Beef 'O' Brady's Franchise Awards $34,000 in Scholarships to Deserving Employees

Known in communities throughout the nation as the "charitable chain," Beef 'O' Brady's, a national family sports pub/restaurant chain that thrives on close connections to local schools, sports teams and other organizations, announced it has awarded $34,000 in scholarships to Restaurant employees throughout its 200-unit Franchise system.

"A significant number of our servers, hosts and other employees are working their way through school at Beef `O' Brady's, and we wanted to do something to help them out, to support their educations," said Nick Vojnovic, President of Family Sports Concepts, Beef 'O' Brady's parent company. "At Beef 'O' Brady's, we want to make a difference in the lives of our employees, patrons and in the communities we reside."

The scholarship awards were available to all restaurant employees who work 20 hours or more per week. Candidates submitted academic transcripts, an essay describing "What Beef's Means to Me?" and "What Have I Done for My Community?" and a letter of recommendation from the owner or general manager from their Beef's location of employment. Winners were hand picked by the Beef 'O' Brady's Advisory Board.

Each essayist included sentimental connections to his/her community. William Gaines, a scholarship winner from Jacksonville, FL, wrote, "My community holds an everlasting importance in my life, not just because I live in it, but because it is a part of me. Without the loving and nurturing environments that I have lived in, I would have never grown up to be the man I am today." Further, Gaines wrote the importance Beef's has on the community as well by stating that "Beef 'O' Brady's is more than just a business or a restaurant - it is a place of togetherness."

Another essayist, Lindsay Lavigne from Columbia, SC, wrote, "Community service and helping others should be a vital role in everyone's life. All people should take part in their community and work to strengthen it as a whole." Lavigne also pointed out her first memories of Beef's and how it has stuck with her through today, "It seems like only yesterday that my dad was showing me my first Beef 'O' Brady's menu not knowing what joy and happiness it was going to bring to our lives. Wherever life takes me and whatever I pursue, there is one thing I am sure of, I will always be involved with the community where I live and hopefully there will be a Beef 'O' Brady's right around the corner!"

The following are the 34 Beef 'O' Brady's Scholarship winners:

Kaitlyn Akos - Sandestin, FL
Angie Ashbolt - Elkhart, IN
Christina Bruce - Flowery Branch, GA
Jill Burns - Tallahassee, FL
Vanessa Cain - Riverview, FL
Dominque Consolazio - Titusville, FL
Samantha Cootes - Bartow, FL
Jodi Cunningham - Gainesville, FL
Suzanne DeJose - Viera, FL
Lauren Ertel - Louisville, KY
Tiffany Feasler - D'lberville, MS
Shannon Ferdock - Frederick, MD
William Gaines - Jacksonville, FL
Lesley Gallagher - Lynn Haven, FL
Erica Gillespie - Louisville, KY
Ashley Gilmore - Lynn Haven, FL
Seth Hancock - St. Cloud, FL
Brittany Lambert - Arden, NC
Taryn Lattz - Valrico, FL
Lindsey Lavigne - Columbia, SC
Clayton Lovett - Lake Placid, FL
Paul Ltaif - Miami Lakes, FL
Morgan McKenna - New Port Richey, FL
Nicole Milward - Amarillo, TX
Elisabeth Pendergast - Davenport, FL
Maria Poertera - Estero, FL
Lacey Rainone - Valrico, FL
Michael Siringer - Eastlake, OH
Katie Skinner - Columbia,SC
Jennifer Smith - D'lberville, MS
Danny Vinas - Canton, GA
Jessica Voyles - Cumming, GA
Josh Wahnowsky - Louisville, KY
Kristin Wareck - St. Cloud, FL

About Beef `O' Brady's
Beef 'O' Brady's is a national chain of family sports pubs that achieves its success by building relationships with local schools, youth sports leagues, and other community organizations in each and every Beef 'O' Brady's neighborhood market. Beef's recently opened its 200th location with plans to open another 28 locations in 2006. Ironically, despite what the name implies, Beef 'O' Brady's is actually best known for its Buffalo-style chicken wings. In the early days of its inception, founder Jim Mellody tried featuring several different "beef" menu items, but soon found that his customers loved his recipe for Buffalo-style chicken wings. In fact, today his sauce is bottled under a private label and is sold on the Beef's website.