Funds to Support Efforts of Samaritan's Purse and UNICEF in West Africa

NASHVILLE, Tenn. and Tokyo (September 29, 2014) ? The Bridgestone Group (Bridgestone) today announced it will donate one million dollars (USD) to critical efforts underway in Liberia and the region to combat the Ebola outbreak. Specifically, $500,000 will be paid to Samaritan's Purse by Bridgestone Americas, Inc. for work in Liberia, while Bridgestone Corporation will donate $500,000 (JPY 54 million) to support UNICEF's efforts in Liberia and Nigeria.  This $1,000,000 donation follows months of work by Firestone Liberia to manage an effective Ebola emergency response program on its subsidiary rubber farm and nearby communities in country.  The funds are aimed at strengthening efforts to stop the spread of Ebola through public awareness; helping facilitate delivery of in-home care supplies for the sick; enhancing medical treatment; and providing support for children left orphaned due to the epidemic.

Firestone Liberia, a Bridgestone Americas subsidiary, has been directly affected by the Ebola outbreak.  Since the outbreak hit Liberia, there have been approximately 71 Firestone Liberia employees, family members, retirees and people from surrounding communities who have contracted the virus.  The Firestone Medical Center located on Firestone Liberia's rubber farm has been treating patients in its Ebola Treatment Unit, which has helped 17 people survive the deadly disease.

"Our Firestone Liberia teammates and community have selflessly met the demands of this deadly outbreak and we support them and the great work Samaritan's Purse and UNICEF are doing in the region to help protect the citizens of Liberia and West Africa," said Gary Garfield, CEO and President, Bridgestone Americas, Inc.  "We implore others to step up in taking on this fight against Ebola."

"We know that it will take everyone - every citizen, government official, health worker and company in the region - to provide the education, resources and supplies needed to stop the spread of this disease," said Yutaka Yamaguchi, Bridgestone Group's Vice President and Senior Officer, Responsible for CSR and Quality Management, CSR and Quality Management Planning.  "More support is needed and we hope others will join Bridgestone in supporting organizations that are on the front lines of this global health crisis."

Samaritan's Purse has been working since April to combat the disease through a prevention education program.  Its more than 350 staff members in Liberia provide education and direct patient care.  The money donated by Bridgestone Americas will be used for the organization's home-based care program which provides Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits to people caring for sick family members.

"We thank Bridgestone Americas for its support in the fight against Ebola," said Franklin Graham, president and CEO of Samaritan's Purse.  "Firestone Liberia is working tirelessly to

protect and treat the approximately 80,000 people living within its community, and with their support, we're able to broaden those efforts in the larger Liberian community."

UNICEF's work across the region to contain and control the spread of the disease includes mass education for communities on essential prevention methods, promoting health and hygiene activities, providing medical and other supplies, supporting the government of Nigeria's Ebola Emergency Operations and Care Center and the Liberian national taskforce.  UNICEF works with these governments and partner organizations to develop services for families and establish a system to care for the children orphaned by Ebola.  The money donated by Bridgestone Corporation will be used to support UNICEF's mass public awareness efforts and work to support orphaned children.

"The current Ebola outbreak is unprecedented and requires an urgent global response. UNICEF is racing against time to control the spread of the disease among children and families," said U.S. Fund for UNICEF President and CEO, Caryl Stern.  "We greatly appreciate the donation from Bridgestone Group, which will help UNICEF expand its critical work in West Africa."

In addition to the Firestone Medical Center's Ebola Treatment Unit, Firestone Liberia's emergency response to Ebola includes active case management, investigations, contact tracing, as well as intervention measures and strategies to help protect and care for thousands of people who live in the Firestone community.  Part of the intervention strategy is a mass education program which reaches its more than 8,000 employees and approximately 72,000 additional people residing within Firestone's property, as well as many more in the surrounding communities.  The company also is working with local government and health officials to help curb the spread of the disease throughout the country.  Firestone Liberia is working closely with the Liberian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the WHO, among other organizations.

About Bridgestone Corporation:

Bridgestone Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, is the world's largest tire and rubber company. In addition to tires for use in a wide variety of applications, it also manufactures a broad range of diversified products, which include industrial rubber and chemical products and sporting goods. Its products are sold in over 150 nations and territories around the world.

