Food Lion and Second Harvest to Appear in Belk Carolinas’ Carrousel Parade
Written by: droseborough | 11/15/2011
CHARLOTTE, NC – November 15, 2011 – As the 2011 Belk Carolinas’ Carrousel Parade marches down Tryon Street on Thanksgiving Day, parade-goers will recognize the traditional holiday cornucopia gracing the float sponsored by Food Lion and Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. This is the fourth parade appearance of the Thanksgiving-themed float, and it symbolizes the joint commitment of Food Lion and Second Harvest to helping end hunger in the region.
Second Harvest Donation Stations will be situated along the parade route to accept donations of canned or non-perishable food. The parade, which has been the region’s traditional kick-off to the holiday season since 1947, will take place on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 24, starting at 10 A.M. The parade starts at 10th Street and North Tryon and ends at the Levine Center for the Arts at South Tryon Street. WBTV (Channel 3) will televise the parade at 1 P.M. on Thanksgiving Day.
"Second Harvest Food Bank is so excited to be partnering again with our largest food donor, Food Lion, in the Thanksgiving parade," said Kay Carter, executive director of Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. "We are so grateful for their outstanding support of our efforts. In the past five years they have donated over 28.3 million pounds of food to our Food Bank. We are proud to be riding on the Thanksgiving float with them."
"Food Lion is honored to sponsor the Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina in the Thanksgiving parade," said Bill Garcia, Community Relations manager for the Food Lion family and Bottom Dollar Food. "Food Lion’s philanthropic focus is on feeding the hungry, and Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina has been an outstanding partner for many years. We are pleased to continue to work closely with this organization, as well as many other food banks along the East Coast, to end hunger in our communities."
"We are honored to once again have the support of Food Lion and Second Harvest," said Linda Healy Vespa, executive director of Carolinas’ Carrousel, Inc., the non-profit organization that produces the Belk Carolinas’ Carrousel Parade. "Their participation is one of the highlights of the parade and we hope the overflowing cornucopia on the float inspires parade-goers to give generously at the Second Harvest Donation Stations and the WBTV viewing audience to donate to local food banks."
For information on the 2011 Belk Carolinas’ Carrousel Parade, contact Carolinas’ Carrousel, Inc. at 704-525-0250 or info@carrouselparade.org.
About Carolinas’ Carrousel, Inc.
The Belk Carolinas’ Carrousel Parade has evolved over more than six decades as a regional tradition and highlight of the Holiday Season. Founded in 1947 by four local businessmen to attract holiday shoppers to uptown Charlotte, the Thanksgiving week events have become much more. The Parade and its ancillary activities, such as the Carrousel Scholarship program, are produced by Carolinas' Carrousel, Inc., an independent, volunteer, non-profit, charitable organization. Carolinas' Carrousel is committed to enhancing regional area's community life through quality family oriented entertainment. The Parade officially announces and celebrates the beginning of the holiday season. In addition, it promotes excellence through awards to area high school students and marching bands. Carolinas' Carrousel, Inc. also exists to offer business, industry, and the local citizenry the opportunity of participating in showcasing the region and encouraging academic excellence in the future leaders of the area.
About Food Lion
Food Lion, based in Salisbury, N.C., is a subsidiary of Delhaize America, the U.S. division of Brussels-based Delhaize Group (NYSE: DEG) and operates more than 1,100 supermarkets. The company employs approximately 57,000 associates delivering
quality products, low prices and service to customers in 11 Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states. For more information, visit www.foodlion.com.
About Second Harvest
As part of Feeding America, Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina serves 19 counties in North and South Carolina. In FY2010-2011, Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina distributed over 37 million pounds of food and essential grocery items to approximately 650 hunger feeding agencies including emergency pantries, soup kitchens, senior programs, shelters and low-income daycares.
About Belk, Inc.
Charlotte, N.C.-based Belk, Inc. (www.belk.com) is the nation’s largest privately owned mainline department store company with 303 Belk stores located in 16 Southern states. The company was founded in 1888 by William Henry Belk in Monroe, N.C., and is in the third generation of Belk family leadership. Its belk.com Web site offers a wide assortment of fashion apparel, shoes and accessories for the entire family along with top name cosmetics, a wedding registry and a large selection of quality merchandise for the home. To connect with Belk via Facebook, Twitter, blog, mobile phone text messages or by email, go to: Belk Get Connected.
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Media Relations Contact: Linda Healy Vespa, 704-525-0250
linda@carrouselparade.org