Panera’s Pink Ribbon Bagel Benefits Tulsa Project Woman
CANCER AWARENESS: Panera Bread’s upcoming Pink Ribbon Bagel sales will benefit Tulsa Project Woman, Inc. during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. From left are Barbara Schwarz, Founder of Tulsa Project Woman, Inc., Sue Stees, Panera Bread Owner and Anne Bogie, Executive Director of Tulsa Project Woman, Inc.
Courtesy SARAH FRANZEN
In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Panera Bread bakery-cafes throughout Tulsa will offer a special, limited-time-only Pink Ribbon Bagel. For each Pink Ribbon Bagel sold at the eight Tulsa-area locations, Panera Bread will donate 25 cents to Tulsa Project Woman, Inc.
Sue Stees of Tulsa and co-owner of Traditional Bakery, Inc., Panera’s first franchisee, created the Pink Ribbon Bagel in 2001 after a suggestion from her friend, Mary Jane Buck. Employees and customers immediately embraced the exclusive ribbon-shaped cherry bagel. This year the Pink Ribbon Bagel loaded with cherry chips, bing cherries and cranberries, will be baked fresh daily in Panera Bread bakery-cafes nationwide. Every Pink Ribbon Bagel sold benefits breast health initiatives.
“My passion has been to make a difference in the fight against breast cancer by educating women about early detection, increasing awareness and raising money for treatment and research,” says Stees, a 22-year breast cancer survivor. “I am so glad that over 900 Panera Bread bakery-cafes are now helping in this campaign against breast cancer.”
On the five-year anniversary since its debut in Tulsa, special Pink Ribbon Bagel activities are being planned to celebrate the success and create awareness for the programs and services of Project Woman, Inc. in Oklahoma. October will be declared “Pink Ribbon Bagel” month in the State of Oklahoma and Tulsa-area bakery-cafes will kick off Pink Ribbon Bagel sales with a special breakfast for local breast health representatives and community partners on Monday, Oct. 2.
Tulsa Project Woman, Inc. is a regional comprehensive program providing breast health education, no cost mammography, diagnostic procedures and surgical services for women with no health insurance and limited financial resources. Since its beginning in 1998, Tulsa Project Woman has provided screening and services for more than 11,200 women and men and diagnosed 266 cases of breast cancer.
Dr. Tom and Sue Stees of Tulsa and Dr. Stees’ sister, Gaynell Magers, and her husband, Jim, of Springfield, Mo., own the Traditional Bakery, Inc. franchise. The Magers also own Oklahoma City Bakery, Inc. The combined 2006 franchise goal is to sell over 70,000 bagels during the month of October throughout bakery-cafes operated in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri.
All Panera Bread bakery-cafes are open seven days a week. Tulsa-area bakery-cafes are located at 3811 E. 51st St., 6981 S. Lewis Ave., 1624 E. 15th St., Woodland Hills Mall, 5601 E 41st St. and 11123 E. 71st St. Locations are also in Broken Arrow at 2201 West Detroit and 12417 E. 96th St. N. in Owasso.
Updated 09-19-2006
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