Sears Blue Tool Crew Invites America to Salute Dads Making a Difference Through the Launch of Unsung Heroes Program

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., June 2 /PRNewswire/ -- June is the month to celebrate fathers.  With so many of them making valuable contributions in their communities, the Sears Blue Tool Crew has created a program that salutes some very deserving dads. "Unsung Heroes: Dads Making a Difference" celebrates dads who are using their tools and talents to benefit their communities. The Sears Blue Tool Crew is seeking entries that spotlight the work of these exemplary role models and America's vote will help pick the grand prize winner.  The "Dads Making a Difference" contest kicks off the Sears Blue Tool Crew's new "Unsung Heroes" campaign that will continue to pay tribute throughout the year to those using their tools and talents to benefit the community.

"We know there are dads everywhere who serve not only as an inspiration to their own kids, but to their entire community," said Ty Pennington, Sears spokesman. "These programs are about bringing families and communities together and I am excited to partner with the Sears Blue Tool Crew to bring the right tools and resources to these deserving unsung heroes."

Recognizing the important role many dads play as the go-to person for DIY projects, the Sears Blue Tool Crew is issuing a call for nominations for all dads who are actively involved in community-oriented projects. Entries, which require a 250-word-or-less essay and a photo, will be accepted at searsunsungheroes.com. A panel of judges, including Ty Pennington, will select 10 finalists and America's vote will decide which nominee will receive a special visit from the Sears Blue Tool Crew to help bring a needy or ongoing project to life. Each finalist will receive a tool prize package from the Sears Blue Tool Crew, while the grand prize winner will receive $30,000 in services and assistance from the Sears Blue Tool Crew to help further advance his community work.

Nominations should focus on how the deserving dad uses his tools and talents for the benefit of a project in his hometown. Entries will be accepted from June 1 through June 30. From July 14-30, Americans can cast their votes for which deserving dad will receive a visit from the Blue Tool Crew with the tools and resources to bring their projects to life like never before. Official contest rules are available at searsunsungheroes.com under the "Rules" tab.

"We are excited to honor fathers through the 'Dads Making a Difference' program," said Steve Light, Sr. Vice President, tools and hardware for Sears Holdings. "Every day the Sears Blue Tool Crew meets hundreds of dads who use our tools to create amazing results.  There's no better way to celebrate Father's Day than to salute their efforts and help bring their projects to life."

Celebrating Unsung Heroes

The "Dads Making a Difference" contest is the first program in the Sears Blue Tool Crew's new "Unsung Heroes" campaign, an ongoing effort to shine the light on individuals and organizations that are using their tools and talents to benefit the community.

"Unsung Heroes is our way of celebrating individuals doing great things through DIY that may not always receive the recognition they deserve," added Bill Kiss, Chief Marketing Officer, tools and hardware for Sears Holdings. "In the coming months we look forward to bringing the stories and experiences of these inspiring people to life and using the tools and resources of the Sears Blue Tool Crew to honor and help their efforts."

The tools section of www.sears.com has helpful information and keeps you updated on the latest innovative products, great values and helpful solutions from the Sears Blue Tool Crew. Beyond the Sears site, the Sears Blue Tool Crew has plenty more on the Web.

• Become a fan of the Sears Blue Tool Crew page on Facebook at facebook.com/SearsBlueToolCrew for the latest news, deals and contests, including great deals for Father's Day from the Sears Blue Tool Crew
• Follow the Sears Blue Tool Crew on Twitter @BlueToolCrew to stay in the know about upcoming deals, project tips and more

For more information on the full line of tools available from Sears and to start shopping for Father's Day, visit www.sears.com.

About Sears, Roebuck and Co.

Sears, Roebuck and Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation (Nasdaq: SHLD), is a leading broadline retailer providing merchandise and related services. Sears, Roebuck offers its wide range of home merchandise, apparel and automotive products and services through more than 2,300 Sears-branded and affiliated stores in the United States and Canada, which includes approximately 929 full-line and approximately 1,200 specialty stores in the U.S. Sears, Roebuck also offers a variety of merchandise and services through sears.com, landsend.com, and specialty catalogs. Sears, Roebuck offers consumers leading proprietary brands including Kenmore, Craftsman, DieHard and Lands' End -- among the most trusted and preferred brands in the U.S. Sears, Roebuck is the 2010 ENERGY STAR® Retail Partner of the Year. The company is the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 12 million service calls made annually. For more information, visit the Sears, Roebuck website at www.sears.com or the Sears Holdings Corporation website at www.searsholdings.com.

SOURCE Sears, Roebuck and Co.