MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The SKECHERS Foundation today announced that its 8th annual 2016 SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk exceeded $1.6 million for children with special needs and education. Supported by lead presenter Nickelodeon and new media sponsor NBC4 Southern California, the Walk reached a new attendance high with 12,000 people taking part in the event.
Celebrities at the SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk included actress, model and longtime SKECHERS supporter Brooke Burke-Charvet; legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard; model and entrepreneur Camila Alves; actor Ian Ziering; mother/daughter fitness icons Denise and Katie Austin; and Hall of Fame baseball manager Tommy Lasorda, a Walk Board of Director who has appeared every year.
“I’ve been part of this Walk for two years now, and there’s nothing like it. It galvanizes us to come together and make a difference in children’s lives,” said Sugar Ray Leonard, who spoke about the event. “It really highlights the great optimism in all of us, and the power we have when we organize for good. I hope this Walk inspires others to do the same.”
Numerous teen television and movie stars were on hand to support the Walk and meet fans. Attendees also enjoyed performances from Asia Monet Ray who sang the National Anthem, Jordyn Jones, New District and Aidan Prince.
“The SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk has taken a life of its own in so many incredible ways,” said Michael Greenberg, president of SKECHERS. “More celebrities and walkers are attending than ever before; the media attention’s bigger than ever thanks to NBC4 Southern California and other outlets; and our Walk’s reach on social media has surpassed four million viewers.”
Added Greenberg: “I think our Walk has really resonated with people because in our hearts, we love putting our kids first. We’re witnessing a growing culture of inclusiveness for our children with special needs, which has brought joy to so many. And we want to play a direct role in the success of our schools and follow through on our educational promises to our kids. I’ve absolutely loved taking part in this Walk for the past eight years, and am already looking forward to next year.”
The nation’s largest event supporting children with special needs and education, the SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk has raised more than $7 million since its 2009 launch. Funds support The Friendship Foundation, an organization that assists children with special needs and their families through one-on-one peer mentoring, social recreational programming, field trips and sporting events, as well as education foundations committed to retaining vital academic programs, maintaining smaller class sizes, improving libraries, and upgrading school technology. The SKECHERS Foundation is also entering the third year of its scholarship program, and plans to donate $100,000 to deserving students across the country in 2017.
In addition to its headlining sponsor Nickelodeon and media sponsor NBC4 Southern California, the SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk thanks sponsors Wells Fargo, Steel Sports, The Claudette and Ethan Rickett Care Foundation, Ross, Zappos.com, Vertra, WSS, United Legwear & Underwear Co., Mattel, Body Glove, Premier Displays & Exhibits, Kids Foot Locker, 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 Foundation
The Friendship Foundation 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 160 countries and territories worldwide via department and specialty stores, more than 1,710 SKECHERS Company-owned and third-party retail stores, and the Company’s e-commerce websites. The Company manages its international business through a network of global distributors, joint venture partners in Asia and the Middle East, and wholly-owned subsidiaries in Canada, Japan, throughout Europe and Latin America. 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 domestic and international growth, financial results and operations including expected net sales and earnings, its development of new products, future demand for its products, its planned domestic and international expansion and opening of new stores, the completion of the expansion and upgrade of the Company’s European Distribution Center, and advertising and marketing initiatives. 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, 2015 and its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended June 30, 2016. 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.
