4th Annual Ride for Hope

PONDER ENTERPRISES HELPS LOCAL NON-PROFIT IN RIDE FOR HOPE

 

 Ponder Enterprises and Wiregrass Hope Group joined forces again for the 4^th Annual Ride for Hope on May 18, 2013.  The ride consisted of travelling around the Wiregrass area in Southeast Alabama and collecting store stamps from eight Ponder Enterprises Hardee’s locations.  Riders received a free drink at each stop, as well as coupons good for a free breakfast and lunch combo.  With a completed card, Riders were eligible to win grand prize cash money - $250, $500 & $1,000.

 

 

Despite a few morning rain showers, there were 163 riders and over $9,500 was raised.  This proved to be a record setting year for the Ride for Hope beating last year’s numbers with 33 more riders and $2,500 additional funds raised.  All of the proceeds went to Wiregrass Hope Group, a non-profit organization that extends hope and healing to individuals and families by offering practical assistance, addressing emotional needs, and encouraging spiritual growth through their Pregnancy Resource Center; Character & Relationship Education; Individual, Marriage and Pre-Marriage Counseling; and Fatherhood Program.

 

Ponder Enterprises team at the Ride.  

L to R: Owner, Dan Ponder; District Manager, Jim Lutyens; General Manager of Dothan 2, Kelly Vaughan; and Director of Marketing, Elizabeth Faulk

Peanut Parade

What is a festival without a parade?  The National Peanut Festival found favor with beautiful 70 degree weather and sunshine for its parade last Saturday in Dothan, AL.

The top highlight included the cement truck that rolled down Main Street with peanuts flowing out the back.  Kids and parents raced to the street to fill bags and pockets with peanuts to munch on for the rest of the parade.

The two kiddos in our group, my daughter and nephew, came back to the truck with a bag of loot.

Another highlight of the parade was the Hardee's Star.  The Hummburger and Star have now been in the parade the past six years.  

Weevils in the Wiregrass

Have you ever seen a Boll Weevil?  Do you even know what it is?

According to Wikipedia - The boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis) is a beetle measuring an average length of six millimeters, which feeds on cotton buds and flowers. 

Yep, its a bug.  It made its way to Alabama in 1915, devastating the cotton of the South.  Wikipedia further states that it remains the most destructive cotton pest in North America, estimating $13 billion in losses to the US since its arrival. 

This little bug is also the reason why the South loves peanuts.  When the boll weevil devastated the farmers and their cotton fields they turned to a new crop - peanuts.

Enterprise, AL has a monument dedicated to the boll weevil - a tribute for introducing them to a new crop and new way of life.  Inscribed at the base of the monument is the following:

"In profound appreciation of the Boll Weevil and what it has done as the herald of prosperity this monument was erected by the citizens of Enterprise, Coffee County, Alabama."

So it was fitting that at the National Peanut Festival last week, the Hardee's Star ran into the Boll Weevil mascot and its Queen from Enterprise State Community College.

National Peanut Festival Queens

On Monday the Hardee's Star got to hang out with these lovely ladies - 

Little Miss National Peanut Festival and Miss National Peanut Festival.

National Peanut Festival

This year marks the 69th celebration of the National Peanut Festival and Fair in Dothan, AL.  For miles around families flock to Dothan to ride the fair rides, check out the photo and baking contests, watch the greasy pig and calf scramble, stand in line for the best corn dogs around and of course eat lots of peanuts.

Hardee's is proud to participate and sponsor the National Peanut Festival.  Yesterday morning the Star made an appearance at the fair grounds for Kindergarten Day.  And you can see the Hummburger and Star again on Saturday during the parade.

Family 4th of July Celebration - Dothan

Ponder Enterprises and the Hardee’s of Dothan have partnered with the local Kiwanis Club to put on this year’s Family 4^th Celebration.  An all day event, there are many activities to enjoy – a Car Show, music entertainment, inflatables and water slides for the kids, a watermelon eating contest, sack races and so much more.  The evening will be capped off with the area’s largest fireworks display.  Hardee’s is excited to be this year’s ticket sponsor with over 12,500 tickets being sold in the area.  Each ticket awards a free small fry at any Ponder Enterprises location.  With three locations in Dothan and seven more to potentially be touched by this sponsorship, Ponder Enterprises expects to see some of their own fireworks on the 4^th.

Junior Golf Tournament Sponsorship - Dothan

For over three years now Ponder Enterprises has been involved with the Future Masters, one of the most traditionally rich junior golf tournaments in the world.  Taking place in Dothan, Alabama, where Ponder has three locations, the Future Masters has been around since 1950.  An impressive list of golfing greats have made the trip to Alabama to play in this tournament as a junior including David Duval, Stewart Cink, Bubba Dickerson, Trevor Immelman and many others.  Starting out as a scoreboard sponsor, Ponder Enterprises moved up to be a top tournament sponsor last year and continues with that sponsorship level this year.  With an average of 500 players and 125 volunteers each year, Hardee’s reaps the benefit of the wide coverage and being the only restaurant sponsor.

Ride for Hope - Dothan

Ponder Enterprises and Wiregrass Hope Group kicked off Mother’s Day weekend with their 2^nd Annual Ride for Hope.  The ride consisted of travelling around the Wiregrass area in Southeast Alabama and collecting store stamps from eight Ponder Enterprises Hardee’s locations.  Riders received a free drink at each stop, as well as coupons good for a free breakfast and lunch combo.  With a completed card, Riders were eligible to win a wide array of prizes including grand prize cash money - $250, $500 & $1,000.