ZIPPY’S RESTAURANTS HELPING TO SAVE HAWAII PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS

 
HONOLULU – Zippy’s Restaurants announced that it will partner with its patrons to support the Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) to help save public school athletic programs from recent budget cuts. Beginning Monday, Sept. 14 and running through Nov. 30, customers are encouraged to make a donation of any amount at the cashier counters at all Zippy’s Restaurant locations.  Zippy’s will match all customer donations up to a total of $10,000 and proceeds will be contributed to the HHSAA’s Save Our Sports (SOS) campaign.
 
“We are very fortunate to have the continued support of Zippy’s Restaurant, not only through its title sponsorship of our cheerleading state championships, but also to help fund our public high schools’ immediate needs to run athletic programs for their students,” said HHSAA Executive Director Keith Amemiya.
 
 Approximately $1.2 million will be cut from Hawaii’s public high school athletic programs for the 2009-10 school year.  HHSAA said that the budget cut amounts to approximately 50% of the funding needed for supplies, equipment, and ground transportation for 45 public high schools statewide, and that the budget cut would require drastic measures to be undertaken, including the possible cutting of all public high school junior varsity sports.
 
“Zippy’s strongly believes that athletics is a very important learning tool for our youth,” said Jason Higa, president of Zippy’s Restaurant.  “It teaches lessons that cannot be replicated in the classroom such as teamwork, sportsmanship, commitment and being a part of the community.  We are very happy to work with the HHSAA on such an important community undertaking.”
 
Amemiya kick started the SOS campaign in late July and in a month-and-a-half has raised approximately $733,000 from local businesses, unions and private citizens from Hawaii, across the continental United States and one contribution sent by mail from Japan.  The HHSAA hopes to continue the campaign until its goal of $1.2 million is reached.
 
The HHSAA, founded in 1956, is exclusively dedicated to serve 95 member public and private high schools as they work cooperatively to support and promote athletics as part of the high school education program.
 
For more information visit www.sportshigh.com  or contact the HHSAA at info@hhsaa.org or (808) 587-4495.