Sears Canada to Launch '12 Days of Giving' December 1st
Iconic Canadian retailer launches new program over 12 consecutive days this Holiday season, an expansion of its long-time tradition of giving back to Canadian communities
TORONTO, Nov. 30, 2015 /CNW/ - Sears Canada Inc. (TSX: SCC; NASDAQ: SRSC) today announced a new Holiday initiative: the 12 Days of Giving campaign – 12 different activities taking place over 12 consecutive days in store, online and in the community to celebrate the Holidays by giving back to people and organizations across Canada. With a commitment to local communities for over 60 years, it's easy to see that giving back is at the core of Sears brand heritage and that Sears Canada supports causes and charities that enrich the lives of thousands of Canadian families. The broadest philanthropic effort to-date, the 12 Days of Giving campaign is designed to showcase this Canadian icon's history of engaging the hearts and minds of Canadians by creating moments of joy for individuals and communities nationwide.
"Sears Canada has a long history of giving back to the communities across Canada in which we live and work," said Brandon G. Stranzl, Executive Chairman, Sears Canada. "The 12 Days of Giving continues that tradition."
"It's such a magical time of year and the Holiday spirit of giving is what Sears Canada has been about for years. From our 20,000 associates in stores across the nation to the contributions of our community partners, we are coming together to make every day a celebration of the true spirit of the Holiday season," said Carrie Kirkman, President and Chief Merchant, Sears Canada.
Sears Canada Holiday charitable initiatives have become traditions for Sears customers and are wrapped into the 12 Days of Giving this year. The "Tree of Wishes" program was launched in 1998 and provides 15,000 toys each year to children from Sears store community partners who may otherwise not receive a gift. Its partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada is celebrating a record 50th anniversary in 2015. "Operation Wish" is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and is Sears Canada's salute to Canadian military personnel and their families. Other programming includes the annual Holiday Beauty Event, with a percentage of funds raised that day donated to Beauty Gives Back's Look Good Feel Better, a charity for women living with cancer, as well as organizations including hospitals and Military Family Resource Centres.
The one-stop shop for all your Holiday needs, for "Everything Under the Tree," as highlighted in Sears Canada's recently launched holiday advertising campaign, Sears Canada has amazing deals, events and giveaways for customers planned in-store over the 12 Days of Giving. Surprise and delight activities will engage communities across the nation.
A dedicated micro-site, Sears12DaysOfGiving.ca, launches today to capture all 12 days of giving activities, allowing customers to interact online and post their giving stories visually. Follow along each day, beginning December 1st, to find full details of the activity of the day online at Sears12DaysOfGiving.ca or on Twitter @SearsCA. Use the hashtag #12DaysofGiving on Instagram and Twitter for pictures, videos and more from each event. Here is a brief overview of the 12 Days of Giving:
Day 1 – Tuesday, December 1: National Volunteer Day
Sears launches the 12 Days of Giving with long-standing partner the Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada. Sears employees from across Canada will volunteer a portion of the day to the local Boys & Girls Club or, where there isn't an official club, the store's local charity partner.
Day 2 – Wednesday, December 2: In-store Surprise & Delight
In each Sears department store across Canada one lucky shopper will be approached by the general manager while shopping for Holiday gifts or décor and surprise that shopper by paying for the whole shopping trip. Each store will capture this encounter on photo and video and post to Facebook and Twitter media with the #12DaysofGiving hashtag so people can follow along across Canada.
Day 3 – Thursday, December 3: Beauty Gives Back
Sears annual Holiday Beauty Event, held in early December across all its 95 department stores in Canada, offers women insight into trends and personalized beauty consultations for only $10, with $2 from each ticket donated to Look Good Feel Better (supporting women living with cancer). A cheque presentation ceremony will take place at Fairview Mall in Toronto to wrap the program and announce funds raised for Beauty Gives Back.
Day 4 – Friday, December 4: Baby Registry Giveaway
Some lucky soon-to-be-moms will be surprised with all the items on their baby registry at Sears! A mom-to-be has been chosen in each of the Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario and West regions of Canada.
Day 5 – Saturday, December 5: Love Your Winter
In three communities across Canada (Regina, Kitchener-Waterloo and St. John's) Sears is taking over a local skating rink and opening it up to the public – who can drop in and embrace the winter season with hot chocolate, music and free skate rentals!
Day 6 – Sunday, December 6: Operation Wish
For the tenth year running, Sears Canada shows support for military families across Canada, with a 15 per cent discount on any purchase in-store, online or through any current catalogue. Sears Canada is also donating $10,000 to help support local Military Family Resource Centres (MFRC's) youth oriented programs along with a percentage of funds raised through sales of the annual charity plush, Darcy. In addition there is a special surprise for the MFRC in Halifax.
Day 7 – Monday, December 7: Tree of Wishes
An 18-year Holiday tradition, Sears stores set up a Christmas tree in the store on which are placed wishes from children from the store's local charity partner. The children choose a gift of their choice from the annual Wish Book and customers are invited to buy those wishes for the children, which are delivered by Sears to the local organizations for distribution to the children. Some 15,000 wishes are granted to children each year who may otherwise not receive a toy during the Holiday season. This year, our goal is to empty all of the trees of their wishes by December 7th.
Day 8 – Tuesday, December 8: Janeway Hospital Toy Shop
A partnership with Janeway Hospital in St. John's Newfoundland will see a beautiful pop-up shop come to life in the main lobby, giving patients aged 0-18 a chance to "shop" for a toy donated by Sears and meet special guests in attendance.
Day 9 – Wednesday, December 9: Awesome Dad & Mom Makeovers
One lucky dad in the Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario will receive a Man Cave makeover as a thank you for all he does for the kids in his community. His wife, also a volunteer, will be getting a special surprise of her own from Sears in Peterborough.
Day 10 – Thursday, December 10: Home for the Holidays
There's nothing better than time spent with loved ones over the Holiday season, so Sears has offered to fly one lucky employee home for the Holidays. Employees have the opportunity to nominate a deserving colleague who would benefit from a surprise visit home.
Day 11 – Friday, December 11: Pinterest Wishlist Wonderland
Sears iconic Wish Book has come to life on www.sears.ca and is now fully accessible on Pinterest. Pinners across the country are building their Holiday Wish Lists from items available from the classic holiday gift and décor resource. Today Sears celebrates this contest, which asks customer to create a Wish List Wonderland board using #SearsWishlist for a chance to win 1 of 3 $1,000 Sears gift cards. The final prize will be awarded after the contest closes on at 11:59 pm ET on December 19, 2015.
Day 12 – Saturday, December 12: Holiday Day of Giving
To wrap up the 12 Days of Giving the final day will see celebrations across all Sears department stores with festive treats, including hot chocolate, carollers, free gift wrapping, gingerbread house building, and giveaways focused on giving back to all Sears customers.
View Sears Canada's new Holiday commercial: https://youtu.be/JbgufdUdwIw
About Sears Canada:
Sears Canada is a multi-channel retailer with a network that includes 166 corporate stores, 177 Hometown stores, over 1,200 catalogue and online merchandise pick-up locations, 84 Sears Travel offices and a nationwide repair and service network. The Company also publishes Canada's most extensive general merchandise catalogue and offers shopping online at www.sears.ca.
SOURCE Sears Canada Inc.
Contact for Media: Alicia Richler, Sears Canada, Corporate Communications, 416-941-4423, [email protected]; Bunmi Adeoye, NKPR, 416-365-3630, ext. 226, [email protected]
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