Newtown, PA, April 28, 2010 – To celebrate the tenth anniversary of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, Mayor Nutter and DA Seth Williams will be showing their support by serving pancakes to the community at one of 59 pancake breakfasts to kick-off this year’s fundraiser. The local politicians will be serving breakfast at the Center City Applebee’s on 15^th and Walnut, Saturday, May 1 from 9:00 am to 10:00 am.

 

This event is part of an annual fundraising effort of The Rose Group, a local franchisee of Applebee’s restaurants that is in its sixth year helping to raise money for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. This year the effort kicks-off on May 1st with Flapjack breakfasts at all 59 Rose Group Applebee’s in eastern Pennsylvania, Mercer County New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland from 8am-10am. This year, The Rose Group hopes to raise over 2 million dollars for the charity since the beginning of their fundraising activities. 

 

“We’re thrilled to have the support of both the Mayor and District Attorney at our kick-of event,” said Harry T. Rose, chairman and CEO of The Rose Group. “As a locally based company, we firmly believe in supporting area causes and organizations. It’s great to see community leaders joining together to help an organization they believe in.”

 

The flapjack fundraisers focus on Alex’s basic strategy: selling a simple product to the community. The Rose Group Applebee’s will offer all you can eat pancakes, with sausage, coffee, and juice, but several restaurants will also bring in local community support, entertainment and activities.

 

The Rose Group Applebee’s and Apple American Group will also be selling paper lemons during May’s promotion through June 6^th at participating restaurants to support Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. By donating five dollars, customers will get five dollars back on their next Carside or To Go order. This donation also enters customers into a drawing at these local restaurants to win free Applebee’s for a year. There will be one winner selected in each of these markets, including eastern Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and southern New Jersey.

 

For more information on this year’s Alex’s Lemonade Stand Fundraiser visit your local Applebee’s. Flapjack Fundraiser tickets will be sold throughout April.

###

 

The Rose Group, headquartered in Newtown, PA, is the 37th largest restaurant franchise company in the United States. They currently own and operate 59 Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar restaurants in eastern Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey and Delaware. The company is the first franchisee for Corner Bakery Cafe, operating five cafes in Eastern Pennsylvania. The Rose Group also co-owns and operates The Shannon Rose, an independent Irish pub and restaurant in North Jersey. More information on The Rose Group can be found on their web site at www.therosegroup.com.

Apple American Group LLC owns and operates approximately 189 Applebee’s restaurants in California, Delaware, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Washington and West Virginia. Apple American Group is the top franchise developer in the Applebee’s® system with average growth of over 10% per year. With over 11,000 employees Apple American Group is the largest franchisee in the Applebee’s® system, and is one of the 10 largest franchisees of any concept in the world.

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra “Alex” Scott (1996-2004). 2010 marks 10 years since 4-year-old Alex announced that she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer. Since Alex held that first stand, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement, complete with thousands of volunteers across the country carrying on her legacy of hope. To date, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 charity, has raised more than $30 million towards fulfilling Alex’s dream of finding a cure, funding over 125 research projects nationally.