SKECHERS Announces Annual Pier to Pier Friendship Walk and #P2PSteelSports Selfie Challenge to Surpass Last Year’s $1 Million Fundraising Milestone
On Air with Ryan Seacrest co-host Ellen K will join Brooke Burke-Charvet and Tommy Lasorda to raise funds for children with special needs and education
MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The SKECHERS Foundation today announced a $1 million fundraising goal for the 2014 SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk that will take place on Sunday, October 26. Building upon last year’s record-breaking $1 million raised to support children with special needs and education, the 2014 Walk will include new celebrity hosts and an interactive social media campaign to boost fundraising efforts.
Ellen K, co-host of the globally syndicated On Air with Ryan Seacrest radio show, will join television host and actress Brooke Burke-Charvet and legendary Hall of Fame baseball manager Tommy Lasorda at the Walk’s opening ceremony celebration. “I’m proud to partner with SKECHERS to raise awareness for this important cause,” said Ellen K. “It’s inspiring to see their commitment to help children with special needs and support education here in Southern California and across the nation. Their efforts have helped thousands of kids build a stronger future and reach their full potential.”
The X-Factor Season 3 trio Sweet Suspense will also make their first appearance at the Walk to perform the national anthem.
SKECHERS has teamed up with Walk sponsor Steel Sports to launch the new #P2PSteelSports Selfie Challenge. Walkers will be encouraged to take a selfie photo at the event, upload to their Instagram, Facebook or Twitter account with the #P2PSteelSports hashtag, and for each photo posted Steel Sports will make an additional $5 donation towards the Walk. The challenge begins at 8 AM on the morning of the Walk and participants will have 24 hours to post their photos to receive a donation credit.
“The SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk has created life-changing opportunities for thousands of kids with special needs and their families. When you see a child’s face light up from an interaction with their first friend, it truly warms your heart and reminds all of us why supporting organizations like The Friendship Circle is so important,” said SKECHERS president Michael Greenberg. “All of this would not be possible without dedicated teams of walkers and many generous sponsors, including our presenting sponsor Nickelodeon, who step up to support the Walk each year. With the addition of the #P2PSteelSports Selfie Challenge, I’m confident we will surpass $1 million and increase funding for both The Friendship Circle and the education foundations that build a better future for our children.”
Since its inception, the SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk has raised nearly $4 million to help save teachers’ jobs, retain vital educational programs, maintain smaller class sizes, improve libraries, upgrade school technology, as well as support The Friendship Circle – an organization that assists children with special needs and their families through one-on-one peer mentoring and social recreational programming.
The opening ceremony for the 2014 SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk begins at 9 AM at the Manhattan Beach pier. SKECHERS is anticipating more than 12,000 participants will walk the 3.4 mile route to the Hermosa Beach pier and back. To learn more or register, visit skechersfriendshipwalk.com or follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/SKECHERSFriendshipWalk) and Twitter (twitter.com/SkechersP2PWalk).
In addition to headlining sponsor Nickelodeon, the SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk thanks its sponsors that include: Wells Fargo, Steel Sports, The Claudette and Ethan Rickett Care Foundation, Ross, Zappos.com, DIRECTV, Body Glove, Amazon Fashion, Kids Foot Locker, United Legwear, JAKKS Pacific, Marshalls, Cushman & Wakefield, Caskey & Caskey, Siltanen & Partners Advertising, Continental Development, Northrop Grumman, Equinox, Michael Stars, Chevron, and many others who have provided funds and support to provide a better future for children.
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. (NYSE: SKX) (the “Company”), 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 skechers.com, and follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/SKECHERS) and Twitter (twitter.com/SKECHERSUSA).
This announcement contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the Company’s future growth, financial results and operations, its development of new products, future demand for its products and growth opportunities, its planned opening of new stores, advertising and marketing initiatives, and the expansion and automation plans for the Company’s European Distribution Center. Forward-looking statements 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 the resignation of the Company’s former independent registered public accounting firm, and its withdrawal of its audit reports with respect to certain of the Company’s historical financial statements; 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, 2013, and its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2014. The risks included here are not exhaustive. The Company 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 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.
SKECHERS USA, Inc.
Stacey Held, 310-318-3100
Source: SKECHERS USA, Inc.
Released Oct 15, 2014 • 6:34 pm EDT