RICHMOND, Va. (Dec. 3, 2012) – Hardee’s® restaurants operated by Boddie-Noell Enterprises recently raised more than $77,000 for Special Olympics Virginia. The annual Buy a Star, Be a Fan fundraiser invited Virginia Hardee’s customers to purchase stars for $1 in exchange for a coupon sheet and ran from Oct. 2 through Oct. 29. All the money raised from the sale of the stars went to Special Olympics Virginia to help more than 500 Special Olympics athletes participate in the 2013 Summer Games. This year’s Buy a Star, Be a Fan fundraiser raised the most money since 2004.
Boddie-Noell Enterprises, the largest Hardee’s franchise operator in the United States, has been partners with Special Olympics Virginia for 32 years, contributing more than $1 million to the organization over that time. Boddie-Noell owns and operates close to 200 Hardee’s restaurants across Virginia.
Boddie-Noell and Hardee’s also partner in Special Olympics Virginia’s Training for Life program by employing persons with intellectual disabilities, some of whom are Special Olympics athletes, and providing a welcome workplace environment that breeds success.
“We’re excited to be sending over 500 Special Olympics athletes to the 2013 Summer Games with the money raised in this year’s Buy a Star, Be a Fan fundraiser,” said Jerry Allsbrook, chief marketing officer for Boddie-Noell Enterprises and board member for Special Olympics Virginia. “We appreciate the efforts of our loyal guests and restaurant teams that made this possible and made this year’s fundraiser one of the most successful yet.”
In addition to the Buy a Star, Be a Fan fundraiser, Boddie-Noell also showed its support of Special Olympics Virginia by sponsoring Over the Edge, a rappelling event held at the SunTrust Center in downtown Richmond.
Boddie-Noell’s Bill Boddie Jr. and his fiancée, Laura, rappelled 400 feet down the 25-story building. Participants had to raise $1,000 for the ‘privilege’ of rappelling.
The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. It provides them with continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness,
demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.
To learn more about the Special Olympics Virginia please visit www.specialolympicsva.org.
About Special Olympics Virginia
Special Olympics Virginia is an accredited state program of Special Olympics Incorporated. Special Olympics is an international organization that unleashes the human spirit through the transformative power and joy of sports everyday around the world. Through work in sports, health, education and community building, Special Olympics is addressing inactivity, injustice, intolerance and social isolation by encouraging and empowering people with intellectual disabilities which leads to a more welcoming and inclusive society. Visit us at www.specialolympicsva.org. Engage with us on Twitter @solympicsva; fb.com/specialolympicsvirginia; and youtube.com/specialolympicsva.
About Boddie-Noell Enterprises
Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2012, Boddie-Noell Enterprises (BNE) is a diversified family owned business engaged primarily in restaurants and land development. Founded in 1962, BNE is the largest Hardee’s franchise operator in the United Stateswith 335 restaurants in four states. The company is based in Rocky Mount, N.C. For more information, visit www.bneinc.com.
About Hardee’s
Celebrating more than 50 years in the quick-service industry, Hardee’s Food Systems is a wholly owned subsidiary of CKE Restaurants, Inc. of Carpinteria, Calif. As of the end of the second quarter of fiscal 2013, the Company, through its subsidiaries, had a total of 3,279 franchised or company-operated restaurants in 42 states and in 26 countries, including 1,333 Carl’s Jr.® restaurants and 1,939 Hardee’s restaurants. For more information, or to find a Hardee’s near you, go to www.hardees.com. Hardee’s social media sites include www.facebook.com/hardees, www.twitter.com/hardees and www.youtube.com/hardees.
Media Contacts
Boddie-Noell Enterprises
Lindsay Priester
919.981.4443
Special Olympics Virginia
Holly Claytor
Direct 804.726.3025
Mobile 804.370.7916