'Pregnant' Dad Kenneth Ryan and Expectant Coach Nicole Avin Deliver a Win in BJ's Wholesale Club's first-ever 'Dad's Diaper Dash' Challenge

Sporting Empathy Bellies Simulating the Major Symptoms of Pregnancy, Dads-To-Be Competed in First-Ever Pregnancy Obstacle Course Benefiting the What to Expect Foundation

VALLEY STREAM, N.Y., May 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Dad-to-be Kenneth Ryan and very expectant coach Nicole Avin of Queens Village, New York, today delivered an exciting win that earned them a year's supply of Pampers diapers along with a cart full of baby essentials. BJ's Wholesale Club hosted its first-ever "BJ's Dad's Diaper Dash", a pregnancy challenge event designed to show dads-to-be just what expecting moms go through when pregnant and also to showcase how new parents can save money while stocking up on all of the baby products they need.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080510/CLSA009 )
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080212/CLTU030LOGO )

In honor of Mother's Day, five dads-to-be were given five minutes to complete a series of tasks that included shopping for baby-related products while enduring the rigors of daily pregnancy -- including getting up from a bed and making it, bending down to pick up toys and painting their toenails. The course was completed while daddy dashers wore 37-pound empathy bellies simulating the major symptoms of pregnancy including weight gain, bladder pressure, increased pulse and body temperature and lower backaches. Ryan's winning time clocked in at 3 minutes, 23 seconds, making him and Avin the first annual victors.

BJ's also donated $2,500 to the What to Expect Foundation, which helps low-income, lower-literacy parents expect healthier pregnancies, safer deliveries and happier babies. From the donation, 250 low-income moms-to-be will receive a "Baby Basics" book and program, created by Heidi Murkoff and Lisa Bernstein.

The first 100 moms attending the event also received a free, autographed copy of the recently released "What to Expect(R) When You're Expecting(R): 4th Edition" by Heidi Murkoff. The perennial number one best-selling book for parents-to-be, has been completely rewritten, reflecting not only what's new in pregnancy but what's relevant to pregnant women today as well as an entire chapter devoted to dads-to-be.

BJ's Wholesale Club offers everything from diapers and formula to baby clothes and car seats all at every day low prices. For more information on BJ's go to www.bjs.com.

About BJ's Wholesale Club

BJ's Wholesale Club is dedicated to providing its members with high-quality, brand name food and merchandise at prices that are significantly lower than the prices found at supermarkets, supercenters, department stores, drug stores and specialty retail stores. BJ's offers low BJ's Member Pricing on a huge selection of top-brand apparel and accessories, small appliances, consumer electronics, fine jewelry, groceries and other quality merchandise.

Headquartered in Natick, Massachusetts, BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. is a leading operator of warehouse clubs in the eastern United States. The Company currently operates 177 clubs and 100 gas stations in 16 eastern states.

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Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080510/CLSA009
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080212/CLTU030LOGO
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Source: BJ's Wholesale Club

CONTACT: Toby Srebnik, +1-954-899-1967, or tsrebnik@tilsonpr.com, or
Sharyn Frankel, +1-508-651-8534, sfrankel@bjs.com, both for BJ's Wholesale
Club

Web site: http://www.bjs.com/

2008-05-10 16:48:37 0358140 PRNEWSWIRE