Holiday Shoppers Join the Fight Against Children's Cancer with Purchase of Aflac Duck
October 31 2005 - 5:20AM
PR Newswire (US)
COLUMBUS, Ga., Oct. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- During the past five years,
almost 200,000 festively dressed plush Aflac Ducks have waddled
their way off Macy's store shelves into the arms of adoring holiday
shoppers, raising nearly $1 million for hospitals that treat
children living with cancer. Launched in 2001, Aflac and the
department store giant partnered to sell collectible versions of
the popular duck with all profits donated to children's hospitals
located throughout the country. (Photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051031/CLMFNS1 ) (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041202/CLTH019LOGO ) The
limited-edition talking ducks are on sale (from Nov. 1) at 59
Macy's store locations in Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky,
Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, and western
Pennsylvania. Shoppers nationwide can purchase the ducks by
visiting holidayducks.com, macys.com, or by calling the Macys'
toll-free at 800-macys4U or (800-622-9748). "Our customers and
employees love the ducks. We're so pleased that the sale of these
ducks is helping the hospitals to provide much needed life- saving
services to children living with cancer and to the families of the
children," said Ellen Fruchtman, Macy's divisional vice president
of public relations in Atlanta. Since the start of the Holiday Duck
program, hospitals like the Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders
Service of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and St. Jude Children's
Research Hospital in Memphis have been the beneficiaries of the
duck sales. Aflac expanded the program in 2004 to include
Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle and The
Children's Hospital of Birmingham. This year's program will include
15 additional medical facilities. A total of 23 hospitals will
benefit from the duck sales. Each hospital keeps 100 percent of the
proceeds from ducks sold in their markets. "We're determined to do
everything we can to raise money for the research and treatment
that will eventually wipe out childhood cancer. Each year we're
closer than we were the year before," said Al Johnson, second vice
president of Aflac Corporate Communications. The 2005 Holiday Duck
arrives in stores perched atop a red and black sled wearing a
matching wintergreen scarf and hat sprinkled with snowflakes. The
ducks say, "Aflac, Aflac, Aflac!" when squeezed, and cost $10 for
the six-inch version and $15 for the 10-inch. Media Contact: Patsy
J. Thomas Aflac Incorporated (706) 317-6109 (706) 320-2288 (Fax)
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051031/CLMFNS1
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041202/CLTH019LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Aflac Incorporated CONTACT:
Patsy J. Thomas of Aflac Incorporated, +1-706-317-6109, or fax,
+1-706-320-2288, or Web site: http://www.aflac.com/
http://www.holidayducks.com/ http://www.macys.com/
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