April 8, 2005

Retail Roundup

Cold Stone Creamery hosts month-long fundraiser in April

Benefits the Make-a-Wish Foundation

Eating dessert has never been so rewarding. Evergreen’s two Cold Stone Creamery locations are gearing up for the world’s largest Ice Cream Cake Social, an annual nationwide fundraiser which benefits the Make-A-Wish Foundation®. The Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy.

This year’s Ice Cream Cake Social will take place on Monday, April 25 from 5 p.m. -8 p.m. at all Cold Stone Creamery stores throughout the United States, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A free slice of the newly created Make-A-Wish® cake will be given to ice cream aficionados in exchange for a donation to the charity.

Each year, one lucky wish child is selected to be a “Junior Tastemaster” and create a unique Make-A-Wish cake. This year’s cake was created by Micah, age 12, from Somerset, Mass.

Stop by any Cold Stone Creamery on Monday, April 25, and receive a free slice of the newly created Make-A-Wish® cake in exchange for a donation to the charity.

A passionate chocolate lover, Micah’s Make-A-Wish cake consists of chocolate ice cream with cookie dough and chocolate shavings, layered with yellow cake and wrapped in a rich, fudge ganache. Micah’s wish to travel to Hawaii with her family and swim with dolphins was granted in July of 2004.

“Cold Stone Creamery is proud to invite local communities into our stores to help the Make-A-Wish Foundation,” says Doug Ducey, Cold Stone Creamery’s chairman and CEO. “Through this annual event, we continue our tradition of giving back and helping those in need of hope, strength and joy. All funds raised by the community during the Social will stay within the community to benefit local children.”

In addition to donations given during the world’s largest Ice Cream Cake Social, customers will have the opportunity to personalize paper wish stars and post them in the stores with all proceeds benefiting the local chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Each Wish Star is $1 and available for purchase throughout the month of April. A portion of all ice cream sales will also benefit the foundation. Typically held in July, the world’s largest Ice Cream Cake Social was moved to April this year to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Last year, the Third Annual World’s Largest Ice Cream Cake Social resulted in a total donation of $625,374.33 due to the generous contributions of Cold Stone franchisees, employees and ice cream lovers. More than 800 stores participated and the total amount raised was able to grant more than 120 heartfelt wishes.

“Thanks to the hard work of Cold Stone Creamery franchisees, staff and crew members, the world’s largest Ice Cream Cake Social offers communities around the country an ideal opportunity to come together to share their love of ice cream while at the same time helping make dreams come true for some very special children,” said David A. Williams, President and CEO of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America.

To participate in the world’s largest Ice Cream Cake Social on April 25, visit your local Cold Stone Creameries at 4848 San Felipe Road, Suite 170, or 2980 E. Capital Expressway, Suite 20.

Visit www.coldstonecreamery.com or www.wish.org for more information.