About Bridgestone Americas, Inc.:

Nashville, Tenn.-based Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (BSAM) is the U.S. subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, the world's largest tire and rubber company. BSAM and its subsidiaries develop, manufacture and market a wide range of Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand tires to address the needs of a broad range of customers, including consumers, automotive and commercial vehicle original equipment manufacturers, and those in the agricultural, forestry and mining industries. The companies are also engaged in retreading operations throughout the Western Hemisphere and produce air springs, roofing materials, and industrial fibers and textiles. The BSAM family of companies also operates the world's largest chain of automotive tire and service centers. Guided by its One Team, One Planet message, the company is dedicated to achieving a positive environmental impact in all of the communities it calls home.

About Firestone Natural Rubber Company, LLC:

Firestone Natural Rubber Company, LLC traces its origins back to 1926 when The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company first established a natural rubber production facility in Liberia, West Africa. The company's Firestone Liberia, Inc. subsidiary operates an 118,000-acre rubber growing and processing facility, employing more than 8,000 employees who harvest and process natural rubber and latex. After processing, the natural rubber (dry rubber and liquid latex) is shipped to the United States. The dry rubber is used by Bridgestone Americas' tire plants throughout North America in the manufacture of tires. The latex is sold to third party North American manufacturers of dipped goods, adhesives and carpet backing. Firestone is North America's leading supplier of natural latex concentrate.

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--Free bra fittings to help women look good, and do good--

WHAT: Join Wacoal in its mission to help end breast cancer with Fit for the Cure^®! Participate in a Fit for the Cure event and receive a complimentary bra fitting from a Wacoal fit specialist. For every woman that participates, Wacoal will donate $2 to Susan G. Komen® for breast cancer research and community health programs. Wacoal will also donate an additional $2 for every Wacoal bra, shapewear piece or b.tempt'd bra purchased at these events. 

For nearly 15 years, Wacoal has swept the nation educating and fitting more than 604,000 women across 411 cities about the importance of bra fit, foundation and overall breast health. To date, through Fit for the Cure, Wacoal has donated nearly $4 million to Susan G. Komen.

During the month of October, Wacoal will also donate $2 to Susan G. Komen for each item purchased from the Embrace Lace collection in support of Breast Cancer Awareness (BCA) month. Supporters will receive a free gift with the purchase of $80 or more from the Wacoal Embrace Lace collection. 

This year, Wacoal also offers an exclusive limited edition silver strap to provide further support to women in need, through a partnership with Hollye Jacobs, award-winning blogger, breast cancer survivor and author of New York Times best-seller The Silver Lining: A Supportive and Insightful Guide to Breast Cancer. All proceeds from sales of the silver strap will go to provide copies of the book to women going through treatment in communities across the country.

WHY: Research shows that 8 out of 10 women are wearing the wrong sized bra. Women should be professionally fitted for a bra once a year to ensure their bra size has not changed as a result of fluctuations in their body.  

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American women and accounts for 26% of all cancers among women.  Conducting monthly breast self-examination is an important way to detect abnormalities at an early stage. Take 15 minutes to meet with a Wacoal fit expert while contributing to an important cause and sign up for a monthly reminder e-mail that could ultimately save your life.  

WHEN: Friday, October 10, 2014

10am - 4pm

Dillards - Northpark Mall

320 W Kimberly Rd.

Davenport, IA

(563) 388 - 7954

For more information or to schedule interviews, please contact:

Hannah Rood or Jessica Nadaud

hrood@lsagency.com or jnadaud@lsagency.com

Halloween kicks off a series of holidays celebrated with delicious treats, from yummy chocolate candies to gut-busting dinners to seasonal alcoholic beverages.

While most parents will make sure their kids brush after eating their treats, National Dental Hygiene Month in October encourages a fuller approach to oral health.

"Teeth and gums are obviously key components of oral health care, but they're just part of the whole environment inside one's mouth," says Dr. Bob Kross, a biochemist who's been researching and developing oral health-care products since the 1980s. His patented Breath Appeal oral rinse, (www.breathappeal.com), destroys both the putrefying anaerobic bacteria that degrade food particles and body cells to form sulfurous bad breath malodorants as well as many of the bacteria associated with gum disease.

"The nooks and crannies in our mouths and gums are not the only places crammed with organic debris, which feed the bacteria that create biofilm, such as plaque, to protect themselves from oxygen," Kross says. "There are also cracks on the tongue's surface and in the other soft tissues in the mouth and pharynx where bacteria collect, further compromising dental health and creating bad breath."

