Source: PRNewswire

Thanks to Backstreet.net reader SailorNire@aol.com for sending this in.

The Backstreet Boys Team Up With Sears And Youth Service America To Honor Young Volunteers

Youth Volunteer Awards a Centerpiece of Sears Presents Backstreet Boys Into The Millennium Tour

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Aug. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Sears, Roebuck and Co. and the Backstreet Boys
joined forces with Youth Service America (YSA) to honor outstanding young people who demonstrate a
commitment to community service and a dedication to the volunteer spirit. The Sears/YSA "Larger Than
Life Awards" are a centerpiece of Sears sponsorship of the Backstreet Boys fall North American tour,
Sears Presents The Backstreet Boys Into The Millennium.

The Backstreet Boys linked the song Larger Than Life, from their record- breaking new album
Millennium, to the awards, which will recognize one outstanding young volunteer, age 9-20, in each of the
Backstreet Boys U.S. tour markets. The group's song Larger Than Life also is exclusively featured in
Sears advertising in the August back-to-school campaign and in spots to air throughout the fall tour.

The Larger Than Life Awards will recognize a total of 36 winners, who will receive a $2,000 grant to
fund a project for National Youth Service Day, four tickets to their local Backstreet Boys concert and
the opportunity to meet the Backstreet Boys backstage before the concert. Two national Larger Than
Life Award winners will be selected from all award winners to receive an additional $10,000 grant for
their volunteer organization.

The Larger Than Life Awards will be administered by YSA, the nation's largest alliance of youth service
organizations. Nominations in each market will be judged on applicants' dedication to service, ability to
motivate others to serve and the positive impact of their service on the community. Applicants must also
submit a plan for a project for National Youth Service Day, scheduled for April 14-15, 2000.

Winners will be announced one day prior to the concert in each U.S. tour market. The first Larger Than
Life Award presentation will be made at the Backstreet Boys first tour stop, Sept. 15 in Ft. Lauderdale.
The Sears sponsored tour will visit 39 cities in the U.S. and Canada in 11 weeks before the final show in
Tampa on Dec. 2.

Next spring, Sears and YSA will announce the two national winners, to be selected by a special committee,
based on the impact and scope of National Youth Service Day projects.

"Sponsoring the Backstreet Boys North American concert tour provides Sears with the unique
opportunity to reach the important teen market and their moms during back-to-school and throughout the
fourth quarter," said John Lebbad, Sears director of event marketing and sales promotion. "Sears hopes
the Larger Than Life Awards will spark innovation among service-oriented youth, as well as provide the
catalyst for community participation among our nation's young people."

"Each member of the Backstreet Boys realizes the importance of youth volunteerism in local
communities," said Michael Green, co-founder and partner of the Backstreet Boys management, The Firm.
"The Larger Than Life Awards represent the group's goal to reach out to youth and encourage them to
take an active role in the youth volunteer movement."

YSA will publicize the awards through its network of affiliate organizations and SERVEnet.org, the
largest site on the Internet for service and volunteering. Applications are available online at
www.SERVEnet.org and by calling YSA at 202-296-2992 x23.

"This partnership combines the resources and efforts of three parties committed to recognizing young
people as everyday heroes in their cities and neighborhoods," said Steve Culbertson, president and CEO
of Youth Service America. "Sears brings to the table considerable dedication to the youth service
movement, while the Backstreet Boys help to drive interest in promoting the importance of community
involvement among youth today."

Founded in 1986, YSA is committed to increasing the quality and quantity of youth volunteer opportunities
on a local, national and global level. YSA is building a strong youth service field that will create healthy
communities and will foster citizenship, knowledge and personal development of young people.

Sears, Roebuck and Co. (NYSE: S) is a leading U.S. retailer of apparel, home and automotive products and
services, with annual revenue of more than $41 billion. The company serves families throughout the
country through 851 full-line department stores and more than 2,100 specialized retail locations
nationwide. More information about the company is available on the Sears Web site, www.sears.com .
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