CLEARWATER, Fla., March 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Eckerd Corporation kicks off its
national fundraising campaign this weekend for the Children's Miracle Network
by encouraging customers to purchase paper Miracle Balloons for $1 each in all
Eckerd stores until May 26, 2001. Since designating CMN as Eckerd's
corporate charity in 1987, associates and customers have raised over $14
million through the Miracle Balloon campaign and a variety of grassroots
fundraising efforts benefiting children's hospitals across the country.
"Eckerd Corporation is pleased to be a sponsor of the Children's Miracle
Network for the fourteenth year. Eckerd believes strongly in giving back
to the communities in which we operate our neighborhood drug stores," said
Wayne Harris, Eckerd Chairman and CEO. "One of the main reasons that
associates and customers are committed to supporting CMN is because 100% of the
funds raised stay in their community and go to their local participating CMN
hospital. Through our sponsorship of CMN, we help countless children overcome
illnesses and obstacles."
Eckerd Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of JCPenney Co. Inc. (NYSE: JCP), is headquartered in Clearwater, Florida,
and is one of America's largest retail drug chains with over 2,650 drug stores
in 20 states, 1,300 Eckerd Express one-hour photo labs in 18 states and three
pharmacy mail service facilities in three states. Eckerd Corporation's
2000 revenue was $13.1 billion. Eckerd Corporation employs over 78,000
associates company-wide including over 9,000 pharmacists. Eckerd
Corporation is one of the top five retail supporters of the Children's Miracle
Network yearly Miracle Balloon campaign benefiting over 170 CMN-affiliated
children's hospitals nationwide assisting 14 million children annually.
(For additional company information visit our Web site on the Internet at
www.eckerd.com or the JCPenney Web site at www.jcpenney.com.)
SOURCE Eckerd Corporation
CO: Eckerd Corporation; Children's Miracle Network
ST: Florida
IN: REA
SU: NPT
03/02/2001 09:58 EST http://www.prnewswire.com