Panara Warwick to Host Two More Benjamin Book Buddies Summer Reading Events in July

WARWICK, RI, July 9, 2015 —The Panera Bread at 1000 Bald Hill Road in Warwick, Rhode Island continues its Benjamin’s Book Buddies Summer Reading Series on Tuesday, July 14 and 28 from 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. to “Raise the Dough” for B’s Mobility Ride! All the proceeds will go to the McDermott family of Warwick to help secure a wheelchair accessible van to support the needs of eight-year-old, Benjamin, who is battling spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a type of muscular dystrophy. Co-sponsored by local radio show “Reading with Robin”, each event in July will include book discussions led by Benjamin of his favorite reads; a great series of books to add to any student’s reading list.

The book reading on Tuesday, July 14 will feature a discussion with Benjamin on Follow My Leader by James B. Garfield and Alien In My Pocket: Blast Off by Nate Ball. The afternoon’s other highlights include cookie decorating, food sampling and a swag bag. Donation: $20. Please RSVP at www.benjaminsbookbuddiesbenjaminmcdermott.eventbrite.com.

Two weeks later, on Tuesday, July 28 the Series continues with a meet & greet with popular children’s author, Kevin Mulhern, who will read from his new book, Cody the Cloud. Benjamin will also lead a talk on one of his favorite books, Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchfork. Cookie decorating will also be part of the fun. Donation: $20 for a signed Cody the Cloud book or $30 for the signed book and a book bag. Please RSVP at www.benjaminsbookbuddieskevinmulhern.eventbrite.com.

“Our kick-off to the Summer Reading Series in early June featuring popular children’s author Victoria Kann and her books was such a huge hit with all the kids and Benjamin had a great time reading and talking about the books with the other children,” said Wendy Kopp, Director of Marketing for Panera Bread/Howley Bread Group. “We anticipate more fun at our two upcoming summer reading events so we hope to see the community at the cafe enjoying a good book for a great cause.” Several other Panera fundraisers at the Warwick cafe and elsewhere, as well as a radio partnership with “Reading With Robin”, have raised more than $20,000 to date for the wheelchair accessible van.

The final Benjamin’s Book Buddies Summer Reading Series event will take place on Tuesday, August 18 from 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. and feature readings from My Little Pony Under the Sparking Sea by Mary Jane Begin along with an author meet & greet, cookie decorating and a book discussion led by Benjamin on Floors by Patrick Carmen. Donation: $20 for a signed copy of My Little Pony or $30 for the signed book and a book bag. Please RSVP at www.benjaminsbookbuddiesmaryjanebegin.eventbrite.com.

In addition to holding fundraisers for various local causes, Panera Bread/Howley Bread Group also enjoys a partnership with local food banks and social service agencies where all donations collected through its cafes’ ongoing Panera Cares Community Breadbox™ Program go directly to these causes. This Program gives customers the opportunity to donate money at the register to support the local member food banks’ efforts to provide nutritious food to residents in need. In addition, for years Panera Bread/Howley Bread Group has donated all unsold bread and baked goods each night to local food pantries and other organizations that provide hunger relief through its Day-End Dough-Nation™ program.

Panera Bread/Howley Bread Group owns and operates a total of 28 bakery-cafes in Rhode Island (Cranston, Warwick, East Greenwich, Lincoln, Newport, Providence, Smithfield and Wakefield), Massachusetts (North Attleborough, North Dartmouth, Plainville and Seekonk) and Greater Hartford/Eastern, Connecticut (Bristol, Canton, Enfield, Farmington, Foxwoods, Glastonbury, Groton, Hartford, Lisbon, Manchester (2), Newington, Southington, Waterford, West Hartford and Wethersfield) markets. Catering is also available in most cafes.

To find out about any other upcoming events Panera has scheduled to help B’s Mobility Ride, visit and LIKE its Facebook page /howleybreadgroup. Panera is also asking others in the local community to help raise funds for B’s Mobility Ride and, for those interested, to reach out to Marketing@HowleyBread.com for participation or ideas. Or, for those that simply want to make a donation, please visit www.gofundme.com/bwumj4 to help B’s Mobility Ride today.

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