Mother's Protest Gets the Job Done

Chicago Tribune

August 1, 2004 Sunday

SKOKIE - On any given day, millions of toys, clothes, Beanie Babies, 8-track tapes, cars and lunch boxes are up for auction on eBay, along with an assortment of hunting knives, swords and bayonets.

But what you won't be able to find on eBay, as of this month, are yo-yo waterballs, thanks to the efforts of a Skokie mother who has waged war on the rubbery water-filled toy since last July, when one wrapped around the neck of her son Andrew, then 5, slightly injuring him.

"Why isn't the public aware of this? Why did my son have this toy?" Lisa Lipin said. "I took matters into my own hands."

After putting up a Web site, contacting Congress and persuading some major retailers to take the toy off their shelves, Lipin, with help fromU.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), has persuaded California-based eBay to pull yo-yo waterballs from its Web site.

Company spokesman Hani Durzy said eBay booted the toy after learning it was banned in some countries and U.S. stores.

"We understand that there are many industry leaders keeping these off their shelves," Durzy said.

Lipin said she is thrilled eBay banned the toy.

"To me, they are a tremendous company," Lipin said. "They show corporate social responsibility, and that is what this is all about."