Category: Public Relations

One-of-a-kind BB face will hang in
Ripley’s Hollywood Odditorium

ORLANDO, Fla. – (Aug. 2, 2010) – Her poker face may be tough to read, but there will be no mistaking the face on a new Lady Gaga portrait acquired by Ripley’s Believe It or Not!

The portrait is a mosaic made from 61,509 Airsoft BB’s – the plastic balls used in a popular type of BB gun.

The artwork was created by Gainesville, Florida artist John O’Hearn, who is primarily a sculptor, but has spent the last few years experimenting with Airsoft BB’s as a medium. The BB’s act as pixels in the mosaics he creates. O’Hearn says he can recreate any picture or portrait from just 5 colors of BB’s – red, yellow, blue, black and white. This project took about a month to finish.

The Lady Gaga mosaic is 4 feet high and is 8 feet wide.  It contains:

• 303 plastic tubes
• Each tube contains 203 BB’s
• 61,509 BB’s in all

“This is a spectacular work of art,” said Edward Meyer, VP of Exhibits and Archives for Ripley’s Believe It or Not! “O’Hearn uses computer technology and an unusual medium to put a modern-day spin on pointillism.”

Unique Celebrity Portraits at Ripley’s

Lady Gaga joins an exclusive list of unique celebrity portraits that hang in Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Odditoriums worldwide, including President Obama, Michael Jackson and Dean Cain all made from gumballs, Eminem and Elvis made from M&M’s, Princess Diana made from dryer lint, Beyonce, Marilyn Monroe and Mo’Nique made from licorice and gummy bears, Taylor Swift made from pink and white Good N’ Plenty candies and the Beatles made from chicken wire.  Another John O’Hearn creation hangs in Ripley’s St. Augustine, Florida Odditorium – a portrait of football quarterback Tim Tebow made from 46,000 BB’s.

The Lady Gaga portrait will go on display in Ripley’s Hollywood Odditorium in Spring 2011 following an extensive museum renovation and remodel over the winter months.

To view downloadable high-resolution images of the Lady Gaga portrait, go to Ripley’s Newsroom.

Media contact:

Tim O’Brien

VP Communications

Ripley Entertainment Inc.

Obrien@ripleys.com

Office – 615-646-7465

Cell – 615-496-5949

About Ripley Entertainment

Ripley Entertainment Inc. (www.ripleys.com), keepers of the venerable Ripley’s Believe It or Not! brand, is a global leader in location-based entertainment, entertaining more than 13 million annually at its 80 attractions in 11 countries.  In addition to its 31 Believe It or Not! Odditoriums, the Orlando, Florida-based company has publishing, licensing and broadcast divisions, best-selling books and the popular syndicated cartoon strip, Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, that still runs daily in 42 countries. Ripley Entertainment is a Jim Pattison Company, the third-largest privately held company in Canada.

July 1celebration includes giant cake cutting and fireworks

NIAGARA FALLS, ON. (June 9, 2010) – It’s time for Canada to blow out those candles again and Ripley’s Great Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls knows just how to celebrate, with an array of special activities and prices for Canada Day.

Families can enjoy from a range of different events at the Great Wolf Lodge for Canada Day and the weekend that follows, including:

• Giant Cake Cutting (July 1): Join us on the outdoor pool deck as we cut Canada’s birthday cake.

• Fireworks (July 1): Wrap up a day of resort activities by watching some spectacular fireworks.

• Story Time Under the Stars (July 1): Join us at the outdoor pool for a special story time under the stars.

• Family Dance (July 2): Put on your dancing shoes and come to the Grand Living Room to show us your best dance moves. Join in on the Great Wolf Family fun.

• Family Quest (July 3): Rally the family and join us on a Scavenger Hunt throughout the Lodge. There are great prizes for the top three teams.

There will also be poolside entertainment at the Lodge’s 60,000 square feet outdoor waterpark. If that isn’t enough, families can also enjoy the indoor waterpark complex, which is made up of 13 waterslides, three pools, two whirlpools, a giant wavepool, a lazy river and a huge tipping bucket carrying 4,000 liters of water.

