Students Guess International Mystery Destination for Donated Toys and Learning Materials Traveling in 40-Foot Container; in Lieu of Prizes, Winning Classrooms Choose Charities to Receive Cash Donations

OAKLAND, Calif., Oct. 22, 2002 -- Back by popular demand and following last year's debut, school children can once again learn about geography, help those in need and become involved in an award-winning, Internet-based educational program - that will deliver $500,000 of toys and educational materials to a developing country.

The Boomerang Box®, a 40-foot cargo container decorated with colorful artwork done by children, has begun a new adventure focused on how people help other people in time of need. The project is sponsored by global container-transportation company APL. The adventure is called the "Great Toy Challenge," and is running from October 1 through November 27.

The Boomerang Box will be loaded in late October with toys and learning materials donated by Toys "R" Us valued at over $500,000, and will be shipped to a mystery destination, where the toys will be distributed to needy children by international relief organization CARE. Participating classrooms will be able to use their geography skills to guess the mystery destination, and will have a chance to win a cash donation from APL for the charity of their choice.

Students around the world can log on to http://www.apl.com/boomerangbox and guess the mystery destination by deciphering the clues that are posted on the Boomerang Box Great Toy Challenge link. Teachers may send in their classrooms' guess via the Internet only. The web site also features a wealth of curriculum materials on geography, trade, and international relief.

"International trade helps to open up economic, political and cultural gateways, and in doing so, unites countries around the world," said Bill Hamlin, APL's president for North America. "We think it's vital that school children understand the role that trade and international relief efforts play in our lives." APL's Boomerang Box moved the first Great Toy Challenge to communities in El Salvador hard hit by the January 2001 earthquakes. Classrooms just outside New York City, participated in a special toy drive and message exchange with the El Salvador students.

Toys "R" Us is honored to take part in such a worthwhile project with our partners APL and CARE, " said Michael Jacobs, Vice President of World Wide Transportation. "As a global company, Toys "R" Us has a long history of helping children in need."

"For more than 50 years, CARE has helped kids receive an education, better health care and food when their families are hungry. We at CARE are delighted to once again be the recipients of the Great Toy Challenge and provide a little extra to those who have so little," said Dr. Marshall Burke, Vice President, CARE. "These educational toys will not only bring a smile to all the faces of the children who receive them, but allow our own kids to know the joy of giving to others who have less."

"The partnership between companies and organizations in the Great Toy Challenge project is just one of many such collaborations," Hamlin continued. "We are deeply appreciative of Toys "R" Us and CARE for their support."

According to Hamlin, APL will once again make donations of $500 each to local, national or international charity or relief organizations on behalf of ten classrooms selected from around that world that correctly guess the container's mystery destination. Winning classrooms will nominate the charities.

About the Boomerang Box Program

Since 1998, the 40-foot Boomerang Box has traveled over 150,000 miles teaching young people around the world about global trade, transportation, geography and the people and customs of other lands. The name "Boomerang Box" refers to the way in which raw materials, parts and finished goods return from one continent to another through international trade.

Students in classrooms around the world track the Boomerang Box via the Internet (http://www.apl.com/boomerangbox) as part of APL's interactive learning program. In addition to the 40-foot Boomerang Box container, which students can track around the world, there is a 20-foot version known as Boomerang Box Junior; it is a virtual classroom that travels to participating schools.

The Boomerang Box Project's innovative approach to geography education has been recently recognized by the U.S. National Council for Geographic Education, whose members recently awarded the project their Geography Excellence award for 2002.

About APL -- APL (http://www.apl.com) provides customers around the world with container transportation services through a network combining high-quality intermodal operations with state-of-the-art information technology. APL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore-based Neptune Orient Lines, a global transportation and logistics company engaged in shipping and related businesses.

About CARE -- CARE (http://www.care.org) is one of the world's largest private international relief and development organizations. Founded in the aftermath of World War II, CARE enabled Americans to send more than 100 million CARE Packages(R) to survivors of the conflict in Europe and Asia. CARE has become a leader in sustainable development and emergency aid, reaching tens of millions of people each year in more than 60 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America. For more than 50 years now, CARE has been a vehicle of American generosity abroad.

About Toys "R" Us -- (http://www.inc.toysrus.com) The world's leading resource for kids, families and fun currently operates 1,584 stores: 704 toy stores in the United States, 494 international toy stores, including franchise stores, 196 Kids "R" Us children's clothing stores, 150 Babies "R" Us stores and 40 Imaginarium stores. The company also has Internet sites at http://www.toysrus.com, http://www.babiesrus.com and http://www.imaginarium.com.