The Greene Turtle Gears Up For Sixth Annual ″Tips For Tots″ Fundraiser
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The Greene Turtle Gears Up For Sixth Annual ″Tips For Tots″ Fundraiser

A Tradition Launched in 2006 at the Casual Dining/Sports Bar Chain’s Salisbury, Md. Restaurant, Tip Donations To Help Purchase Gifts for Needy Children Spreads To More Locations This Year

December 02, 2011 // Franchising.com // EDGEWATER, Md. – Inspired by their fellow employees in Salisbury, Md., staffs at eight other Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille restaurants throughout Maryland, Delaware and Virginia have announced that this holiday season, they, too, will participate in the casual dining restaurant/sports bar chain’s “Tips for Tots” program, donating all tips they earn on December 7 to purchase toys for local “Toys for Tots” programs and help bring the joys of the season to underprivileged children.

In addition to the Salisbury restaurant, which started the tradition in 2006, employees of the following company and franchisee-owned locations have agreed to donate all the tips they receive:

  • Delaware: Lewes
  • Maryland: Columbia, Edgewater, Fells Point, Hanover, Salisbury and Towson
  • Virginia: Hampton and Leesburg

Specific location addresses, hours of operation and other details are available at thegreeneturtle.com. The Greene Turtle also announced that its corporate offices would add another $500 to the donations for each restaurant that raises a minimum of $1,000 in tips that day.

“Tips for Tots” was the selfless idea of Corlie Brice, a bartender at The Greene Turtle in Salisbury. She arrived for her shift one cold December night in 2006 and noticed a sign on the neighboring business, designating it as a “Toys for Tots” drop-off site. She decided to use whatever tips she took in during her shift to purchase toys for the program; additionally, she enlisted her fellow employees and publicized her intentions to guests coming into the restaurant to increase the potential donation. That evening, she and fellow bartender Chris Tingle took in $700, an amount that proved even more valuable when the manager of a nearby Ollie’s Bargain Outlet agreed to give her a discount on her purchases once she explained her intentions.

Since that inaugural effort, The Greene Turtle of Salisbury has donated more than $9,700 in purchased toys to the Wicomico County Toys for Tots program, both through the tips donated by restaurant employees and additional gifts donated by other members of the community. Guests have rallied to the cause, occasionally giving tips as large as $50 to $100 on the purchase of a single beer. The staff makes shopping with the donated funds a team effort; armed with trucks, vans, and holiday spirit, they visit a host of area retailers that have largely agreed to offer discounts. There was no way for Ms. Brice to know on that day in 1996 how many thousands of lives she would affect over the years from her seemingly small, kind gesture.

“We are very proud of Corlie for having brought this program to life, and equally proud of our Salisbury employees and customers for having embraced it over the past five years,” said J. Michael Sanford, CEO of The Greene Turtle. “Finding new ways to give back to our local communities is an everyday goal for our company, and the fact that nine franchise and company restaurants have committed to “Tips for Tots” this year is a true testament to how well that spirit has spread out throughout our extended family. We look forward to seeing smiles on many children’s faces as they open their holiday gifts this year, and to continuing this and our many other charitable efforts for years to come.”

This year, each participating location will purchase toys and donate them to a local “Toys for Tots” program, spreading holiday cheer throughout more of the Mid-Atlantic region.

About The Greene Turtle Sports Bar and Grille and The Greene Turtle Franchising Corp.

First opened in Ocean City, Md., in 1976, The Greene Turtle combines comfort food, a casual atmosphere and a sports theme to create a popular venue where families, friends and fans feel at home. With 30 locations in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and Washington, D.C., “The Turtle” has become a popular year-round destination for families and friends of all ages. AOL users in Baltimore named the chain “Best Sports Bar” (December 2010) and CBS Baltimore named The Greene Turtle among the best local spots to enjoy “March Madness.” Addresses, menus, operating hours, specials and more may be found online at www.thegreeneturtle.com, as well as on each restaurant’s Facebook page.

The majority stakeholder in Edgewater, Md.-based The Greene Turtle Franchising Corporation is JPB Capital Partners, a Columbia, Md.-based private equity partner for lower- to middle-market companies located throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions of the United States. The Greene Turtle recently rose more than 100 places in Entrepreneur’s annual “Franchise 500” list to #339 (January 2011) and placed highest among all sports bar franchises. Franchise opportunities are available throughout the Eastern United States to qualifying investors. For more information, contact Director of Franchise Sales Marty Welch at (404) 844-8661, or mwelch@thegreeneturtle.com, or visit www.thegreeneturtle.com.

Media Contact:

Greg Pitkoff
GRiP Communications LLC
(718) 404-9277
greg@gripcommpr.com

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