Gator fans were decked out in orange and blue this weekend, but some Panera Bread customers were thinking pink.
In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, pink balloons and streamers and employees wearing pink hats set the scene as the bakery-cafe sold ribbon-shaped bagels for the Panera Goes Pink benefit on Archer Road Friday.
One hundred percent of the proceeds from every Pink Ribbon Bagel sold at Panera Bread locations in Gainesville and Ocala that day will be donated to Shands at UF for women’s cancer research.
By Friday morning, 900 customers pre-ordered bagels from the Panera Bread on Archer Road, said Megan Sones, a Panera Bread marketing coordinator.
Lindy Brounley, communications director of UF Shands Cancer Center, said she bought two dozen bagels for her office on Friday. When she walked into the Archer Road location that morning, she said many of the orders were lined up on the counter.
“The place was packed,” Brounley said. “We had a line of people going from the front counter and curling all the way back to where the eating area was.”
The raisin-and-cinnamon-flavored bagel was designed especially for the cause, Sones said, and the ribbon-shaped dough included dried cherries, dried cranberries, vanilla chips and honey.
“It’s making my mouth water just thinking about it,” Brounley said. “It is so delicious.”
Sones said Panera Goes Pink is a national campaign. Each franchise has a different local partner in order to directly see the results of the fundraising.
“That’s why we partnered with Shands,” Sones said. “We want to directly impact the areas we are located in.”
Jillian Connolly, an 18-year-old mechanical engineering freshman, said the fact that Panera Bread donates 100 percent of the proceeds makes the campaign unique.
“It really makes a statement that they really want to help the situation,” Connolly said. “You might be able to see the results right where we are, right here in Gainesville. That might encourage people to help out more.”
“What I’m hoping is that the bulk of the bagel sales will actually be from our own people,” Brounley said.
This is the third year Panera Bread has partnered with Shands. Last year, they raised about $4,500, and their goal for this year is $5,000, Sones said. Friday’s total was not available at press time.
Donation boxes will be on the counters of Panera Bread bakery-cafes in Gainesville and Ocala throughout October. At the end of the month, Panera Bread will match the total amount of donations.
Brounley said the benefit specifically supports women’s cancer research including breast cancer, ovarian cancer and cervical cancer.
“I think it’s been a wonderful success,” Brounley said. “We at UF and Shands really appreciate the fact that a big company like Panera Bread would make a special effort to raise money on behalf of our research.”
