FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Keith Britt
Thompson & Co.
901/527-8000
or Andrew J. Groveman
Belz Enterprises
901/260-7278

Beanie Baby Bazaar To Benefit M.A.D.D.
At Belz Factory Outlet World - Lakeland

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (June 11, 1997) - One of the hottest trends today, Beanie Babies, are helping to raise money for Mothers Against Drunk Driving (M.A.D.D.), a charity that is very close to home after last week’s fatal car accident in Lakeland. Belz Factory Outlet World Beanie Baby Bazaar is scheduled for Saturday, June 14th.

Customers will be able to buy, sell and trade Beanie Babies from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The first 50 children at the Bazaar will receive a free Teenie Beanie Baby with a mall receipt dated June 14th. Special appearances from the Memphis Chicks, Big Dog and characters from Libertyland also are scheduled.

Proceeds from all table sales (Beanie Baby Barters) will be donated to M.A.D.D. for the Kuehl Family M.A.D.D. Memorial Fund. Stephanie Kuehl, her daughter Zadie and unborn son Thomas were killed by a drunk driver in Lakeland on Friday, May 30th. Stephanie Kuehl was the wife of Greg Kuehl, production manager for WMC-TV Channel 5, and daughter of television weatherman Dave Brown. For the past five years, Stephanie Kuehl and her mother, Margaret Brown produced the semi-annual Arts and Crafts Fair at Belz Factory Outlet World in Lakeland.

Mall merchants and friends of the Kuehl family have donated items for a silent auction, also to be held Saturday to benefit M.A.D.D. Auction items include a trip to Branson, Mo., Libertyland season passes and cookware.

Kelly Cruise and STAR 98 will broadcast live from the Beanie Baby Bazaar from 10 a.m. to noon. Kelly will also host a live auction for a complete set of McDonald’s Teenie Beanie Babies.

M.A.D.D. representatives will be in the mall to distribute information, red ribbons, answer questions and collect personal donations on behalf of the Kuehl Family M.A.D.D. Memorial Fund.

###