Adan Garduno Recognized as 'BE GREAT. READ!' Contest Winner

Garden Grove, CA- Literacy drastically improves a child's ability to BE GREAT and to reach his or her full potential. Adan G., an 11-year old Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove member was selected as Smucker's "BE GREAT. READ!" contest winner.

Adan created a children's story called "The Three Pigs Lost Animals." The story was about three pigs that lived in a land called "You Name it and it Will Appear." The three pigs in Adan's story wished for different kinds of pets and so they were received. Then their pets ran away when they became scared. The story describes the events that took place when the three pigs try to recover their beloved pets with the help of a flying Lamborghini with GPS.

Reading to a young child is one of the most rewarding activities that one can do. Spreading the gift of literacy is just one way to BE GREAT and help children expand their imaginations and reach their full potential. As the contest winner, Adan had an opportunity to meet the Smucker's Stars on Ice cast members at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. By participating in the contest, Adan and his fellow Club members received backpacks full of books from The J.M. Smucker Company.

"I was blown away by Adan's phenomenal story," said Sasha Cohen, 2006 Olympic Silver Medalist for the U.S. and Smucker's Stars on Ice cast member. "It is amazing to hear the stories of inspiration and to see their creativity. I am honored to have a chance to meet such outstanding young people."

Thanks to a donation of classic children's books from The J.M. Smucker Company, Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove will be able to encourage the joy of reading and learning among school-aged youth. Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove is among some thirty Boys & Girls Clubs across the country to receive this book donation to help enhance literacy and reinforce academic achievement among future leaders.

"We believe that as a community, we are responsible for our kids and there are no boundaries to the potential of their future. A recent online survey found that 33 percent of more than 1,100 young people surveyed agree that education is the top issue facing America," said Pat Halberstadt, Chief Professional Officer of Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove. "We are grateful to The J.M. Smucker Company for extending this opportunity to our youth and helping to encourage them to BE GREAT." This donation of books will go a long way in promoting a love of reading among our members and help us continue to fulfill our promise of providing hope and opportunity to all youth.

Since 2003, The J.M. Smucker Company has been supporting literacy programs at Boys & Girls Clubs across the United States. Boys & Girls Clubs of America is the official charity of Smucker's Stars on Ice figure skating tour, where a portion of the ticket proceeds are donated to the organization.

"Education provides children with endless opportunities and opens doors for them to dream big and expand their imaginations," said Maribeth Badertscher, Communications Manager of The J.M. Smucker Company. "We understand the significance of reading and writing, and this is why we are proud to support literacy through Boys & Girls Clubs of America."

ABOUT BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GARDEN GROVE
For more than 50 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove (www.bgcgg.org) have been changing and saving young lives, playing an integral role in its community. Striving to help children succeed in life, the Boys & Girls Clubs provide hope and opportunity through after-school programs, family support and community outreach. Known as The Positive Place For Kids, our 57 program sites serve over 5,000 young people from "Diapers to Diplomas," ages 18 months-18 years old, every day.

The Clubs are open daily with programs in character and leadership development, education and career enhancement, the arts, health and life skills, and sports, fitness and recreation. Our family outreach programs such as Family Campus Preschool, REACH For Literacy, Family & Youth Outreach Program (FYOP), ARCHES (Access to Resources for Children's Health, Education and Support), and the Truancy Reduction Program (TRC) expand our services to ensure that the needs of the whole child are met. Through our efforts we do our best to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.

About Smucker's Stars on Ice
Founded in 1986 by skating icon Scott Hamilton, the Smucker's Stars on Ice tour has played more than 1,000 shows over the past 23 years. Past tour performers include Olympic Gold Medalists Kristi Yamaguchi, Katarina Witt, Dorothy Hamill and Torvill & Dean. The Tour has won three Emmy Awards, one ACE Cable Award (Best Sports Special), and is recognized as the finest ice production in the world. In its 23rd season, the 2008-09 Smucker's Stars on Ice Tour will bring quality family entertainment to 40 major U.S. markets this winter. Smucker's Stars on Ice is produced by IMG, the world's premier Sports, Entertainment and Media Company. For more information about the tour, visit www.starsonice.com.

About The J.M. Smucker Company
For more than 100 years, The J.M. Smucker Company has been committed to offering consumers quality products that help families create memorable mealtime moments. Today, Smucker is the leading marketer and manufacturer of fruit spreads, retail packaged coffee, peanut butter, shortening and oils, ice cream toppings, sweetened condensed milk, and health and natural foods beverages in North America. Its family of brands includes Smucker's, Folgers, Jif, Crisco, Pillsbury, Eagle Brand, R.W. Knudsen Family, Hungry Jack, White Lily and Martha White in the United States, along with Robin Hood, Five Roses, Carnation, Europe's Best= and Bick's in Canada. The Company remains rooted in the Basic Beliefs of Quality, People, Ethics, Growth and Independence established by its founder and namesake more than a century ago. Since 1998, the Company has appeared on FORTUNE Magazine's annual listing of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in the United States, ranking number one in 2004. For more information about the Company, visit www.smuckers.com.

The J.M. Smucker Company is the owner of all trademarks, except Pillsbury is a trademark of The Pillsbury Company, used under license and Carnation is a trademark of Societe des Produits Nestle S.A., used under license.