In 1972, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) was very involved in a widespread campaign to get the Endangered Species Act (ESA) passed by Congress.

Tom Kimball, Executive Vice President of the NWF approached the CEO of the Southland Corporation, John Thompson and informed him about the NWF's their hope to secure habitat refuge for the Bald Eagle once the ESA was passed.

Kimball did not know that 7-Eleven was looking for a way in which it could make itself more visible as a "community" member. Thompson was well aware that this "cause" was getting a great deal of media play and even Dr. Seuss's book, "The Lorax", about corporate greed and environmentalism had been produced as a motion picture in 1972.

Slurpee had become a real, consistent contributor to 7-Eleven’s profits. The Stanford Agency, which had done a remarkable job in creating Super Hero cartoon cups which kids came and bought all the time.

Slurpee was the one product where profit margins were so high that the company could give a small donation such a project.

Tom Kimball said that it seemed likely that with a list of more than 50 different species which were endangered, that would appeal to the widest number of 7-Eleven customers. The word "endangered" was a "hot button" word.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) who had picked the Pandas, Green Peace who were conducting "splashy" (literally) demonstrations in harbors, the Audubon Society, and others.

Kimball said that with 5,000 stores, 7-Eleven was easily the largest sponsor. And, the NWF Bald Eagle refuge project was aiming to protect the symbol of America – something about which all Americans could be proud at this time of the messy wind-down of the Vietnam war.

           He explained:

"Wildlife officials have felt for some time that our nation's symbol needed a winter sanctuary. ... the Bald Eagle's range, which once extended over most of the nation, has steadily declined. This can be traced to habitat destruction, malicious or unintentional shooting and use of persistent pesticides." 

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