Rates for Canada Day start at $369.95 and includes 2 Days Play with 1 Night Stay. For reservations at the Great Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls, visit http://www.greatwolf.com /niagara/waterpark or call (800) 605-9653.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Keith Simmonds

General Manager Great Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls
Ph: 905.354.4888, email: simmonds@ripleys.com

About Great Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls

Great Wolf Lodge (www.greatwolf.com) Niagara Falls, Canada, is owned by Ripley’s Niagara Water Park Resort, L.P., a Jim Pattison Group company, through a license from Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.

Great Wolf Lodge captures the adventure and the intrigue of the Northwoods with nature-inspired accommodations, multiple family-themed restaurants, Elements spa, an arcade with over 100 games and an interactive miniature golf course. Measuring more than 100,000 square feet with 2.5 million litres of water, the indoor waterpark complex includes 13 waterslides, three pools, two whirlpools, a large outdoor heated spa experience, a giant wavepool, a 500,000 litre lazy river, a 4,000 litre tipping bucket and more.  Well known for its environmental programs, Great Wolf Lodge Niagara  Falls has been awarded four leaves in the Audubon Green Leaf™ Eco-Rating program.

About Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.

Great Wolf Resorts, Inc^®. (NASDAQ: WOLF), Madison, Wis., is North America’s largest family of indoor waterpark resorts, and, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, owns and operates its family resorts under the Great Wolf Lodge^® and Blue Harbor Resort^™ brands.  Great Wolf Resorts is a fully integrated resort company with Great Wolf Lodge locations in: Wisconsin Dells, Wis.; Sandusky, Ohio; Traverse City, Mich.; Kansas City, Kan.; Williamsburg, Va.; the Pocono Mountains, Pa.; Niagara Falls, Ontario; Mason, Ohio; Grapevine, Texas; Grand Mound, Wash.; and Concord, N.C.; and Blue Harbor Resort & Conference Center in Sheboygan, Wis.  Through Great Wolf Resorts’ environmental sustainability program, Project Green Wolf^™, the company is the first and only national hotel chain to have all US properties Green Seal^™ Certified – Silver.

The company’s resorts are family-oriented destination facilities that generally feature 300 – 600 rooms and a large indoor entertainment area measuring 40,000 – 100,000 square feet.  The all-suite properties offer a variety of room styles, arcade/game rooms, fitness rooms, themed restaurants, spas, supervised children’s activities and other amenities.  Additional information may be found on the company’s Web site at www.greatwolf.com.

EL PASO, Texas (May11, 2010) – Ripley’s Marvelous Mirror Maze & Candy Factory, the most innovative, fun and tasty attraction to open in this city for years, will be opening  its doors this summer at The Outlet Shoppes at El Paso.

The attraction features hundreds of mirrors with an amazing surprise at every corner, twist and bend. Plus, the spectacular and colorful candy store has a splendiferous variety of candies of all kinds – from old fashioned root beer barrels to the most current confections, all set in a fantasy candy factory surrounding.

The Mirror Maze features nearly 2,000 square feet of mirrored paths, surprising corners, dead ends and rotating mirrors! Music, mysterious sounds and colorful lighting effects make the experience even more daunting – and FUN!

If a person stops and looks around all they will see is themselves looking back. There appears to be no clear path for escape! With so many choices – it is never the same experience twice. One ticket is good for unlimited play all day which makes it one of the area’s most affordable attractions as well!

“It’s different, it’s fun for everyone in the family and it’s certainly much cooler than the glass and mirror mazes I went through as a kid!” said, Clay Stewart general manager of the three Ripley’s facilities in San Antonio.

The Maze and Candy Factory will be located at The Outlet Shoppes at El Paso, I-10 and Exit 6 (Trans Mountain Loop/Hwy 375).

