LOUIS -- Aug. 9, 2006 -- Build-A-Bear Workshop® is proud to announce the arrival of Snow Leopard, the newest in the series of co-branded stuffed animals developed by Build-A-Bear Workshop and World Wildlife Fund. Beginning August 11, the Snow Leopard plush will be sold at all Build-A-Bear Workshop stores and on the Web at www.buildabear.com.
Build-A-Bear Workshop donates one dollar to WWF for each Snow Leopard sold to help support the organization's conservation efforts worldwide. Since the first animal was introduced six years ago, Build-A-Bear Workshop has given over $1 million to WWF through the sales of the WWF Collectibear® stuffed animal series.
"We are a company with heart and it is a priority for us to be involved in our communities," said Maxine Clark, Founder and Chief Executive Bear of Build-A-Bear Workshop. "Our Guests have tremendous compassion for animals in need and we believe our new Snow Leopard will further help us raise money for WWF and their great work."
The Snow Leopard, the seventh WWF stuffed animal in the series, will be available for $25 and wears a collector's medallion featuring the official WWF panda logo. Each Snow Leopard owner will also receive a numbered Certificate of Authenticity by mail, further enhancing its value to collectors. To help celebrate the Snow Leopard's arrival the weekend of August 11 - 13, Guests who purchase the Snow Leopard will receive a free bear head clip and special NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS subscription offer.
"The WWF Collectibear® plush animal collection has provided a unique and valuable fundraising source for supporting our conservation work," said Terry Macko, Vice President of Membership at World Wildlife Fund. "The Snow Leopard is an endangered species that needs our protection and we hope through the addition of the Snow Leopard plush at Build-A-Bear Workshop stores children and adults will become aware of the plight of this animal and motivated to contribute to its survival."
Snow Leopards are a rare species that live in the mountains of Central and South Asia. With long hind legs and shortened front limbs, they are incredible jumpers, able to leap up to 50 feet in the air with ease. Right now, Snow Leopards are facing extinction because of illegal fur trading, ongoing destruction to their habitats and a scarce availability of food.
About World Wildlife Fund World Wildlife Fund is the largest conservation organization in the world. For 45 years, WWF has worked to save endangered species, protect endangered habitats, and address global threats such as deforestation, overfishing, and climate change. Known worldwide by its panda logo, WWF works in 100 countries on more than 2,000 conservation programs. WWF has 1.2 million members in the United States and nearly 5 million supporters worldwide. For more information on WWF, visit www.worldwildlife.org.
About Build-A-Bear Workshop Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. is the only global company that offers an interactive make-your-own stuffed animal retail-entertainment experience. Founded in St. Louis in 1997, the company currently operates more than 255 stores in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland. The addition of franchise stores in Europe, Asia and Australia make Build-A-Bear Workshop the leader in interactive retail. In November 2004, the company expanded the make-your-own concept from stuffed animals to dolls with the opening of its first friends 2B made® stores, where Guests can make their own doll friends. In April 2006, Build-A-Bear Workshop acquired The Bear Factory Limited and Amsbra, Ltd. adding company-owned stores in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE: BBW) posted total revenue of $362 million in fiscal 2005. 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.
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