AKRON, Ohio, Sept. 30, 2005 -- While some holiday gifts sparkle, others help save children's lives. This season, Kay Jewelers is offering a soft, huggable plush bear named "Winter" to support internationally renowned St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. "Winter" is available now through December 24 at Kay Jewelers stores nationwide.

Kay Jewelers' customers can take "Winter" home for just $9.99 with any purchase. "Winter" is seventh in a series of limited-edition St. Jude plush collectibles exclusive to Kay Jewelers. "Winter" dons snowflake-clad apparel plus a signature ear tag and gift bag inspired by artwork created by St. Jude patients.

All profits, no less than $4.00 of the purchase price of each holiday bear, will be donated to St. Jude. Last year alone, sales of the plush toys, along with corporate donations and personal employee contributions, totaled $1.7 million.

"Kay Jewelers is one of the special partners that has truly embraced the dream of our founder Danny Thomas," said John P. Moses, chief executive officer of ALSAC/St. Jude. "From the corporate leadership to store managers and employees, this corporation has demonstrated an abiding love for children who need our help fighting cancer and other catastrophic diseases. We are truly grateful for their commitment to St. Jude's life-saving mission."

No family ever pays St. Jude for treatments not covered by insurance, and families without insurance are never asked to pay. Kay Jewelers embraces this life-saving mission and has contributed more than $6.1 million to the hospital since partnering with St. Jude in 1999.

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. Founded by late entertainer Danny Thomas and based in Memphis, Tennessee, St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities around the world. St. Jude is financially supported by ALSAC, its fund-raising organization. For more information, please visit www.stjude.org.

Kay Jewelers, the number one specialty jewelry brand in the U.S., operates more than 750 stores primarily in shopping malls across the country, and is part of the largest specialty jewelry retail organization in the world. To find the nearest Kay Jewelers location, call (800) 681-8796 or visit www.kay.com.