1. The Home Depot and AARP Launch Nationwide Workshops
Workshops Customized to Specific Home Improvement Needs and Interests of the Rapidly Growing 50+
Market
ATLANTA, Sept 29, 2005 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- The Home Depot(R), the world's largest home improvement
retailer, today announced a new series of three workshops designed to address the specific needs and interests of an aging
population. Developed in conjunction with AARP, the leading membership organization for the 50-plus population, The Home
Depot-AARP Workshops will debut in all stores nationwide on Tuesday, October 11, 2005. The new workshops are part of The
Home Depot's strategic alliance with AARP, and a natural extension of the company's popular how-to clinic program. To
register for the free workshops, visit www.homedepotclinics.com or call (800) 293-8412.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030502/HOMEDEPOTLOGO )
The Home Depot-AARP Workshops will cover topics revealed to be of most interest to homeowners 50 and over in a recent
survey conducted on behalf of The Home Depot. These include resources and projects to help save money on energy bills,
simple modifications to make a home more comfortable and functional and tips on basic home maintenance and repair. The
workshops will be conducted by knowledgeable associates from The Home Depot.
"Our alliance with AARP provides valuable insights into the critical 50- plus consumer segment," said Bob Nardelli, chairman,
president & CEO of The Home Depot. "For more than two decades, The Home Depot has delivered home improvement know-
how to customers of all ages. With the help of AARP, our newest workshops will address the specific interests of customers 50
and over."
At some 86 million strong, the 50 and over segment is the fastest growing consumer segment in America today and represents
more than 40 percent of the U.S. adult population. By 2020, their ranks will swell to more than 115 million people. According to
AARP, more than 89 percent of those 50 and older want to remain in their current homes as they age. To make this a reality,
the majority realize they will need to make changes to their home in order to ensure that it is comfortable, functional and safe.
"Both AARP and The Home Depot are committed to providing the right resources and information to help individuals prepare
for the next life stage," said Bill Novelli, CEO of AARP. "Through The Home Depot-AARP Workshops we are able to provide
valuable home improvement information and know-how on timely topics that interest the 50-plus population."
The Home Depot-AARP Workshops are the latest in a successful line of customized do-it-yourself clinics for specific customer
segments, including Kids Workshops for children ages 6 to 12 and Do-It-Herself Workshops for women. The October 11
workshop topics and times offered include:
* Update Your Home for Lifelong Comfort and Safety, 11 a.m.: Participants
will learn how to make modifications to their home that will make it
more comfortable over the years. Project topics include kitchen and
bath updates to improve safety and increase ease of mobility; enhanced
indoor lighting to reduce eyestrain; and outdoor lighting to prevent
accidents or injuries.
* Home Energy Efficiency Projects That Save You Money, noon: Participants
will learn to identify sources of energy loss in the home that can lead
to higher utility bills. Participants also will review the benefits of
investing in energy efficient products, such as ENERGY STAR(R) light
bulbs, appliances, thermostats and windows. They also will review an
energy audit.
* Preventive Home Maintenance to Protect Your Most Valuable Asset, 7
p.m.: Participants will learn how to conduct routine home maintenance
to prevent damage to their home. The workshop will cover topics such as
replacing furnace filters, maintaining smoke and carbon dioxide
detectors, checking for water leaks, roof inspection and exterior

2. maintenance items.
The new workshops are part of an ongoing alliance between The Home Depot and AARP. The relationship began in February
2004 with a national hiring initiative intended to attract, motivate and retain eligible older workers as full- and part-time
associates of The Home Depot. The strategic alliance was announced in December 2004 as an exclusive multi-year, multi-
faceted agreement that includes a number of educational, merchandising and marketing initiatives designed for AARP
members and The Home Depot's 50 and older customers. In addition to The Home Depot-AARP Workshops, an in-store
information resource center with information on home modification projects relevant to 50-plus consumers will be piloted in
approximately 80 The Home Depot stores in Florida beginning this fall.
About The Home Depot
Founded in 1978, The Home Depot(R) is the world's largest home improvement specialty retailer and the second largest
retailer in the United States, with fiscal 2004 sales of $73.1 billion. The company employs approximately 325,000 associates
and has 1,952 stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, 10 Canadian provinces and Mexico. The company
has announced plans for retail expansion into China. The Home Depot has been recognized by Fortune as the No. 1 Most
Admired Specialty Retailer for 2005. Its stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: HD) and is included in the Dow
Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor's 500 index. HDG
About AARP
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in
ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and to society as a whole. We produce AARP The Magazine, published
bimonthly; AARP Bulletin, our monthly newspaper; AARP Segunda Juventud, our bimonthly magazine in Spanish and English;
NRTA Live & Learn, our quarterly newsletter for 50+ educators; and our website, www.aarp.org. AARP Foundation is our
affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of
volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S.
Virgin Islands.
SOURCE The Home Depot
Media, Connie Bryant of The Home Depot, +1-770-384-2156, or
connie_bryant@homedepot.com; or Barbara Foelber of AARP, +1-202-434-2560, or
BFOELBER@aarp.org
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