Contact September 14, 2016 EST For Dixon Ticonderoga FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Rachel Fox (407) 829-9000 x131 rfox@DixonUSA.com

“Dixon Ticonderoga Company Brings the “A” in STEAM to The Kids In Need Foundation” LAKE MARY, Fla. — Dixon Ticonderoga Company has been a proud sponsor for The Kids In Need Foundation for more than seventeen years. In addition to being the National Pencil Sponsor, this year marks the first year we are also the National Fine Art and Craft Sponsor, and we are celebrating at the Foundation’s annual gala in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Recently, Dixon celebrated donating enough pencils to reach from the East to West Coast, totaling well over 3,500 miles in pencils. The initiative started in 2009, and this milestone was proudly reached in the fall of 2015, and is still going strong. The Company also donates up to $1,500,000 in products annually to the Kids In Need Foundation network of resource centers. Through our fine arts and craft sponsorship, our world renowned pencil company will donate $50,000 in fine art supplies, which will be distributed to Kids In Need Foundation resource centers across the country. Dixon Ticonderoga Company is working with four local artists in order to generate 8 fine art pieces using products from our Maimeri, Canson, and Daler-Rowney world famous brands. These masterpieces will be auctioned off at the Kids In Need Foundation annual gala. Dixon Ticonderoga is bringing in for the masterful event Gianni Maimeri and Andrew Daler to celebrate the fine art program introduction to North America. The four featured artists are John Schuyler, Jill Van Sickle, Taylor Young, and Victor Bokas, all of whom used Dixon’s new brand of Maimeri paints. The vision of Dixon Ticonderoga Company’s CEO, Timothy M. Gomez, is to build upon what the company has already accomplished. His initiative to inspire children to become artists is emphasized through his personal passion to paint a perfect life for children. He once was one of those special children needing similar support so he naturally identifies with his second family in Kids In Need. Gomez says, “I want to continue to encourage and motivate people of all ages to get inspired and paint their own creative horizons. I know the addition of the “Arts” in STEAM will help to inspire passion throughout our communities. Please join me in painting the perfect life for these very special and remarkable kids in our communities. They are going to create amazing things in the future!”

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