Lucerne®, Safeway's Exclusive Dairy Brand, Announces Finalists in Seventh Annual Lucerne® The Art of Dairy™ Art Contest

PLEASANTON, Calif., Feb. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Lucerne®, Safeway Inc.'s exclusive dairy brand, congratulated the nine finalists chosen to compete for a $30,000 grand prize in the Seventh Annual Lucerne® The Art of Dairy™ Art Contest. For the first time, the finalists were announced via a live post on Facebook and at www.artofdairy.com.

The nine finalists will now transfer their designs onto an unconventional canvas – a life-sized fiberglass cow. Beginning April 16, America will vote for their favorite cow and determine the winning artist in the contest that joins nutrition with artistic talent and ingenuity.

Since the inception of the Art of Dairy™ contest in 2005, Lucerne has contributed over $327,000 to schools, teachers, and students. This year, more than 9,200 entries were received from schools across the country.

Lucerne® has been providing students with a wide variety of wholesome dairy products for more than a century. Nourishment before, during, and after school not only feeds the body, but it also helps fuel creative minds. The Lucerne brand is proud to be committed to promoting the creative growth of young artists, supporting their talents and helping underfunded art programs in schools.

About the Contest

Leveraging a new theme – "Red, White, & Moo" – students were challenged to illustrate what American ingenuity means to them by incorporating Lucerne dairy products on a cow-shaped template. An elite panel of judges reviewed the thousands of entries received and selected nine finalists who will transfer their designs on to life-sized fiberglass cow sculptures. Once the finalists have completed their works, America will decide the winner via online and mobile voting from April 16 thru May 15, 2012. The finalist cows will be on display in stores in April, and winners will be announced in early June. In addition, as part of a new Teacher Incentive Program, the school with the most entries will win $1,000 for their art department. The entries are being tabulated and the winning school will be announced in early February.

In February and March, Safeway's Facebook and YouTube pages will chronicle the artistic process of each of the finalists. These videos will allow the talented young artists to express how art has impacted their lives and its importance to their schools. The pages will also include feature stories on how past winners have used their winnings to keep their art programs thriving.

The contest winners will share approximately $46,000 in prizes with their art teachers and their schools' art programs. The Grand Prize winner will receive $20,000 for their school's art department, plus $5,000 each for the winner and their art teacher. The First Prize winner receives $5,000 for their school's art department, plus $2,500 each for the student and teacher. In addition, one Honorable Achievement winner and their teacher will receive $1,000 each. The remaining six finalists will receive $500 U.S. Savings Bonds.

This program is a unique way to promote creative growth and encourage students to artistically express themselves. The contest not only gives students a national platform to unveil their talents, but also helps illustrate the importance of art education in schools.

For past contest winners, entry forms, healthy recipes, and Official Rules, visit www.ArtofDairy.com.

Along with supporting schools and education programs, Safeway is an industry leader in environmental sustainability, socially responsible and ethical business practices, and effective community outreach.  Safeway upholds an operating philosophy that is rooted in corporate social responsibility and focused on four key fundamentals: People, Products, Community, and the Planet. These fundamentals, deemed "The Heart of Safeway," balance our passion for food and serving our customers with the rapidly developing needs of our communities and our plant. Safeway contributes to a broad range of charitable and community programs and in 2011 raised and donated more than $200 million to cancer research, hunger relief, education, health and human services and programs focused on assisting people with disabilities.

The Art of Dairy 2012 Finalists

Amy Chen – Lake Oswego High School – Lake Oswego, OR
Lindsay Droege – Silver Creek High School – Longmont, CO
Ariana Enriquez – Chandler High School – Chandler, AZ
Yeonsoo Kim – Bellevue Senior High School – Bellevue, WA
Janet Kintner – Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School – Chicago, IL
Lori Lopez – Olympian High School – Chula Vista, CA
Emilee Martin – B.F. Terry High School – Rosenberg, TX
Anne Mueller – Edward C. Reed High School – Sparks, NV
Gustavo Ramirez – Overbrook High School – Pine Hill, NJ

About Safeway  www.Safeway.com

Safeway Inc. is a Fortune 100 company and one of the largest food and drug retailers in North America, based on sales. The company operates 1,681 stores in the United States and western Canada and had annual sales of $41.1 billion in 2010. The company's common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol SWY.

CONTACT: Teena Massingill, 925-467-3810, [email protected]

SOURCE Safeway Inc.