Brooks(R) Reaches Out to Canadian Children Living in Poverty

TORONTO, ONTARIO, Mar 24 (MARKET WIRE) --
ATTN: News, Lifestyle and Sports

Did you know that 1.2 million children in Canada live below the poverty
line? High-performance shoe, apparel and accessory company Brooks(R) has
teamed up with Running Room Canada to break the vicious cycle of poverty
and help children across the country through the Kidsfest Running and
Reading Club. For the entire month of April, Brooks will donate one pair
of children's shoes to the Kidsfest program with every $150 spent on
Brooks merchandise at Running Room locations across the country.

Launched in 2004, the Running and Reading Club is an extension of
Kidsfest, a charitable organization founded by two-time CFL Grey Cup
champion, Brian Warren in 2000.

The Running and Reading Club is an after-school program that Brooks has
sponsored since its inception. The program improves children's physical
fitness and literacy as they work towards completing a five-kilometre run
in June and spend time reading with volunteers weekly. To date, the
Running and Reading Club is offered in 21 schools across Canada; a number
organizers foresee rising significantly with increased awareness,
fundraising efforts and donations.

Silvia Ruegger the National Account Manager of Brooks Canada is the
national director of the Kidsfest Running and Reading Club. An Olympian
and the current Canadian Women's Marathon record holder, she is
responsible for initially connecting Brooks with Kidsfest. "Brooks is
ecstatic about this new partnership with the Running Room," says Ruegger.
"This is a wonderful opportunity to gain community support and provide
children across the country with the equipment they need to be successful
in the Running and Reading Club and beyond."

"We are thrilled that we teamed up with Brooks for this important
initiative benefiting children across Canada," says John Stanton, Running
Room founder. "It's wonderful to see people get enthusiastic about
running at such a young age. April is going to be a lot of fun!"

About Brooks

Brooks is a leading running company that designs and markets a line of
performance footwear, apparel, and accessories in more than 40 countries
worldwide. The company's mission is to inspire everyone to run and be
active by creating innovative gear that keeps them running longer,
farther, and faster. In Canada, Brooks products are distributed by R.M.P.
Athletic Locker Limited.

About R.M.P. Athletic Locker Inc.

Founded in 1977, R.M.P. Athletic Locker Limited was started by two
brothers, Mike and Paul Dyon. Mike, a four-time Canadian marathon
champion and Paul, a running enthusiast, became interested in Brooks
products when they discovered the footwear at a race in Florida. The pair
became fond of the product and decided to start a business selling the
shoes out of the back of their car. What started as an experiment in
sales turned into a major distribution agreement that has lasted over
thirty years. For more information about Brooks and R.M.P., visit
www.brooksrunning.ca.

For additional information, an interview with Brian Warren or Silvia
Ruegger, Kidsfest video or still images, or Brooks product images, please
contact Marissa Leiderman, NKPR Inc. (416) 365-3630 ext. 24,
marissa@nkpr.net.

To view the photo entitled "Kidsfest Shoe Girls", please visit the
following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/800i.jpg.

Contacts:
NKPR Inc.
Marissa Leiderman
(416) 365-3630 ext. 24
marissa@nkpr.net

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