Johnson Outdoors Celebrates 40th Anniversary

JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC. (Nasdaq: JOUT), is celebrating its 40th anniversary as a global leader in outdoor recreational products. The Company’s 1,300 employees worldwide are marking the milestone occasion with food drives to help those in need in their local communities. All non-perishable items collected by employees in each location will be donated to free food banks in the respective local community.

Johnson Outdoors’ Employees Eager to End Hunger is a global effort to combat an escalating problem in countries all over the world. The World Health Organization estimates that one-third of the world is well-fed, one-third underfed and one-third is starving. The problem has neither geographic nor demographic boundaries. Nearly 800 million people across the globe suffer from hunger and malnutrition. Every year 15 million children die of hunger, and the Urban Institute in Washington, D.C. estimates that one out of every 6 elderly people in the U.S. suffers from malnutrition.

Struggling economies have worsened an already serious global situation, highlighting the inextricable link between poverty and hunger, as local food banks everywhere are having difficulty keeping up with increasing demand. Recently a food bank in Binghamton, New York, the home of Eureka!® tents, reported nearly 12,000 pounds of food were distributed in just one day.

“For five generations, my family’s businesses have been guided by strong people-focused values which recognize the goodwill of the people is the only enduring thing in any business: the rest is shadow. We believe you cannot have a healthy environment inside the company without a healthy environment in the communities where our people live and raise their families. Employees Eager to End Hunger is one of the many ways our family of employees is working hard to make a positive difference for people everywhere we do business,” said Helen Johnson-Leipold, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

The Company today also announced that John Sibley, Sr. and Theda Honnell of Old Town Maine were this year’s recipients of the annual Samuel C. and Imogene P. Johnson Sustainable Community Award. The award was inspired by Sam and Gene Johnson’s legacy of service in areas that strengthen communities and improve the quality of life for generations to come. Honnell was recognized for her volunteer work with the River Coalition, Old Town Library children’s programs and Milford Teen Center and Recreation Departments. Sibley was recognized for his numerous fundraising efforts on behalf of Cancer Care of Maine and Toys for Tots.

“My father used to say that money didn’t make things better, people did. That’s why giving back to our communities is not just be measured in dollars, but more importantly in service – giving one’s time and talents to help make every place a better place because we are there. Theda and John are great examples of how individuals can make a big difference to make the lives of many others better,” said Ms. Johnson-Leipold.

ABOUT JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.
JOHNSON OUTDOORS is a leading global outdoor recreation company that turns ideas into adventure with innovative, top-quality products. The company designs, manufactures and markets a portfolio of winning, consumer-preferred brands across four categories: Watercraft, Marine Electronics, Diving and Outdoor Equipment. Johnson Outdoors’ familiar brands include, among others: Old Town® canoes and kayaks; Ocean Kayakâ„¢ and Necky® kayaks; Carlisle paddles; Extrasport® personal flotation devices; Minn Kota® motors; Cannon® downriggers; Humminbird® fishfinders; Geonav®marine electronics; SCUBAPRO® and SUBGEAR® dive equipment; Silva® compasses; Tech4O® digital instruments; and Eureka!® tents.