STEW LEONARD III WATER SAFETY FOUNDATION RECEIVES FIRST-EVER NATIONAL WATER SAFETY EDUCATION AWARD FROM THE NATIONAL WATER SAFETY CONGRESS

PANAMA CITY, FLA., April 21, 2004 – The Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation was honored at The National Water Safety Congress Summit in Panama City, Florida today with two prestigious awards for the Foundation’s efforts to support water safety education and awareness:

The National Water Safety Education Award. The Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation was the recipient of the first-ever national water safety education award in the National Water Safety Congress’s 53-year history.

The Regional Award for Region One. The Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation was recognized for developing the first child’s guide to water safety, for children age two to six, and assisting more than 10,000 children learn to swim. Region One encompasses the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.

“We felt that the Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation deserved to be recognized with The Water Safety Congress’s first-ever national education award for their significant contributions in promoting water safety education through the Stewie the Duck Learns to Swim book and video, which have reached more than 50,000 children with vital water safety messages that will save lives,” said Bob Pharr, President of The National Water Safety Congress. “Kim and Stew Leonard, Jr. took a personal tragedy and focused their energies on preventing a similar tragedy from occurring in other families, and the entire board of directors felt that we needed to recognize this is in a momentous and prestigious way.”

The awards were announced at a dinner banquet during the eighth International Boating and Water Safety Summit held at the Marriott Bay Point Resort Village in Panama City Beach, Florida. The annual Summit attracts more than 500 attendees, representing all facets of water safety, including education, outreach and communication, waterway management, paddle sport safety and law enforcement. It is the largest international water safety organization, and attracts representatives from Italy, Japan, Australia, Canada and England

“My family, and all the people who volunteer their time on behalf of the Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation, are deeply honored with this recognition by the National Water Safety Congress,” said Stew Leonard, Jr., who started the Foundation with his wife Kim in 1990 after losing their two-year old son in a drowning accident. “We’ve always said, ‘if we can just save one life, all our efforts will be worth it.’ Never in our wildest dreams did we imagine the Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation would grow to the extent it has and potentially has saved hundreds of lives.”

ABOUT THE NATIONAL WATER SAFETY CONGRESS

A non-profit organization dedicated to promoting recreational water safety in the United States, the National Water Safety Congress was organized in 1951 in response to a growing number of recreation related drownings. The Congress promotes two basic approaches to reduce water recreation fatalities, injuries, and property damage --- education and enforcement. Congress membership includes water safety specialists from federal, state, and local governments, water/flood control authorities, water oriented utility companies, public safety agencies, water safety councils, and private individuals. For more information, visit www.watersafetycongress.org.

ABOUT STEW LEONARD III WATER SAFETY FOUNDATION

The Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation was founded in 1990 with the mission to save lives through water safety education and awareness for both children and adults. Stew Leonard, Jr., President and CEO of Stew Leonard’s food stores, and his wife, Kim, created the foundation in memory of their son, Stew Leonard III, who died in 1989 in a drowning accident when he was 21 months old.

The Foundation provides scholarships for swimming lessons and safety equipment through local YMCAs and Swim America, a nationally certified learn to swim program offered by the American Swimming Coaches Association. Since 1990, the Foundation has helped more than 10,000 children learn to swim.

In October 2000, Kim and Stew Leonard were awarded the USA Swimming Safety Commendation from USA Swimming, a national group of swim coaches and athletes. In 2002, they published the first book to teach young children about the importance of water safety, titled Stewie the Duck Learns to Swim and last year created a video to accompany the book. For more information on the Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation, please visit www.stewietheduck.com.