Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Announces Plans to Raise $1 Million for Kids in Children's Hospitals

    FINDLAY, Ohio--Feb. 15, 2001--COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY today announced that it will partner with the non-profit organization, Children's Miracle Network, to help raise funds and awareness for children treated in 170 children's hospitals across North America. Cooper plans to raise $1 million throughout the year.
    Working in conjunction with its Cooper, Pirelli, Mastercraft, Starfire, Roadmaster and Dean brand dealers, the company will conduct a "Miracle Balloon" promotion from March 1 - May 30. During the promotion, dealers will solicit consumer donations of $1 or more. Consumers will receive a paper balloon in their name which dealers will display in their stores. Cooper anticipates that 2,000 dealer locations will participate.
    All dealer-collected donations will stay in the area in which they are raised to support the nearest Children's Miracle Network-affiliated hospital. In addition, Cooper will match dealer collections. Cooper's matching donation will benefit The Arnold Palmer Hospital for Women and Children in Orlando, Florida.
    "This new partnership provides Cooper Tire and its participating dealers the opportunity to give back to the individual communities that have supported our business for many years," said Tom Dattilo Chairman, President and CEO of Cooper. "If we can help save the life of just one child, our efforts will have been worth it."
    "Children all over North America have found a new friend in Cooper Tire," said Chance Weaver, director of Development for Children's Miracle Network. "And parents can rest easier knowing that, because of this and other much needed funding raised by Children's Miracle Network and its sponsors, children's hospitals will be able to provide better health care for our children."
    Located in Salt Lake City, Utah, Children's Miracle Network is an international non-profit organization dedicated to helping children by raising funds and awareness for 170 children's hospitals throughout North America. Each year these non-profit hospitals treat more than 14 million children afflicted with diseases, injuries and birth defects of every kind. For more information on CMN visit them at www.cmn.org.
    Cooper Tire & Rubber Company is headquartered in Findlay, Ohio and specializes in the manufacture and marketing of automotive products. Products for Cooper's tire group include automotive, motorcycle and truck tires, inner tubes, tread rubber and equipment. In the automotive group, Cooper is an original equipment supplier of sealing, trim, NVH control systems and fluid handling systems for the automotive industry in North America, Europe, Australia and South America. Cooper has more than 20,000 employees and 57 manufacturing facilities in 13 countries. For more information, visit the Company's web site at www.coopertire.com.