AKWESASNE BOYS & GIRLS CLUB HOSTS MAYTAG DEPENDABLE LEADER CELEBRATION

Julia Back Skidders, ABGC Board President, Recognized for Helping Youth Achieve Great Futures; Club Receives $20,000 Grant

Akwesasne, NY, March 16, 2015 – Julia Back Skidders, Board President, was been named a 2014 Maytag Dependable Leader Award winner in January for her demonstrated dedication to keeping youth on the path to achieve great futures. The award recognizes Boys & Girls Club officials who are committed to making a difference as dependable and exceptional role models. This past Friday, March 13th, ABGC celebrated with over 100 club members, their families and the community.

Instead of a celebration dinner or luncheon Ms. Julia elected for a "kid party" for all the club members and their families to enjoy. Friday night's festivities started with a presentation and several speakers. The kids sat quietly as Chief Ron Lafrance, Chief Paul Thompson, and April Terrance spoke highly of Julia's service to the Akwesasne Boys & Girls Club. Chief Lafrance spoke of his days as Unit Manger prior to his service on Tribal Council and how "Julia was the backbone of the ABGC organization and the youth they serve!"

Thompson continued the congratulations with a walk down memory lane and how he and Julia served together on the original board of director for the Club and their dreams of what Boys & Girls Clubs of America could bring to the youth of Akwesasne. He complimented Julia for continuing to share their dream with the Board, the staff and the youth of Akwesasne adding, "As long as Julia is involved in the Club it will continue forever because her dedication is endless."

Miss April Terrance finished up the presentation by presenting Ms. Julia with a plaque to honor the achievement. Miss Terrance, whose family struggled through her childhood, was the stand out story for the Maytag nomination. Skidders invited this woman into her home in order to mentor and support her, as if one of her own. This past June, Skidders was able to see this young woman walk across the stage and receive a nursing degree. A tearful thank you was expressed to Skidders from Terrance during the exchange.

Through a national partnership, Maytag brand and Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) selected Back Skidders as one of 12 winners to receive the distinction, which includes a $20,000 financial grant for the Akwesasne Boys & Girls Clubs to provide educational scholarships to Club members.

Skidders is a founding board member for the Akwesasne Boys & Girls Club, who for 13 years has served on the board in various officer positions, including board president for the past two years. She was nominated for the award by Jessica Cree Jock, Executive Director at the Akwesasne Boys & Girls Clubs.

Skidders, a mother of five girls, is a widow and single parent who actively managed the two businesses that she and her late husband founded 20 years ago. Rather than letting this adversity defeat her will to succeed, she has committed herself to giving back to the community. Over the years, Skidders has been a volunteer coach and financial supporter of many local youth sports organizations in addition to her work with the area Boys & Girls Club.

With a heritage of dependability dating back more than 100 years, the Maytag brand mission is to build high-performing and dependable products. Boys & Girls Clubs dependably serve youth, enabling them to reach their full potential as high-performing adults. The partnership between Maytag and BGCA seeks to recognize and promote dependability – a quality that is at the core of what the Clubs do every day and is central to Maytag brand. Through its partnership with BGCA, Maytag has donated more than 3.5 million dollars to local Clubs in the last three years.

About Maytag Brand

For more than a century, Maytag brand appliances have been synonymous with dependability and durability. Through the commitment of Whirlpool Corporation, Maytag brand's enduring tradition of quality production and powerful performance continues to thrive. Exceptionally durable, commercial-grade components are found in many Maytag brand appliances – including Maytag® Maxima® front-load and Maytag® Bravos® top-load washers and dryers, as well as Maytag® Jetclean® dishwashers with PowerBlast™ cycle. In January 2014, the Maytag brand introduced America to the Maytag Man – a dependable machine and the human embodiment of the durability, reliability and power inside all Maytag brand appliances. In addition to creating durable appliances, Maytag is also a reliable partner to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America in their effort to support communities across America and help young people achieve great futures. Maytag brand is part of Whirlpool Corporation, the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of approximately $19 billion in 2013, 69,000 employees, and 59 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world. For more information on Maytag, please visit Maytag.com or find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/Maytag or Twitter at @MaytagBrand or @TheMaytagMan. Additional information about the company can be found at Whirlpoolcorp.com.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America

For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (GreatFutures.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,100 Clubs serve nearly 4 million young people annually through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun, friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at http://www.bgca.org/facebook and http://bgca.org/twitter