The Ripley’s Marvelous Mirror Maze and Candy Factory is the newest member of the Ripley Entertainment Inc. family, which includes more than 80 family attractions in 11 countries, including Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditoriums, Louis Tussauds Wax Museums, Ripley’s Aquariums, Ripley’s Haunted Adventures, Ripley’s Moving Theaters, Ripley’s Mini-Golf, and the Guinness World Records  Museums.

El  Paso Media Contact:

Clay Stewart, General Manager San Antonio
210-224-9299
stewart@ripleys.com

Ripley Corporate Media Contact:

Tim O’Brien, VP Communications
Ripley Entertainment
615-646-7465
Obrien@ripleys.com

Cuts for Kids program sends kids back to school with a smile

Lake Mary, Fla. – (September 1, 2010) – Remington College sent more than 3,000 students back to school looking and feeling their best this summer. The career college provided complimentary back to school hair cuts at the thirteen Remington College campuses with cosmetology departments.

The complimentary hair cut program is an annual event called Cuts for Kids. Families are invited to bring in children under 17 years of age for a free hair cut during the two weeks prior to the start of the school year.

A total of 3,312 hair cuts were provided – beating last year’s total by more than 1,000.

“The response to Cuts for Kids was again outstanding,” said Dr. Mike Lanouette, Vice President and Chief Academic Officer for Remington College. “Our cosmetology students look forward to this and love working with the kids.”

The Remington College Cosmetology program teaches students the art of hair, skin and nail care through traditional classroom instruction and hands-on training in “The Salon at Remington,” which allows students to work with real clients.

Hair cuts provided through Cuts for Kids, campus by campus:

Remington College-Baton Rouge: 278

Remington College-Cleveland: 102

Remington College-Columbia: 137

Remington College-Dallas: 395

Remington College-Fort Worth: 220

Remington College-Houston: 160

Remington College-Houston Southeast: 412

Remington College-Lafayette: 313

Remington College-Memphis: 219

Remington College-Mobile: 117

Remington College-Nashville: 252

Remington College-North Houston: 391

Remington College-Tampa: 316

Based in Heathrow, Florida, Remington College offers diploma and degree programs at 20 campuses throughout the United States, including a new online campus. Its mission is to provide career-focused education through a variety of programs, including nursing, cosmetology, business office management and criminal justice.

For more information, call 1-800-448-6405.

About Remington College: Remington College is a common name used by all 20 campuses of a group of affiliated companies of privately-owned, post-secondary educational institutions based in Heathrow, Florida. Through its campuses, Remington College offers diplomas, bachelor’s and associate’s degrees in a variety of fields, including: cosmetology; nursing; healthcare; criminal justice; business; electronics; information technology; and more.  Course offerings vary by campus. Remington College and its predecessor companies have been part of the higher education community since 1985. For more information, please visit http://www.remingtoncollege.edu/. For the latest news about Remington College, visit http://today.remingtoncollege.edu/.

Media contact:

Frank Wolff

Wellons Communications

407-339-0879 office

407-637-6000 cell

Frank@wellonscommunications.com

Posted by Wellons Communications on behalf of Remington College.

Barnie’s in Baldwin Park hosts Magic pep rally, offers free samples of exclusive new coffee on Friday, April 30

Orlando, Fla. As the Orlando Magic make a run towards an NBA title, fans can toast the team with an exclusive new blend from Barnie’s® Coffee & Tea Company: Orlando Magic Blend® coffee.

The newest member of Barnie’s all-star lineup of gourmet coffee and tea is a limited edition, so fans should act fast! The coffee is now available for sale at the Amway Arena and in select Barnie’s locations in the Orlando area.

Barnie’s and the Magic are teaming up for a pep rally on Friday, April 30 from 12:30-1:30 pm to cheer on the team and introduce the new Orlando Magic Blend. The event will take place at Barnie’s Baldwin Park store, located at 4846 New Broad St.

The event will include:

• Free samples of the new Orlando Magic Blend
• A meet and greet with Orlando Magic Community Ambassador Bo Outlaw
• Photos and autographs with members of the Orlando Magic Dancers
• “STUFF” the mascot  will be on hand to entertain kids of all ages

Orlando Magic Blend combines the bright, sweet characteristics of Central American beans with the exotic nature of Indonesian beans to create the perfect balance of body and creaminess. The coffee is roasted to a medium brown for the perfect caramelization of the beans, which highlights the sweetness and body.

