Hooters Donates $200,000 to Breast Cancer Research and Carries on the Promise to Educate Hooters Girls About Early Detection and Awareness

ATLANTA, Sept. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Hooters presented a $200,000 check to Nick Valvano, President of the V Foundation for Cancer Research in support of the Kelly Jo Dowd Breast Cancer Research Grant.  Nearly 400 domestic hooters locations held local fundraising events to raise money for the cause, established in honor of Kelly Jo Dowd Hooters Calendar Cover Girl and manager who lost the battle to breast cancer in 2007.  

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100930/CL73865 )

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100930/CL73865 )

Kelly Jo spent the last years of her life educating the Hooters Girls and family of the importance of breast cancer awareness and early detection.  Before she passed, Hooters established a grant in her name through the V Foundation for Cancer Research and made a promise to Kelly Jo to carry on her mission to educate her extended family including 17,000 current Hooters Girls about the importance of breast cancer awareness.

As part of the fundraising effort and promise to Kelly Jo, an awareness DVD featuring a testimonial from Kelly Jo herself, is sent to every Hooters location to educate Hooters employees to help prevent the 1 in 8 women who will statistically be affected by breast cancer. For the past 4 years Hooters has raised over $2 Million toward the Kelly Jo Dowd fund, raising money through various fundraisers in every Hooters location around the country.  

About Hooters of America, Inc.

Hooters of America, Inc. is the franchisor and operator of over 450 Hooters restaurants in 42 states and 26 foreign countries.  The first Hooters opened in 1983 in Clearwater, Florida.  Hooters is well-known for its brand of food and fun, featuring a casual beach-theme atmosphere, a menu that features seafood, sandwiches and Hooters nearly world famous chicken wings, and service provided by the All-American cheerleaders, the Hooters Girls.  For more information about Hooters visit www.hooters.com. Find us on www.Facebook.com/Hooters and www.Twitter.com/Hooters

About Kelly Jo Dowd

Kelly Jo Dowd was one of the original Hooters Girls, graced the cover of the 1995 Hooters Calendar and worked her way up the Hooters ranks to manager of the location in Palm Harbor, Florida.  In 2002, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and despite radical and aggressive treatment, the cancer has spread and now she is in the fight of her life.  Her story received national attention when ESPN covered her daughter, Dakoda Dowd, playing in an LPGA event to fulfill her mother's wish.

SOURCE Hooters of America, Inc.