Edson Buddle Greeted Fans and Port Chester Mayor at Panera Bread Café on August 11

Port Chester, NY  – Edson Buddle, a nine-year Major League Soccer veteran, returned to his native Port Chester on August 11, 2010 to make a celebrity appearance at the Panera Bread Café. Over 300 adoring fans of all ages turned out to meet their favorite sports star and asked for autographs and photographs with the soccer great. Many came donning Buddle jerseys and carrying soccer balls and even shoes to be autographed, and were thrilled to meet this humble sports star who has deep roots in the Port Chester community.

Since 2007, Edson has played forward for the LA Galaxy, and was a former striker for the Columbus Crew, New York Red Bulls, and Toronto FC. This year he was selected to join the U.S. Men's National Team, and participated as #14 in the recent 2010 FIFA World Cup™ in South Africa.

During Buddle’s appearance at Panera Bread, the Village of Port Chester Mayor, Dennis Pilla, who officially named August 11 as “Edson Buddle Day” in Port Chester, presented him with an official proclamation from the Village of Port Chester. The Mayor spoke about how pleased and impressed he was that a “local boy” who is achieving so much success and recognition remembers where he comes from and has such a love for the Port Chester community.  Mayor Pilla also congratulated Buddle for being such a great role model to youths.

Take Home the Bread, LLC, franchisee of Panera Bread, is an official caterer for and sponsor of Golden Touch Soccer, Winston Buddle’s soccer camp. Winston Buddle, Edson’s father, is also a professional soccer star. In their role as sponsors, Panera Bread hosted Buddle’s appearance and has provided each player of the Golden Touch Soccer camp a t-shirt and delicious lunches during camp.

“I was so pleased to see so many smiling faces from the community and the Golden Touch Soccer Camp here today,” states Tony Diaz, Operations Partner of Take Home the Bread, Franchisee. “It was a pleasure to plan this event for Buddle, his family, and fans.”

For the past 14 years, Panera Bread has helped many charitable organizations through Operation Dough-Nation®, a program that allows Panera Bread and its customers to aid local charities.  Cash donations made by customers in the Community BreadboxÔ cash boxes at the registers are distributed annually to local charities. Panera also donates unsold bread to local area hunger relief agencies.

The Panera Bread’s Port Chester Café is located at 10 Westchester Avenue, (914) 939-0079. Panera Bread has additional cafés conveniently located throughout Westchester County, including Scarsdale, White Plains, Yorktown Heights, and Mohegan Lake. The new bakery-café in Bedford Hills is located in Bedford Greens on 117, 719 North Bedford Road (Rt. 117). For further information, please contact BBG&G Advertising at 845-695-1880.

About Panera Bread:

Panera Bread Company owns and franchises 1,399 bakery-cafes as of June 29, 2010 under the Panera Bread®, Saint Louis Bread Co.®, and Paradise Bakery & Café® names.  Our bakery-cafes are principally located in suburban, strip mall and regional mall locations.  We feature high quality, reasonably priced food in a warm, inviting, and comfortable environment.  With our identity rooted in handcrafted, fresh-baked, artisan bread, we are committed to providing great tasting, quality food that people can trust.  Nearly all of our bakery-cafes have a menu highlighted by antibiotic free chicken, whole grain bread, and select organic and all-natural ingredients, with zero grams of artificial trans fat per serving, which provide flavorful, wholesome offerings.  Our menu includes a wide variety of year-round favorites complemented by new items introduced seasonally with the goal of creating new standards in everyday food choices.  In neighborhoods across this country and in Ontario, Canada, our customers enjoy our warm