Build-A-Bear Workshop® Will Donate Trees For Friendship Forest to Celebrate 10th Anniversary and Earth Day

ST. LOUIS - Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. is cele-bear-ating Earth Day and its 10th birthday by announcing a tree-planting partnership with the National Arbor Day Foundation, a nonprofit tree-planting and education organization with nearly a million members nationwide. Build-A-Bear Workshop®, its Guests, and Bear Builders™ can all participate in this tree-mendous new idea called Friendship Forest. To launch the Friendship Forest campaign, the Build-A-Bear Workshop Foundation is donating 10,000 trees to be planted by The Arbor Day Foundation in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

“Our Guests come to Build-A-Bear Workshop to make friendships through their furry friends,” said Maxine Clark, Build-A-Bear Workshop founder and chief executive bear. “And we know they also want a friendly environment. What better way to create one than to build forests around the world, especially in areas where trees are a scarce commodity.”

Now through August 5, Build-A-Bear Workshop is encouraging Guests and associates to purchase a certificate at Build-A-Bear Workshop stores and online at www.buildabear.com to have a tree planted in honor of a friend or family member.

The tree certificate will include educational information on the benefits of planting trees and a special Friendship Forest Certificate to pass on to their best friend. Each tree will be planted in the country where the money was raised.

Build-A-Bear Workshop will match each associate donation up to a total of 6,500 trees. If the associate challenge is met, it will result in an additional 13,000 trees added to the Friendship Forest.

Build-A-Bear Workshop will wrap up the tree-planting effort with Friendship Weekend, August 3–5, by thanking Guests for their help in growing the Friendship Forest.

“Build-A-Bear Workshop’s commitment will have a tremendous impact in national forests that are in desperate need of replanting,” said John Rosenow, president of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Donations made by the Build-A-Bear Workshop Foundation, Build-A-Bear Workshop, its customers and associates will help restore wildlife habitat, clean the air, protect the soil and waterways and restore national forests in three countries for people to enjoy for generations to come.”

The Friendship Forest is part of the 10th anniversary celebration for Build-A-Bear Workshop, called “The Year of Friendship.” Throughout 2007, Build-A-Bear Workshop is focusing on charitable giving, building playgrounds in 10 neighborhoods and working with First Book to provide books for children in selected schools as they are visited by the Build-A-Bear Workshop On Tour custom designed mobile store.