Do you have a young person providing extraordinary service to their communities and/or around the world??

Build-A-Bear Workshop Seeks Service-Minded Kids To Join Ranks Of Hundreds Of 
Huggable Heroes... And Counting

ST. LOUIS (January 12, 2012) – As the country prepares to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday with a Day of Service, Build-A-Bear Workshop® launches its ninth annual search for Huggable Heroes®. This group will be made up of inspiring young leaders who have a commitment to serve, help others, and make a difference in their community. Kids, ages eight to 18, can be nominated through February 27 by visiting buildabear.com/huggableheroes or picking up an entry form at Build-A-Bear Workshop stores in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada.

The 10 selected Huggable Heroes will each receive $10,000 ($7,500 in the form of an educational scholarship from Build-A-Bear Workshop and $2,500 from the Build-A-Bear Workshop Foundation to be donated to the 501(c)(3) charity or Canadian cause of their choice). In addition, the Huggable Heroes will receive a trip for themselves and one parent, or legal guardian, to St. Louis, home of Build-A-Bear Workshop World Bearquarters, where they will be celebrated for their work, participate in a professional photo shoot, and take part in a community service project.

To read the stories about the Build-A-Bear Workshop Huggable Heroes and learn more about the program, visit buildabear.com/huggableheroes.

Ways to teach your child to "give back"

• Walk the walk. Get involved yourself; participate in charitable events on behalf of causes you believe in.
• Include children in volunteer efforts. Provide opportunities for children to see and act on the needs of others so they learn first-hand how they can make a positive difference.
• Start small. Do little projects to help others and begin at an early age.
• Consider a charity allowance. Set aside a percentage of each child’s monthly allowance for charity and let them decide where to donate the money at the end of six months.
• Support them. Allow their ideas to flourish and help their dreams become reality whether that means lending moral support, providing necessary transportation and equipment, or giving them a pat on the back to keep them going.

Remember: Encouraging your children to participate in charitable endeavors is a gift to them, as well as to the people whose lives they touch.

Disclaimer: Content is not my own, this announcement belongs to Build A Bear Workshop