“Whether you’re a Barnie’s fan, Magic fan or both – Orlando Magic Blend delivers a winning cup of coffee while you cheer on the Magic during the playoffs,” said Phil Jones, President/CEO of Barnie’s.

Orlando Magic Blend will be sold by the cup and in 8oz bags, which retail for $9.99.

Buying a bag of Orlando Magic Blend also means a win for the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation. A percentage of the proceeds from each bag sold will go to the OMYF, which is committed to helping children throughout Central Florida, especially those most at-risk, reach their full potential by supporting non-profit agencies with programs that empower families and change lives.

In addition to the Amway Arena, Orlando Magic Blend will be available at select Barnie’s locations, including:

• Park Avenue
• Baldwin Park
• Avalon Park
• Waterford Lakes Town Center
• Phillips Crossing
• Altamonte Mall
• Winter Springs Town Center
• Heathrow Square
• Merritt Square Mall
• Buffalo Ridge in The Villages
• Clermont Landings
• The Loop
• Orlando Fashion Square
• Lakeland Square Mall

For information on store addresses and phone numbers, please visit http://www.barniescoffee.com/stores/florida.

About Barnie’s® Coffee & Tea Company

Barnie’s® Coffee & Tea Company was founded in 1980 by Phil Jones in Winter Park, Florida. The company was reacquired by Jones in partnership with Jim Pugh in 2008. Barnie’s has become one of America’s premier specialty coffee and tea retailers, offering three roast levels of distinct blends and estate grown coffees and more than 45 whole bean coffees, 20 of which are flavored. Barnie’s also offers a variety of other products and programs via e-commerce and catalog divisions. Barnie’s is passionate about coffee and customer service, with 30 company-owned and franchised retail locations including an international customer base. For more information, visit www.barniescoffee.com.

Purpose of trip is to see if the huge whale is ready to be unearthed

ORLANDO, Fla. (June 11, 2010) – Ripley’s  VP Exhibits & Archives Edward Meyer will be visiting Prince Edward Island, Canada, on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 14-15 on a reconnaissance mission to check out the condition of a beached whale the company purchased – and buried – in 1989. He will be joined by Cavendish’s Ripley’s Believe It or Not! franchisee, Thom MacMillan.

“The whale seems to have been strangely off course when it beached on PEI that summer,” said MacMillan. “It is very unusual for a Sperm Whale to be in this part of the world and that’s what initially got our attention.”

MacMillan and Meyer went to look at the whale and purchased it with the intention of putting it into Ripley’s Cavendish museum which had just opened that year. They soon found that the 37-foot long, 20 ton whale was too massive for the museum, and with nothing else to do with it at the time, they decided to bury it and let nature take over the job of stripping the carcass down to bones. They checked on it two years later but it has remained buried and untouched by humans since 1991.

“I imagine the bones have been pretty well stripped by now, at least that’s what I am hoping to find,” added Meyer. “Once we see it, we’ll make the decision as to when we will dig it out. Hopefully we can do that this summer.”

Edward Meyer can be reached at – 407-492-8256. Thom MacMillan can be reached at 902-962-2022.

Corporate Contact:

Tim O’Brien

VP Communications

Ripley Entertainment Inc.

615-496-5949

Obrien@ripleys.com

Remington College leads 3 Lives effort with the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America and America’s Blood Centers

Heathrow, Fla. – (September 1, 2010) – September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month and Remington College is holding blood drives on all its campuses in an effort to increase the number of minority blood donors.

According to the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, more than 70,000 people in the U.S. have this life-threatening disease.

Remington College has partnered with the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America (SCDAA) and America’s Blood Centers to hold a series blood drives on all its campuses. The effort is called 3 Lives – because three lives may be saved for every one pint of blood donated.

So far this year, Remington College campuses have collected a total of 1,479 pints of blood.

