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.
Copyright Business Wire 2014