News

Hardee’s® restaurants in Virginia operated by Boddie-Noell Enterprises are hosting their annual Buy a Star, Be a Fan fundraiser, which will run from Oct. 2 through Oct. 29. Hardee’s customers can purchase stars for $1 in exchange for a coupon booklet featuring special discounts on Hardee’s menu items. All proceeds raised from the sale of the stars will go to Special Olympics Virginia to help Special Olympics athletes participate in the 2013 Summer Games. Last year, Hardee’s raised more than $55,000 for Special Olympics Virginia, helping send more than 360 Special Olympic athletes to the 2012 Summer Games.

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 take pride in our long-standing relationship with Special Olympics Virginia,” said Jerry Allsbrook, chief marketing officer for Boddie-Noell Enterprises and board member for Special Olympics Virginia. “We are excited to host the Buy a Star, Be a Fan fundraiser again and hope that this will be our most successful year yet.”

In addition to the Buy a Star, Be a Fan fundraiser, Boddie-Noell will also show its support of Special Olympics Virginia by sponsoring Over the Edge, a rappelling event held at the SunTrust Center in downtown Richmond.

On Thursday, Oct. 18, Boddie-Noell’s Bill Boddie Jr. will rappel 400 feet down the 25-story building with his fiancé, Laura as they “take the leap” over the edge. Over 100 participants raised $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.