Great Wolf Lodge Breaks World Record, Raises Over $125,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters

PHILADELPHIA, April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Visitors to the 11 Great Wolf Lodge resorts throughout North America set a Guinness World Record during a "World's Largest Waterslide-athon," event, raising more than $125,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters in the process.

The Waterslide-athon held March 26-27 attracted more than 45,000 participants who slid a combined total of 3,593 miles, approximately the distance across the Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe.  This distance has been certified by Guinness as a new world record for "longest distance water sliding in 24 hours in multiple venues."

"Big Brothers Big Sisters is very grateful to our Great Wolf partner and those who took part," said Karen J. Mathis, president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters. "Their generosity will help us match children with caring adult mentors and provide the support to sustain those matches long-term, yielding the successful results that Big Brothers Big Sisters has been proven to achieve."

Sliders were asked to donate $1 each time they took the plunge, for a total of $75,800.  Madison, Wisconsin-based parent company Great Wolf Resorts, Inc. matched this amount with a $50,000 corporate contribution. "We're thrilled to hold the Guinness World Record for the longest distance watersliding in 24 hours. It was a true team effort at all of our properties," said Kim Schaefer, CEO of Great Wolf Resorts. "While it's nice to have this world record, what makes this a truly special event is the generosity of our guests and the general public who donated during the waterslide-athon to our charity of choice, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America."

Studies have found that "Littles," children in Big Brothers Big Sisters programs, are more likely than their peers to perform better in school, avoid violent, unhealthy and illegal behaviors, and have strong relationships with their parents and others.  Former Littles also report that they believe their relationship with their "Big" had a significant impact on their lives and consider themselves more successful than their childhood peers.

The eleven Great Wolf Lodge resorts taking part in the record-breaking event include Wisconsin Dells, WI, Sandusky, OH, Kansas City, KA, Traverse City, MI, Williamsburg, VA, Pocono Mountains, PA, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, King's Island, in Mason OH, Grapevine, TX, Grand Mound, WA and Charlotte/Concord, NC.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters

Big Brothers Big Sisters helps vulnerable children beat the odds.  The organization depends on donations to help conduct background checks on volunteers to ensure child safety; and provide ongoing support for children, families and volunteers to build and sustain long-lasting relationships, key to successful mentoring.  Big Brothers Big Sisters is proven by independent research to improve children's odds for succeeding in school, behaving nonviolently, avoiding drugs and alcohol, and breaking negative cycles.  Headquartered in Philadelphia and with nearly 400 agencies across the country, Big Brothers Big Sisters serves more than a quarter million children. Learn how you can change how children grow up in America by going to BigBrothersBigSisters.org.

SOURCE Big Brothers Big Sisters