The September blood drives will focus on the need for minority donors – especially African Americans.

According to the SCDAA, African American donors are vital to many people battling sickle cell disease because they provide blood with unique antigens. The best blood match for a chronically ill patient requiring multiple blood transfusions will likely come from a donor of the same ethnic background. Blood transfusions help benefit sickle cell disease patients by reducing recurrent pain crises, risk of stroke and other complications.

While the focus is on recruiting minority donors, everyone is encouraged to attend the September drives and donate blood. All the blood collected will be used to help people in the communities where Remington College has campuses.

Based in Heathrow, Florida, Remington College offers diploma and degree programs at 20 campuses throughout the United States, including a new online campus. Its mission is to provide career-focused education through a variety of programs, including nursing, cosmetology, business office management and criminal justice.

For more information, call 1-800-448-6405 or visit www.3Lives.com.

About Remington College: Remington College is a common name used by all 20 campuses of a group of affiliated companies of privately-owned, post-secondary educational institutions based in Heathrow, Florida. Through its campuses, Remington College offers diplomas, bachelor’s and associate’s degrees in a variety of fields, including: cosmetology; nursing; healthcare; criminal justice; business; electronics; information technology; and more.  Course offerings vary by campus. Remington College and its predecessor companies have been part of the higher education community since 1985. For more information, please visit http://www.remingtoncollege.edu/. For the latest news about Remington College, visit http://today.remingtoncollege.edu/.

Media contact:

Frank Wolff

Wellons Communications

407-339-0879 office

407-637-6000 cell

Frank@wellonscommunications.com

Award includes grant worth up to $5,000 and paid trip to Las Vegas convention

Shreveport, La. – (June 3, 2010) – Remington College-Shreveport Campus student Latisha Jefferson was chosen as one of seven recipients of the 2010 Imagine America LDRSHIP Award.

She will receive a grant worth up to $5,000 towards her career college tuition because of her impressive military service record and excellent grades.

Jefferson has been a student in the Remington College-Shreveport Campus Business Office Management Associate’s Degree program since February 2010 and carries a 4.0 GPA.

Jefferson’s military service includes both the Air Force and the Army. She served as a Navy reservist from 2003-2006 as an Aviation Resource Management Apprentice. In 2006 she joined the Army as an active duty Petroleum Supply Specialist and spent several months in Iraq. She was one of two women who were part of the 4^th Brigade 2-13^th Calvary Regiment.

In addition to the grant money, Jefferson will also receive an all-expense paid trip to the Career College Association’s Annual Convention in Las Vegas from June 9 to 11. The LDRSHIP Award lunch and presentation on June 11 will feature keynote speaker former President Bill Clinton. Jefferson and the other award recipients will have a chance to take a photo with the former president after the lunch. Remington College is paying the expenses for Jefferson to take a guest.

The LDRSHIP Award, which stands for Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, Personal Courage, has been awarded since 2004 by the Imagine America Foundation. The Foundation serves the career college community with scholarships, financial aid information and supports and promotes the benefits of career colleges to the public.

“It is a terrific honor for Latisha to receive such an important national award. She exemplifies everything a Remington College student should be. She will represent our campus well at the convention,” said Jerry Driskill, Remington College-Shreveport Campus President.

Based in Heathrow, Florida, Remington College offers diploma and degree programs at 20 campuses throughout the United States, including a new online campus. Its mission is to provide career-focused education through a variety of programs, including nursing, cosmetology, business office management and criminal justice.

For more information, call 1-800-448-6405.

About Remington College: Remington College is a common name used by all 20 campuses of a group of affiliated companies of privately-owned, post-secondary educational institutions based in Heathrow, Florida. Through its campuses, Remington College offers diplomas, bachelor’s and associate’s degrees in a variety of fields, including: cosmetology; nursing; healthcare; criminal justice; business; electronics; information technology; and more.  Course offerings vary by campus. Remington College and its predecessor companies have been part of the higher education community since 1985. For more information, please visit http://www.remingtoncollege.edu/. For the latest news about Remington College, visit http://today.remingtoncollege.edu/

Media contact:

Frank Wolff

Wellons Communications

407-339-0879 office

407-637-6000 cell

Frank@wellonscommunications.com

Free event features healthy hands-on activities and exhibits

Shreveport, La. – (June 4, 2010) – Remington College-Shreveport Campus will hold a Health & Fitness Expo featuring several family-friendly activities. The event is free and the campus invites the public to take part in a day of activities that will focus on health and fitness.

