Oregon Restaurants Recognized for Community Service

Three Oregon Restaurants Vie for National Restaurant Association Neighbor Award

Wilsonville, OR  (RestaurantNewsRelease.com)  Three Oregon restaurants have been selected as state winners of the 2010 Restaurant Neighbor Award with automatic entries for the national award for community service as announced by Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA). The Restaurant Neighbor Award was created by the National Restaurant Association (NRA) to recognize restaurants that exemplify the industry’s philanthropic spirit. The Oregon winners are: Kells Irish Restaurant and Pub in Portland; Anthony’s at the Old Mill District in Bend; and The Old Spaghetti Factory in Portland.

Steve McCoid, President and CEO of the Oregon Restaurant and Lodging Association, commended the state winners, “This year’s winners from Oregon represent the best of so many generous industry members who are making a difference in their communities and beyond… we congratulate and thank them for the positive impact they are making through their efforts and involvement.”

Kells Irish Restaurant and Pub, winner in the small business category, donates annually to the Providence Child Center for medically fragile children. Anthony’s at the Old Mill District, co-winner in the mid-size category, has created an annual feast that supports a culinary endowment at Central Oregon Community College. The Old Spaghetti Factory supports the Muscular Dystrophy Association by raising funds for summer camp and medical research for children with Muscular Dystrophy.

“We are proud to recognize these outstanding winners of the 2010 Restaurant Neighbor Award,” said National Restaurant Association President and CEO Dawn Sweeney. “America’s restaurants serve their communities every day. Providing nourishment, quality of life, opportunity and enjoyment, restaurants are not only good neighbors but important contributors to our nation’s health and prosperity.”

The Restaurant Neighbor Award honors charitable contributions of restaurants across the U.S. Participating state restaurant associations selected winners in their respective states to vie for the national award. National winners of this award will receive a $5,000 contribution toward their community programs and they will be presented an award this September in Washington, D.C. The NRA and founding partner American Express developed the award to raise awareness about the restaurant industry’s contributions in local communities across the country and to inspire other restaurant owners and operators to showcase their enormous contributions in their communities.

The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association is the leading business association for the foodservice and lodging industry in Oregon, which is comprised of over 9,000 foodservice locations and 2,500 lodging establishments with a work force of 170,000 employees, and a total economic impact of $6.9 billion – making it the cornerstone of the economy, career opportunities and community involvement. The association works to advocate, protect, train and promote the foodservice and lodging industry.