Hasbro Announces 35 “Everyday” Heroes as Winners of “The Search for the Real-Life Spirit of G.I. Joe” Contest; Winners Receive $1,000 Grant & G.I. Joe Prize Package
CINCINNATI–Nov. 5, 1999–
Grand Prize Winner to be Announced
on November 9 at FAO Schwarz in NYC
As part of its year-long 35th anniversary celebration for G.I. Joe(R), the world’s first action figure, Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS) today named 35 winners in “The Search for the Real-Life Spirit of G.I. Joe.” The nationwide essay contest asked Americans to nominate (in 100 words or less) someone who embodies the G.I. Joe spirit of honor, courage, respect, service and, of course, good clean fun. From more than 800 entries, 35 winners were selected, and the Grand Prize winner — “The Real-Life Spirit of G.I. Joe” — will be announced on November 9th at a celebration at New York City’s FAO Schwarz.
The winning essays came from all over the country, from California to New York, Washington state to Florida, and many points in between. The exemplary people represented by the essays include: an Arizona man who survived ejecting from a burning plane in the Persian Gulf War; a Maryland man who has been awarded Police Officer of the Year and founded a teen mentoring program within his department; a Massachusetts woman whose third-grade students at a school for the deaf wrote that she teaches them to be “proud of being deaf;” and a Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel who flies CH 53 choppers and still makes time to teach his kids about community service by working with Habitat for Humanity.
“Hasbro is pleased to honor these 35 outstanding Americans who demonstrate heroism in their everyday lives,” said Perry Drosos, Vice President of Marketing for Hasbro. “The courage and honor that these men and women display are truly an inspiration. They embody the ideals that G.I. Joe has represented for 35 years and show us that people really can make a difference.”
A $1,000 donation ($35,000 total) will be made by Hasbro to a local charitable or community service organization jointly in the names of each of the 35 winners and the persons who nominated them. In addition, the 35 winners will receive a special G.I. Joe prize package consisting of a variety of collectible G.I. Joe action figures, while those who nominated the winners will receive a limited edition G.I. Joe 35th Anniversary Commemorative Two-Pack.
A list of the winners and their hometowns appears below: -0-
Jeff Adamovicz, 37 Thurmont, MD
Doug Allen, 33 Conklin, NY
Charles Alvarado, 38 Westchester, IL
Joe Anderson, 21 Vermillion, SD
Raymond Berke, 41 Farmingdale, NY
Barbra Brewton, 41 Ft. Belvoir, VA
Doug Burpee, 42 Glendale, CA
Charles Bury Jr., 35 Baltimore, MD
Alfred J. Centamore, 53 Deer Park, NY
Bradley Cottrell, 40 Fort Belvoir, VA
David Dickey, 31 Temecula, CA
Dan Elbers, 40 Highlands Ranch, CO
Joel Estey, 52 Issaquah, WA
Ceferino Fernandez, 80 Tampa, FL
Anne Feyerabend, 24 Randolph, MA
Daniel Gillan, 40 Fredricksburg, VA
Raymond Hammond, 45 Garner, NC
Phil Jackson, 35 Holden, MA
Timothy Reilly, 39 Port St. Lucie, FL
James R. Smith, 78 Boyne City, MI
George Karcher, 39 Redlands, CA
David Lehman, 33 Las Vegas, NV
Steve McManus, 40 Elmont, NY
Robin McVicar, 69 Lake Oswego, OR
Ryan James Ogden, 21 Newport, RI
Daniel O’Pella, 32 Haddonfield, NJ
Tom Pidgeon, 66 Jermyn, PA
John Richmond, 35 Springtown, TX
Darren Sammons, 27 Danville, KY
Greg Siegman, 27 Chicago, IL
Delbert Stock Jr., 53 Glendale, AZ
Scott Thomas, 35 Glendale, AZ
Brian Thornton, 35 Providence, RI
Jimi Toole, 36 Los Angeles, CA
John Wingert, 40 Appleton, WI
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For more information about each winner, please contact Lauren Mundell at Bratskeir & Company, (212) 679 2233.
The Grand Prize winner — “The Real-Life Spirit of G.I. Joe” — will be announced on November 9th at a celebration in his or her honor at FAO Schwarz in New York City. He or she will be invited, along with a guest and the person who submitted the entry, to attend the celebration and receive the grand prize, a 35th Anniversary Edition Ford Mustang. The Grand Prize winner will also receive a G.I. Joe action figure sculpted in his or her likeness, and will be honored in New York City’s Veterans’ Day Parade.
For 35 action-filled years, Hasbro’s G.I. Joe brand has defined the words “hero” and “classic toy” for kids of all ages. G.I. Joe action figures marched their way into the hearts of Americans in February 1964. The original “moveable fighting man,” G.I. Joe was created as the first action figure for boys, and gained instant success. Since 1964, more than 375 million G.I. Joe figures and vehicles have been sold. Today, with its signature scar on the right cheek, reversed thumb-nail on the left thumb, and powerful Kung-Fu grip, G.I. Joe continues as a favorite for children and a nostalgic collectible for adults.
Highlights from the 1999 G.I. Joe collection include: a limited edition 35th Anniversary Commemorative Two-Pack; the Millennium Salute G.I. Joe; and the rebirth of the popular 1970’s line, The Adventures of G.I. Joe, featuring fuzzy-headed G.I. Joe figures complete with a variety of adventure accessories. In addition, the 1999 G.I. Joe Classic Collection honors an array of American heroes, including astronaut Buzz Aldrin, “Rough Rider” and President Theodore Roosevelt, fighter pilot and baseball legend Ted Williams, as well as the hundreds of military nurses who served in Vietnam. Authentic G.I. Joe action figures and accessories are available at leading toy retailers nationwide.
Hasbro is a worldwide leader in children’s, family leisure time and entertainment products and services, including the design, manufacture and marketing of games and toys ranging from traditional to high-tech. Both internationally and in the U.S., its PLAYSKOOL, KENNER, TONKA, ODDZON, SUPER SOAKER, MILTON BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS, TIGER, HASBRO INTERACTIVE, MICROPROSE, GALOOB and WIZARDS OF THE COAST brands and products provide the highest quality and most recognizable play experiences in the world.
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