For Immediate Release: May 2, 2008

Contact: Dawn Kuhn (217) 544-6464, ext. 44700

Wal-Mart and Sam’s Clubs raise nearly $241,000 for St. John’s Children’s Hospital

Springfield – Wal-Mart and Sam’s Clubs stores across central and southern Illinois recently announced the results of their 2007 fundraising efforts to benefit St. John’s Children’s Hospital in partnership with SIU School of Medicine. The 21 stores raised a total of $240,826. All the money raised goes directly to children’s programs at St. John’s Children’s Hospital to fund everything from high-tech equipment to comfort measures such as massage therapy for young patients.

Stores that participated in fundraising activities are located in Champaign, Charleston, Clinton, Danville, Decatur, Effingham, Jacksonville, Lincoln, Mattoon, Pana, Rantoul, Savoy, Shelbyville, Springfield, Taylorville and Urbana. The Springfield Wal-Mart on North Dirksen Parkway was the number one store in fundraising for 2007 with a donation of $34,382. Effingham and Mattoon rounded out the top three donating more than $26,989 and $22,344 respectively.

“We are so appreciative of the Wal-Mart and Sam’s Clubs in our market for the incredible amount of work they do on behalf of the pediatric and newborn patients treated at St. John’s Children’s Hospital,” said Dawn Kuhn coordinator of Children’s Miracle Network, which raises funds on behalf of St. John’s Children’s Hospital. “They were really driven by each other, which results in great things for the children’s hospital and great things for the children we serve.”

Locally, Wal-Mart and Sam’s Clubs have contributed over $1.8 million for children’s programs, services and equipment at St. John’s Children’s Hospital. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. became a corporate sponsor of Children’s Miracle Network in 1987 and has raised more than $400 million since then, making it the largest corporate sponsor.