Cabot Creamery Honors The Real Bay Area Celebrities...Volunteers

CABOT, Vt., March 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Cabot Creamery Cooperative, best known as makers of "The World's Best Cheddar," today announced a program to reward Bay Area volunteers for the vital work they do to support the community. At a time when reality programming makes people celebrities for simply appearing on television, the 2012 Cabot Community Celebrity Award seeks nominations for real local celebrities—non-profit volunteers who make the Bay Area a better place to live. The final Bay Area community celebrity will join 40 other celebrities from throughout the US on an all-expense-paid cruise for two to Alaska in recognition for their non-profit volunteer work for their hometowns.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120213/MM52737LOGO )

"As a 1,200 farm family-owned dairy cooperative, we strongly believe in the value of community," said Neal Rea, a NY state dairy farmer and board chairman of Cabot Creamery. "Non-profits provide vital services and often rely on volunteers to keep programs available for those in need. Our aim is to honor these people who go above and beyond by offering a little reward and heartfelt recognition for a lot of hard work."

To nominate a Bay Area volunteer to be considered for the Cabot Community Celebrity Award, entrants must visit http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/cabot-contest and submit a 50-word description of why that person deserves the award. Criteria that will be considered include:

• Demonstration of a commitment to the community through volunteer service
• Non-paid volunteer service provided through an organized non-profit or general time given to the community
• Years of service to community and impact of volunteer service on community
• Number of community members impacted by the volunteer work

Nominations are free, and now open until April 2, 2012. The outstanding community celebrity selected will receive an all-expense paid 7-night round-trip Alaskan cruise package including airfare to Seattle for two onboard the Celebrity Cruises INFINITY courtesy of Cabot Creamery Cooperative.

The 2012 Cabot Celebrity Cruise to Alaska marks the third time in the past four years that the Vermont-based dairy cooperative has honored local volunteers with a cruise for the work they do.  The first Celebrity Cruise took place in 2010 and featured a trip to the Eastern Caribbean while the 2011 Celebrity Cruise sailed the Western Caribbean.  In all, more than 100 honorees and their guests have been recognized through the cruise program that is designed to promote volunteerism throughout the nation.

Cabot Creamery believes in the power of volunteer work. In February 2012, the company launched Reward Volunteers, the nation's first mobile app that allows volunteers to log hours, post to Facebook and win rewards for themselves and the organizations they serve. The app is free and available on iTunes. It can be used on iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and as a web-based program on RewardVolunteers.coop.

For official rules for the Bay Area Community Celebrity contest, please visit http://cbs.previewdemo.com/DesktopModules/TmKCBSCabotCommunityCelebrity/rules/rules.pdf.

ABOUT CABOT CREAMERY COOPERATIVE
Cabot Creamery Cooperative has been in continuous operation in Vermont since 1919, and we make a full line of cheeses, yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese, and butter. Best known as makers of "The World's Best Cheddar," Cabot is owned by 1200 dairy farm families located throughout New England and upstate New York. For additional information on Cabot Creamery, visit http://www.cabotcheese.coop.

April is National Volunteer Month - to learn how to better support the non-profit of your choice, go to: www.rewardvolunteers.coop, win prizes and cash for you and your non-profit.

PR Contact: Jennifer Parson
[email protected]
415-593-1400

SOURCE Cabot Creamery Cooperative