Normal oral bacteria are fine, actually even necessary, when present in proper balance with each other, but it's a problem when putrefying and pathogenic bacteria start to take over, he says.

"The sticky candies and treats children and adults consume during this time of year can disrupt the normal balance of bacteria if good dental hygiene isn't practiced," says Kross, who describes how bad breath is created and how we can prevent it.

•  If you develop bad breath don't simply try to mask it with mints. Anaerobic bacteria can also lead to painful and potentially serious conditions such as gingivitis and periodontitis, so it's best to attack the problem at the root. Maintaining the proper balance or oral bacteria will not only keep your breath fresh, it will help you maintain good oral health.

•  Add tongue scraping and an oxidizing daily rinse to your oral hygiene. Brushing and flossing reach about 25 percent of your mouth, and that's why you should add tongue scraping and rinsing to your daily routine. That white stuff you might see on your tongue is a collection of food particles and other organic matter, which can putrefy and create oral malodorants. Oxygen inhibits the growth of the responsible anaerobic bacteria, so scraping off the film and using an oxidizing mouthwash will counter that problem.

•  Control bad breath by controlling the mouth's bacteria. Brush at least twice a day, floss, scrape the tongue and use a non-alcoholic rinse that has oxidizing properties.  Individuals suffering from bad breath will experience optimum relief only by using alcohol-free, oxidizing oral hygiene products.

"At least 90 percent of bad breath problems are associated with the sulfurous compounds generated by the putrefying, malodor-forming, anaerobic bacteria, which hide in oral crevices, and which degrade food particles and salivary cell fragments," Kross says. "For a cleaner mouth and fresher breath, you'll need oxidants to destroy a major portion of the bacteria in these low-oxygen environments, thereby removing the root cause of persistent halitosis.

About Dr. Bob Kross

Dr. Bob Kross is a biochemist associated with All USA Direct, (www.breathappeal.com), producer of Breath Appeal products. Many of Kross' 40 U.S. patents reflect his interest in biomedical areas, including oral antimicrobials and associated conditions and diseases.

The Clare has introduced its Workout-to-Go program for residents who are traveling, developed by Melissa Cusick, director of The Clare Athletic Club. The program delivers a custom developed fitness routine for travelers, based on their fitness level, interests, method of transportation and destination.

Late summer is the most popular vacation time of the year, and residents of The Clare are ardent travelers. Melissa Cusick, director of The Clare Athletic Club, is all in favor of residents relaxing on vacation, but not to excess. "There are residents who are really dedicated to fitness, and work out regularly. I wanted to make sure that they had the opportunity to maintain their routine or some variation of it, while they're traveling the four corners of the world," she said.

Cusick developed Workout-to-Go for any interested resident of The Clare. "I always encourage residents to use fitness centers in their hotels when they're traveling, but this is a back-up game plan when that's not a possibility or desirable," she said.

The program delivers a custom developed fitness routine for travelers, based on their fitness level, interests and even method of travel and destination. Resident Karol Moller took her Workout-to-Go with her on an Alaskan cruise. "She told me she'd seen my flyer and thought it would be a good idea for her trip. She hoped that the routine would keep her active so that she didn't gain weight while she was away," said Cusick. "She attends group fitness three times each week and doesn't want to lose the progress that she's made while traveling. She also wanted to maintain the strength and endurance that she'd already achieved."

Cusick put together a routine using stretchy exercise bands. "They're easy to pack in a suitcase and travel with. I included a sheet with pictures of the different exercises," she said. The result surpassed Cusick's expectations. "Karol's granddaughter who was traveling with her, exercised with her. They worked out together and had a buddy system. They had a blast with it," said Cusick.

Cusick will continue to offer the Workout-to-Go program throughout the year for any residents traveling, and willing to take their fitness routine along.

About The Clare:

The Clare at Rush and Pearson is a Life Care retirement community in the heart of Chicago's Gold Coast with incomparable lifestyle, amenities and the financial stability only a debt-free community can offer. The Terraces at The Clare, which partners with Northwestern Memorial Hospital, provides assisted living, memory support, rehabilitation and skilled nursing. The Terraces has earned the 5-star quality rating by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The Clare is owned by Chicago Senior Care and managed by Life Care Services. For more information visit: www.TheClare.com or call 312-784-8100.