Special Needs Easter Bunny Coming To Southridge Mall

GREENDALE, WI - From Southridge Mall: Simon®, a global leader in retail real estate, is hosting its annual Easter celebration festivities at Southridge Mall, offering families the chance to participate in traditional and unique seasonal events.

The Bunny Photo Experience at Southridge Mall begins on Friday, March 2, and runs through Saturday, March 31, in Center Court. Kids will have the chance to visit with the Bunny in his oversized “veggie patch” and take home a treasured snapshot of the fun occasion. Families can save time and avoid the line with Bunny by Appointment, reserving a magical moment with Bunny online at simonbunny.com.

“We love to hold family-friendly events and we always look forward to watching children interact with the Bunny at Easter,” said Cheryl Rouse, director of marketing and business development for Southridge Mall.

Southridge Mall’s Caring Bunny™ event on Sunday, March 18, from 9-10:30 a.m., will offer families that have children with special needs a subdued environment to participate in the Bunny Photo Experience. Caring Bunny, the largest program of its kind, has been developed by Simon and is guided by AbilityPath.org, a national online resource hub and special needs community. More than 90 Simon® properties will host the Caring Bunny this season. Promotional assistance for Caring Bunny has been provided by Autism Speaks.

On March 18, many steps will be taken to reduce sensory triggers, creating a more comforting environment for children’s cherished visit with the Bunny. The subdued environment at the Southridge Mall will include:

• Turning off in-mall music, stopping escalators located near the photo set, and dimming the lights for the duration of the event.
• Special activities geared toward the needs of the child during the ‘wait’ period to help the child understand what activities will occur during the visit.

For local pet owners, the popular Easter Bunny Pet Photo Night will occur on Sunday, March 25, from 6-8 p.m.

The Simon Bunny Photo Experience is again sponsored by GYMBOREE GROUP. The GYMBOREE GROUP is a specialty retailer operating stores selling high-quality apparel and accessories for children under the Gymboree, Gymboree Outlet, Janie and Jack, and Crazy 8 brands.

About Southridge Mall

Southridge Mall is one of Wisconsin's largest regional shopping destinations with four major department stores, including Macy’s, Boston Store, JCPenney, and Kohl’s. Southridge Mall offers a variety of shopping choices for the entire family, with more than 125 popular retail stores such as Aéropostale, Bath & Body Works, Chico’s, Disney Store, Express, Francesca’s, H&M, Old Navy, PINK, Shoe Dept. Encore, Toys ‘R’ Us, and Victoria’s Secret. Shoppers can enjoy delicious eateries like The Explorium Brewpub, Buca di Beppo, and a contemporary 600-seat food court. Southridge Mall also offers fun family experiences including an interactive children’s play area and the new Marcus BistroPlex, an eight-screen movie theater with a full service restaurant. For additional information, visit southridgeshoppingmall.com. Like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

About Simon

Simon is a global leader in the ownership of premier shopping, dining, entertainment, and mixed-use destinations and an S&P 100 company (Simon Property Group, NYSE:SPG). Our properties across North America, Europe, and Asia provide community gathering places for millions of people every day and generate billions in annual sales. For more information, visit simon.com.

About AbilityPath.org

AbilityPath.org is an online hub and special needs community for parents and professionals to learn, connect and live a more balanced life. The website combines social networking features with expert content from AbilityPath.org’s team of educators, parents, therapists and medical professionals.AbilityPath.org was created by Community Gatepath, a nonprofit with over 90 years of experience serving families and children with special needs by fostering hope, dignity and independence. AbilityPath.org may also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

About Autism Speaks

Autism Speaks is the world’s leading autism science and advocacy organization. It is dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. Autism Speaks was founded in February 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright, the grandparents of a child with autism. Mr. Wright is the former vice chairman of General Electric and chief executive officer of NBC and NBC Universal. Since its inception, Autism Speaks has committed more than $500 million to its mission, the majority in science and medical research. Each year Walk Now for Autism Speaks events are held in more than 100 cities across North America. On the global front, Autism Speaks has established partnerships in more than 40 countries on five continents to foster international research, services and awareness. To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit AutismSpeaks.org.

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