Peachtree City Announces Grand Marshal for July 4th

In 1963 the Chick-fil-A® Chicken Sandwich was invented. In 1977 their freshly squeezed Chick-fil-A® Lemonade was introduced. In 1982 Chick-fil-A was the first chain to sell nuggets nationally.

In 2008 the President and Chief Operating Officer of Chick-fil-A, Inc., Dan T. Cathy, will serve as the Grand Marshal for the annual Peachtree City July 4th Parade. This is Dan’s first time serving as Grand Marshal in any parade, and an experience he looks forward to.

Chick-fil-A® was founded by Dan’s father, S. Truett Cathy, but Dan has been the President & COO of Chick-fil-A, since 2001. Mr. Cathy strives to provide customers with the most exceptional service. Perhaps this is why he lives by his own quote, “I work in customer service.”
People may love the restaurant for their chicken nuggets and waffle fries, but in 2007 Restaurant & Institutions magazine chose them as the winner of “Choice in Chains” for the 13th time in 14 years. In 2004 the chain was chosen “Best Drive-Thru in America” by QSR Magazine and later named as the highest rated quick-service chain in the south by J.D. Power and Associate’s.

Dan, a native of Jonesboro, GA, has chosen to expand his duties as President. You will probably not find him in the local Chick-fil-A restaurants. He chooses to travel a majority of the time. He attends Grand Opening ceremonies, spends the night in parking lots, and visiting numerous chains. Dan says, “I’m having the most fun I have ever had at Chick-fil-A.” This comes as a “no” surprise since he used to sing songs for customers and radio commercials for the chains Dwarf House Restaurant in Hapeville, GA at age nine.

Mr. Cathy leads a busy life. He is a devoted husband, a father of two, a business man, an instrument-rated commercial pilot, a marathon runner, a trumpet player and a motorcyclist. His main goal in life is to see the business his family built succeed. The Chick-fil-A Corporate Purpose: “To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us. To have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.” Maybe this is why Chick-fil-A has become a national chain and a multi-billion dollar entity. You can find more information and interesting facts about the restaurant chain, Chick-fil-A at www.chick-fil-a.com.

The parade begins at 9 a.m. on Friday, July 4. “We are already on a wait list, and have some unique entries this year” says Ashley Alonso, parade coordinator. It begins on Peachtree Parkway near the Braelinn Golf Course and will proceed north on Peachtree Parkway, crossing over Crosstown Road, turning left onto McIntosh Trail and will disperse at Huddleston Elementary School and McIntosh Trail Recreation Complex. The fireworks are scheduled to begin at dusk.

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Chick-fil-A Kyle Petty Charity Ride Counts Down to Kick-Off

GFP Note: Peachtree City is one of eight cities selected as overnight stops on the 2008 Chick-fil-A Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America. More than 250 motorcycle riders will descend on Peachtree City on July 18 as they travel from Traverse City, Mich., to Savannah, Ga., this summer in an effort to raise money for Victory Junction Gang Camp and other charities that support chronically ill children.

The Chick-fil-A Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America is counting down the days until its official kick-off celebration in Traverse City, Mich., on July 11.

One month from today, more than 200 Charity Ride participants will join Traverse City residents and community leaders at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa in a show of support for children with chronic illnesses. Led by NASCAR driver Kyle Petty, the riders will begin their 3,000-mile trek from Traverse City to Savannah, Ga., on the morning of July 13. Ride participants include NASCAR legends Richard Petty and Harry Gant, NASCAR driver Matt Kenseth, Chick-fil-A President and COO Dan Cathy, football great Herschel Walker and supermodel and TV host Niki Taylor.

The 14th Anniversary Charity Ride benefits Victory Junction Gang Camp and other children’s charities. Petty and his wife, Pattie, founded the Victory Junction Gang Camp in Randleman, N.C., in 2004. The year-round camp serves children with serious health issues, ages 7 to 15, at no cost to their families. Dean Kessel, former director of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series sponsorship for Sprint, was named president of the camp earlier this year.

The Pettys recently announced plans to open a second Victory Junction Gang Camp in Wyandotte County, Kan. Mike Lepore, former executive vice president of Institutional Lending for Wells Fargo, has been named president of the new camp.

“Pattie, Mike and I are hard at work on our plans for the new Victory Junction Gang Camp and are so grateful for the support of participants and donors to the Charity Ride for helping make this vision a reality,” said Petty. “We’re excited about bringing the Victory Junction experience to a new region of the country and empowering even more children to achieve their dreams.”

Communities along the Ride route are encouraged to become involved in this year’s Charity Ride though the Charity Ride Dream Team Challenge, which challenges community members to form teams to raise funds for and awareness of the Charity Ride and its beneficiaries. Teams may register for free at www.kylepettycharityride.com. Registered teams will receive “Dream Team Packs” containing background information on the Charity Ride, Victory Junction Gang Camp and Charity Ride sponsors, as well as ongoing updates, fundraising tips and inspirational Victory Junction camper stories.

“We’ve already seen a wonderful response to our inaugural Charity Ride Dream Team Challenge,” said Petty. “From the KLT Pitstop Dream Team in Traverse City to the Raleigh HOGs, Dream Teams across the country have come up with creative ways to raise money for this year’s Charity Ride. I hope even more Dream Teams will join us to support children with serious medical conditions. Every penny counts.”

Collected donations may be mailed to Kyle Petty Charity Ride, Inc., 125 Floyd Smith Drive, Suite 45, Charlotte, NC 28262. Checks should be made payable to “Kyle Petty Charity Ride, Inc.” and indicate “Charity Ride Dream Team Challenge” in the “For” line. For more information on the Charity Ride Dream Team Challenge, visit www.kylepettycharityride.com.
Fans, media and Charity Ride supporters are invited to participate in the Ride – virtually – at www.kylepettycharityride.com. The Virtual Ride allows users to view video footage, photos, Kyle’s daily blog entries and sound clips from each day’s adventures on the road.

Pictured: Dan Cathy of Chick-fil-A

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