SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk Raises over $1.4 Million for Kids
Sugar Ray Leonard, Brooke Burke-Charvet, Tommy Lasorda and Denise Austin joined presenting sponsor Nickelodeon to support the record-breaking event
October 27, 2015 07:49 PM Eastern Daylight Time
MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The SKECHERS Foundation today announced that it has reached a new donation record for the 2015 SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk – surpassing this year's $1.2 million goal to raise more than $1.4 million for children with special needs and education. Co-sponsored by Nickelodeon and elevated by the support of generous sponsor events like Steel Partners' #P2PSteelSports Selfie Challenge donation pledge, the Walk drew more than 12,000 participants, and continues to reach new attendance and donation highs annually since its 2009 launch.
@SkechersP2PWalk raises over $1.4 million for children with special needs and education
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"The wave of support that climbs year after year in honor of our kids is incredible," said Michael Greenberg, president of SKECHERS. "When we started the SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk seven years ago, 1,800 of us hit the beach to raise $220,000 – and since then, our walkers have grown six-fold – with more than $5.5 million donated over the years, all dedicated to enrich and inspire our children."
SKECHERS CEO Robert Greenberg, Sugar Ray Leonard, Denise Austin, Tommy Lasorda, Brooke Burke-Charvet and SKECHERS president Michael Greenberg. (Photo: Business Wire)
Many celebrities turned out to support the SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk, including boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard in his first appearance at the event, as well as TV personality Brooke Burke-Charvet, fitness expert Denise Austin, and Hall of Fame baseball manager Tommy Lasorda, who have all made multiple appearances throughout its history.
Sharing his thoughts on the SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk, Sugar Ray Leonard said, "When you say kids to me, I'm there. This is my first, but believe me – this will not be my last." Added Brooke Burke-Charvet: "The SKECHERS family has had a vision, and it keeps growing. It is so amazing to see everyone come out. Together, we make a difference and we increase the power of community."
Over 12,000 participants gathered in Manhattan Beach, California for the SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk. (Photo: Business Wire)
"I have a deep appreciation for our volunteers, our celebs, our community, and our incredible sponsors like Nickelodeon, Steel Sports and so many amazing corporations with a conscience who come together year after year to make the world a better place for our children," added Greenberg. "This event means that kids with special needs and students from kindergarten to high school are getting the care, support and nurturing they need to grow into inspired, enlightened, confident adults – and over seven years, we're already seeing its long-term effects: from the lessons our kids have learned in classes that would have been shelved, to friendships that will last a lifetime. This Walk and everything that it gives is a wonderful legacy – one we will share for years to come."
Now one of the largest events in Southern California supporting children with special needs and education, the SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk supports The Friendship Circle, an organization that assists children with special needs and their families through one-on-one peer mentoring and social recreational programming – as well as funding education foundations to retain vital academic programs, maintain smaller class sizes, improve libraries, and upgrade school technology.
The SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk thanks presenting sponsor Nickelodeon and many generous sponsors including Wells Fargo, Steel Sports, South Bay Vein and Laser Group, The Claudette and Ethan Rickett Care Foundation, Ross, Zappos.com, Tour de Pier, DIRECTV, United Legwear & Underwear Co., Body Glove, Kids Foot Locker, United Legwear, JAKKS Pacific, Marshalls, Cushman & Wakefield, Caskey & Caskey, Siltanen & Partners Advertising, Continental Development, Northrop Grumman, Equinox, Chevron, and many others who have provided funds and support to provide a better future for children. To learn more about the SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk, please visit skechersfriendshipwalk.com or facebook.com/SKECHERSFriendshipWalk.
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 The Friendship Circle
The Friendship Circle is 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 USA, Inc.
SKECHERS USA, Inc., based in Manhattan Beach, California, designs, develops and markets a diverse range of lifestyle footwear for men, women and children, as well as performance footwear for men and women. SKECHERS footwear is available in the United States and over 120 countries and territories worldwide via department and specialty stores, more than 1,210 SKECHERS retail stores, and the Company's e-commerce website. The Company manages its international business through a network of global distributors, joint venture partners in Asia, and 13 wholly-owned subsidiaries in Brazil, Canada, Chile, Japan, Latin America and throughout Europe. 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 across the Company's three main business channels and globally, its planned expansion and opening of new stores, advertising and marketing initiatives, and the expansion 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 international economic, political and market conditions including the uncertainty of sustained recovery in Europe; 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, 2014 and its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended June 30, 2015. 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.
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