Fundraising team continues “After-Shave” Party tradition with support of Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q
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(Cary, NC) – Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q® (SCNB) is proud to announce that the North Carolina-based restaurant brand is once again supporting local St. Baldrick’s team, the Bald Entrepreneurs, during their 2011 fundraising year efforts which will contribute much-needed funds to research focused on eliminating childhood cancers.

The team at Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q® have always known that “it’s just not a tailgate without Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q”, and the Bald Entrepreneurs have proved that the same goes for an “After-Shave” Party. Smithfield’s will be providing fresh bar-b-q, delicious side items, and crowd favorites – hush puppies and sweet tea – for the team’s post-shave party that will continue raising funds even after the day’s shave event. The Bald Entrepreneur team has grown so much over the past few years that they will be hosting their own event at The Factory in Wake Forest on Saturday, March 6th from 12:00pm until 6:00pm, with the “After-Shave” Party taking place from 6:30pm until 9:30pm. The team’s theme for 2011 is “Going Bald So Kids Don’t Have To”.

“Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q is happy to continue to be part of this most worthy cause. The Bald Entrepreneurs do an amazing job every year of serving others and we are grateful to be able to support them in their work”, says Richard Averitte, Marketing Director for Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q. “Each year this group sets new goals for their team and they are inspiring to everyone touched by their mission to help eliminate childhood cancers.”

The Bald Entrepreneurs have set a fundraising goal of $60,000. To assist The Bald Entrepreneurs with their fundraising, Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q® will be donating 25¢ for each tweet that includes the hashtag “#BarBQforBaldricks” that is posted on Twitter on Saturday, March 5, 2011, from 12:01am EST until 11:59pm EST.

To find out more or to donate to the Bald Entrepreneurs team, visit their official team page at http://www.stbaldricks.org/events/thefactory2011. Chris Wright, founder of the Bald Entrepreneurs team, provided strong statistics for supporting the group and its participation in the St. Baldrick’s program: between 2005 and 2009, St. Baldrick’s has issued nearly $42 million in research grants ($12 million in 2009 alone) and funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any other organization, except the U.S. government.

According to the St. Baldrick’s website, on March 17, 2000, three insurance executives Tim Kenny, John Bender, and Enda McDonnell turned their industry’s St. Patrick’s Day party into a benefit for kids with cancer. The three planned to raise “$17,000 on the 17th,” recruiting 17 colleagues to raise $1,000 each to be shorn. Instead, the first St. Baldrick’s event raised over $104,000! Volunteers shave their heads in solidarity with kids fighting cancer and family and friends give generously – worldwide. The St. Baldrick’s Foundation uses the donations to fund more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the United States Government.