FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 19, 2006
CONTACT: AMY SUN, 480-222-0191
RA SUSHI RAISES FUNDS FOR ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
Order RA’s signature tootsy maki, edamame, pork gyoza or selected beverages
to support the hospital May 28-June 3
PHOENIX – RA Sushi is launching its second annual fundraiser this month with a weeklong program called “Nicky’s Week,” which benefits the internationally recognized St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
RA will donate 100 percent of the proceeds from the sale of tootsy maki, edamame, pork gyoza, FIJI Water, Red Bull and selected beverages to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Opportunity drawing prizes will also be available at each location throughout the week as part of the Nicky’s Week Fundraiser. Nicky’s Week will culminate on June 3 with a special evening when the prize winners will be announced.
The fundraiser was developed in memory of longtime St. Jude patient Nicholas “Nicky” Mailliard who died February 2005 after a long battle with brain cancer. Nephew of one of RA’s founders, Rich Howland, Nicky held a special place in the hearts of RA associates throughout the organization. RA created this benefit in honor of Nicky and as a way to further promote the exceptional attention and support provided to all families with children receiving care at St. Jude, including many families from Arizona.
“St. Jude played a critical role during Nicky’s illness by providing state-of-the-art care and by providing important information to our family. I want to help ensure that the programs at St. Jude remain available to any family that is forced to deal with the extreme heartache associated with the serious illness of a child,” said Rich Howland, one of the founding partners of RA Sushi Bar Restaurant.
RA hopes to raise $100,000 for the national children’s hospital, which will help pay for the development of treatment and cures for such diseases such as brain tumors, leukemia, childhood HIV, and other life threatening illnesses in children. All ten RA Sushi Restaurants, including the four Valley locations (Old Town Scottsdale, North Scottsdale, Tempe and Ahwatukee) will be working to raise the dollars for the restaurant’s second companywide benefit.
The public will be notified about the fundraiser via advertising, the Internet and through in-restaurant announcements. Anyone wishing to donate may simply order the menu items associated with the benefit. Information about personal donations will be available at each location as well.
Guests will be able to purchase opportunity drawing prizes for a variety of gifts, gift certificates, event tickets and St. Jude merchandise throughout the week. The weeklong fundraiser will culminate on Saturday, June 3 with a special “Nicky’s Week” dining event, including the announcement of the prize winners at 10 p.m.
About RA Sushi
RA Sushi is best known for successfully combining distinctive sushi with a trendy, hip atmosphere. A destination for the young and chic, as well as serious sushi connoisseurs, Phoenicians have been long time fans of RA’s fresh sushi sliced to order along with outstanding Japanese fusion cuisine in a fun, lively environment. RA has four restaurants in the Valley, as well as locations in Tucson, Las Vegas, Chicago, San Diego, Houston and Palm Beach Gardens. For more information on the RA restaurant locations visit www.rasushi.com.
About St. Jude
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. Founded by late entertainer Danny Thomas and based in Memphis, Tenn., St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities around the world. St. Jude treats children from Arizona, across the United States and around the world at no cost to their families. For more information about St. Jude, please visit www.stjude.org.
It’s time once again for the infamous Kierland RA "Wednesday 100"… remember what a great time we had last year?! And it was all for the kids!!! 
excited 