The event will be held on Saturday, June 12 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the Remington College-Shreveport Campus, located at 2106 Bert Kouns Industrial Loop.

The Health & Fitness Expo will feature a variety of activities and booths, including:

• Blood pressure screenings
• Glucose screenings
• Children’s activities
• Spacewalk
• Basketball
• Hula hoops
• Jump ropes
• Personal trainer
• Fitness demonstrations
• Food
• Door prizes

Remington College-Shreveport Campus offers a variety of degree and diploma programs, including two diploma programs in the healthcare field:

Medical Assisting teaches patient care, laboratory procedures, therapeutic care and medical insurance and bookkeeping basics and can be completed in as few as eight months.

Medical Billing and Coding teaches medical billing systems, fundamentals of anatomy and physiology, HIPPA regulations and medical terminology and can be completed in as few as nine months.

For more information, call 318-671-4000.

About Remington College: Remington College is a common name used by all 20 campuses of a group of affiliated companies of privately-owned, post-secondary educational institutions based in Heathrow, Florida. Through its campuses, Remington College offers diplomas, bachelor’s and associate’s degrees in a variety of fields, including: cosmetology; nursing; healthcare; criminal justice; business; electronics; information technology; and more.  Course offerings vary by campus. Remington College and its predecessor companies have been part of the higher education community since 1985. For more information, please visit http://www.remingtoncollege.edu/. For the latest news about Remington College, visit http://today.remingtoncollege.edu/

Media contact:

Frank Wolff

Wellons Communications

407-339-0879 office

407-637-6000 cell

Frank@wellonscommunications.com

Remington College School of Cosmetology provides education as well as student salon services for the public

Mobile, Ala. – (July 9, 2010) – Remington College-Mobile Campus will hold an open house for its new Remington College School of Cosmetology on Monday, July 12 from noon to 2 p.m.

The public is invited to tour the salon, manicure/pedicure/facial areas and the classrooms. Instructors and students will be on hand to talk about the program.

Ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for 1 p.m.

The Cosmetology Diploma Program teaches students the art of hair, skin and nail care through traditional classroom instruction and hands-on training, which allows students the opportunity to work with real clients.

“The cosmetology program is a great addition to our campus,” said Stephen Backman, Campus President. “The opportunity for students to get hands-on experience working with real clients is a tremendous plus.”

In addition to Cosmetology, Remington College – Mobile Campus also offers associates degree programs in Computer and Network Administration, Criminal Justice, Electronics and Computer Technology and Process Control Engineering Technology. Diploma programs are offered in Computer-Aided Design and Drafting, Medical Assisting, Medical Assisting with X-Ray Tech (Limited Scope) and EKG, Medical Billing and Coding and Pharmacy Technician.

The campus is located at 828 Downtowner Loop West in Mobile.

For more information, call 1-251-343-8200.

About Remington College: Remington College is a common name used by all 20 campuses of a group of affiliated companies of privately-owned, post-secondary educational institutions based in Heathrow, Florida. Through its campuses, Remington College offers diplomas, bachelor’s and associate’s degrees in a variety of fields, including: cosmetology; nursing; healthcare; criminal justice; business; electronics; information technology; and more.  Course offerings vary by campus. Remington College and its predecessor companies have been part of the higher education community since 1985. For more information, please visit http://www.remingtoncollege.edu/. For the latest news about Remington College, visit http://today.remingtoncollege.edu/.

Media contact:

Frank Wolff

Wellons Communications

407-339-0879 office

407-637-6000 cell

Frank@wellonscommunications.com