"By taking a little used out building and transforming it into a Haunted Mansion for the community to use for fundraising events, Richard Barrett, his family, and staff of the Abington Ale House & Grille have come up with an ingenious way to help the local community. The Haunted Mansion the staff recreates every year is used by a different charitable organization, covering all facets of the community, every single day and night of October," Christie said. "The Haunted Mansion program has become so popular within the community that Abington Ale House is now using a lottery system to accommodate all the fundraising groups that rely on it to keep raising the funds for the benefit of the entire community."
Applebee's International: Quincy & Westfield, MA
"The folks at Applebee's tirelessly fund raise by doing everything possible for local charitable causes. They enthusiastically take the 'Penguin Plunge' into a frozen lake in January to fund a Children's Museum, help disabled Vets with kindness and compassion, collect Toys for Tots, and provide scholarships for college-bound high school seniors," Christie said. "Applebee's may be an international company, but each restaurant embraces and becomes part of the community where their guests live, as they strive to become 'the world's favorite neighbor'."
Bill Zammer, Cape Cod Restaurants, Falmouth: Humanitarian of the Year
"Bill Zammer is a hero for hundreds of Cape Cod children. He was instrumental in making the Boys & Girls Club of Cape Cod a reality, providing 36% of the funding and much time and talent to the Club. Bill is also committed to raising much-needed funds for Cape Cod Community College to transform its hotel restaurant management curriculum and to renovate their teaching kitchen," Christie said. "Bill's charitable heart is well known to his family and friends, many of whom are inspired to donate time and money along with him. In fact, on Bill's birthday, the staff at his restaurant made a very generous donation to the College as their gift to him. Knowing Bill, donations to help the young people of Cape Cod was what he wished for when he blew out the candles on his cake!"
The Restaurant Neighbor Award honors charitable contributions of restaurants in two categories based on the size of the business and honors an individual with the Cornerstone Humanitarian Award. The Massachusetts winners went on to compete with winners from other states for the national award. One grand-prize winner in each category was announced at the NRA's Public Affairs Conference in Washington, DC in September.
Although none of the Massachusetts honorees were chosen as a national winner, a profile of each state winner’s community involvement will be highlighted in a booklet that the National Restaurant Association will distribute in the fall, as well as on the Association’s Web site. [Contact info. given]
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