(Cary, NC) – Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q® (SCNB) is once again humbled to celebrate the success of the fundraising chapter of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation known as “The Bald Entrepreneurs” – a group of small business owners and community leaders based in Wake Forest, NC. “The Factory” event location, which annually hosts willing “shavees” and fundraisers who are willing to go bald in support of the non-profit foundation cited as being the “world’s largest private funder of childhood cancer research grants”, takes place at a former northern Wake County commercial manufacturing property that has been renovated to house restaurants, a YMCA location, retail and local recreational facilities.

The restaurant-community partnership started small several years ago with Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q® providing donated signature menu items (eastern NC bar-b-q, fried chicken, hush puppies, sides and sweet tea) for the after-party, but has since grown to feature “fundraising boxes” created by the restaurant brand, that allow “The Bald Entrepreneurs” to feed hungry guests while continuing their fundraising efforts throughout the day of shaving.

Fundraising support didn’t end this year with simply feeding fundraisers, either. The support continued across geographic boundaries and was practically limitless when @SCNBNC took to Twitter to continue support for the cause – @SCNBNC Twitter followers were asked to tweet “#BBQbeatscancer” while the restaurant brand promised to donate $1.00 for every tweet of support posted. Almost a week after the first “tweet of support” was posted, Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q® Marketing Director Richard Averitte says that he was still counting tweets in response.

Even prior to #BBQbeatscancer’s final total of tweets could be calculated, the The Factory St. Baldrick’s group estimated participation and fundraising in excess of “335 shavees and over $123,000.00 in fundraising”, according to Carol R. Wessler, Accounting Director for Charleston Management Corp., who volunteered to help organize the fundraising group’s efforts. “We had a great turn out and the day was filled with anticipation, excitement and sometimes tears!” added Wessler.

“When we have the opportunity to partner with community groups that excel at accomplishing their charitable goals, we are proud to be able to continue that support as these groups grow and flourish”, explains Richard Averitte, Marketing Director of Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q®. “As an individual brand, we’d be hard-pressed to engage the kind of support and dedication that groups like this are able to cultivate in their own backyards, which are in the communities we’re grateful to serve with our locations”, he adds.

For more information on Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q®, please visit http://www.SCNBNC.com, visit the brand’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/SCNBNC, or stay updated with more tailgate season tweets from @SCNBNC on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/SCNBNC).

On May 3rd, Planter’ Walk Charity Golf Tournament helped to raise $4,650 in support of the Knightdale High School Booster Club.

The event was entirely organized and staffed by volunteers from the Planter’s Walk subdivision in Knightdale, home to more than 700 families.

Approximately 100 golfers including Tony Tata (N.C. Secretary of Transportation) and other Knightdale officials and business owners came out for a round of golf.

Due to the huge success of the last two years’ events, the charity donation proceeds of the tournament will go to the Knightdale High School PTA so that more students can benefit from the monies raised.

Smithfield’s Chicken ’N Bar-B-Q Knightdale location provided food for the golfers at the banquet that followed.

“The event was a huge success, due in no small part to the generosity of Smithfield’s,” says Jenny Cope, fundraising director for the Planter’s Walk Golf Tournament.

On Thursday, our Zebulon location provided lunch to teachers at Zebulon Magnet Middle School. While our McCullers Crossroads location served a delicious lunch to teachers at Wake Christian Academy.

We are thankful to serve those who serve our children.

The battle lines have been drawn. On one side, the upstart bloggers, podcasters, and online renegades of Team Internet. On the other, the stalwart newspaper, radio, and tv men of Team Traditional. For the second straight year, these rival factions will be meeting in the Triangle Media Ryder Cup! Team Traditional won the Cup last year (check out the results here), and now Team Internet is out for revenge.

Last year Shane Ryan and Ben Swain decided to start an annual Triangle Ryder Media Cup Golf Tournament to benefit a charity, The Communities in Schools Charity supporting Durham County Schools.

This year, Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q is sponsoring the golf tournament and the charity will remain the Communities in Schools supporting both Wake County and Durham County Schools.

Two teams of ten will go head to head for a chance to be named 2013 Ryder Cup Champs in this charity golf tournament.

You can follow the action on Twitter @MediaRyderCup.

Last year, $662.34 was raised for Durham Community in Schools program. This year, we’ll be splitting the donations between CIS-Durham and CIS-Wake and expect to exceed $3,000 in donations.

We are grateful to support the educational community in which we serve.  Help us reach our fundraising goal by donating as little as $10.  To learn more about the charity, click here.  If you value education, any amount donated is very much appreciated.

Any Controversy Brewing?

Well, maybe just a little rivalry but wouldn’t that just make it more interesting?   We’d love to have you out on the course to watch! Again, we play on Friday, June 1, starting at 9:30 am. We estimate that the final round will finish between 4 and 5 pm. And even if you can’t, we appreciate any support you can give through Communities in Schools. Every little bit helps!

White Tiger Taekwondo featured a black belt class for students to work with 8th degree black belt, Grandmaster Choi. Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q sponsored the event by providing the luncheon meal to all the participants.

The weekly ACC Sports Journal podcast is available for free online at TheMesh.tv.

I hope you are well and thank you for taking the time to read this letter. My name is Richard Averitte and I represent Smithfield’s Chicken N’ Bar-B-Q, a restaurant brand in North Carolina that serves Eastern North Carolina-style Bar-B-Q. I am writing this letter in response to a statement you made on the television program you host, “The Colbert Report”. You claimed North Carolina’s Bar-B-Q was a “sauceless vinegar-based meat product.”

I don’t feel your statement was made out of malice. Frankly, I feel it was out of ignorance. I don’t think you’ve had the RIGHT Eastern NC Bar-B-Q. The Bar-B-Q our restaurants prepare consists of pork cooked overnight, red pepper, salt and vinegar. That’s all.  You are correct in that it is “sauceless”, because it does not need sauce. Our Bar-B-Q is flavorful enough and compliments our cole slaw quite well.

As a token of good will, I would like to ship you a pound of our signature Bar-B-Q along with a pint of our cole slaw. I hope to educate you on Eastern NC Bar-B-Q and allow you to realize it does not need sauce. We would also like to extend an invitation for you to dine in one of our restaurants when you are in North Carolina. You are welcome at any time and your meal will be complimentary.

You can bring  a bottle of mustard sauce if you must, but only use it after you have first sampled our “sauceless” Bar-B-Q.

Regards,

Richard Averitte
Operations Director & Director of Marketing
Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q ®

Recently Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q partnered with Rex Blood Services and supplied food from our Fuquay-Varina location for a blood drive donation at ATI Industrial Automation in Apex.

Katherine and Cynthia Johnson, a mother and daughter who hosted the drive, paid tribute to their late mother and grandmother. Our mother’s have a huge influence on us which stays with us even after they pass away.

Pay tribute to your mother this Mother’s Day. Visit SmithfieldsMom.com

The weekly ACC Sports Journal podcast is available for free online at TheMesh.tv.

We’ve received 11 entries into our Smithfield’s Mom photo contest!  We are no longer accepting more entries.  Voting will continue until May 10th.

Please visit our Facebook page to vote on your favorite Smithfield’s Mom photo.  Note – one vote per fan.

The lucky winner will receive a $50 gift certificate to Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q.

To give mom a break this weekend from cooking, check out our Mother’s Day special at SmithfieldsMom.com