Press Releases

Campaign Benefits Wild Baby Rescue Center and Others

VANCOUVER, Canada--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Coastal.com, the planet’s biggest online eyewear company, recently partnered with online fundraising site, Crowdrise.com, to kick off the company’s first crowdsourced charity drive this year—encouraging Coastal.com’s customers to raise money for charities that are near and dear to their hearts. Customers were asked to submit their favorite charity to raise money for, and they did not disappoint. With over 2,000 charities submitted, Coastal narrowed down the list to the Top 10, encouraging customers to give what they could, with the company matching donations over $50. In total, the campaign—which ran from January 26th through February 5th, raised over $26,000 for the charities including $5,000 to the charity that raised the most money. Today, Coastal.com announced the winner, Wild Baby Rescue Center, a New Jersey-based non-profit organization dedicated to caring for injured and orphaned wildlife.

“As a company, we think it’s important to support individual charitable efforts in addition to Coastal.com’s own Change The View Project,� said Aaron Magness, VP Marketing. “We wanted to encourage people to start the year off with giving in mind, rather than waiting until December when it becomes more of a tax write-off. Therefore, we encouraged them to set their eyes on something big this year. It was exciting for us to be able to tap into our customers and see where their passions lie—they were more than generous and really got into the spirit of giving.�

The top 10 charities included in the campaign were: Blind Cat Rescue & Sanctuary, a place for kids, MORNINGSTAR MISSION, CHERUBS, Wild Baby Rescue Center, Barks of Love Animal Rescue, Wounded Warrior Project, World Vision, Food For The Poor, and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Upon hearing the news Wild Baby Rescue Center had raised the most donations and won an additional $5,000 from Coastal.com, Hope Kosch-Davison, Founder and Executive Director, said “Wild Baby Rescue Center saw a record-breaking 661 injured and orphaned wild babies in 2011. This donation will help us care for this growing number of babies—from purchasing formula to building more pre-release caging. What a wonderful way to start the year!�

In addition to supporting various global causes, such as BCA, Coastal.com provides eyeglasses to people around the world who are suffering from visual impairment and unable to obtain eyeglasses by their own means through its Change The View Project. For every pair of participating designer frames purchased, a second pair of eyeglasses is donated to someone in need.

About Coastal.com:

Coastal.com (www.coastal.com) is the planet’s biggest online eyewear company. Coastal empowers customers to easily browse, try on and buy eyewear—saving time, money and sanity. At Coastal, we believe you will be so blown away by the Coastal experience and become a customer for life that your first pair of glasses is free. With every pair purchased, Coastal donates a pair to someone in need through its Change the View project. Founded in 2000, Coastal designs, produces and distributes the largest selection of eyeglasses and contact lenses on the Internet, including a unique combination of designer eyeglasses, contact lenses, sunglasses, and vision care accessories. Coastal services customers in more than 150 countries through the Coastal Contacts family of websites including: Coastal.com, ClearlyContacts.ca, Lensway.com, Lensway.co.uk, Lensway.se, ClearlyContacts.com.au, ClearlyContacts.co.nz, Contactsan.com, and Coastallens.com.

Kel & PartnersDiane CoffeyWork: 617-904-9393 ext.117Cell: 508-259-9584diane@kelandpartners.com

Source: Coastal.com

BOSTON, MA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 02/09/12 -- Today, Panera Bread announced a donation of $166,613.79 for the calendar year of 2011 to Children's Hospital Boston. The money was raised through Panera's "Operation Dough-Nation" program. The donation will further Children's Hospital Boston's mission to provide life-saving medical care to children of all ages from around the world.

Panera Bread was able to make this donation due to the support of Boston-area residents, and through Operation Dough-Nation initiatives such as the Easter Egg Cookie promotion, the Lemon-Aid for Kids campaign as well as donations made at the cash register change box. Since 2009, Panera Bread and its franchisee partner Boston Bread have donated $187,723.78 to Children's Hospital Boston.

"The treatment and support that patients of Children's Hospital Boston receive is world-class," said Gregg Godfrey, Joint Venture Partner for Panera Bread. "Our customers and our employees are proud to be able to support this organization in their efforts. For those who have had a child in need of care, you know how fantastic the people at this hospital are and we are honored to help them to further their mission."

"Since 2009, Boston Bread has partnered with Children's Hospital Boston in their mission to improve the lives of children in need of the highest caliber medical care," said Mike Hamra, President and CEO of Boston Bread. "Children's Hospital Boston is routinely ranked at the top of all pediatric healthcare facilities. We are incredibly grateful to our customers for their continued support of such a tremendous organization."

To make a contribution to Children's Hospital of Boston, visit any Boston-area Panera Bread and look for a Community Breadbox" at the register. Additional information is available on the company's website, http://www.panerabread.com/about/community/.

About Panera Bread: Panera Bread Company owns and franchises 1,541 bakery-cafes as of December 27, 2011 under the Panera Bread®, Saint Louis Bread Co.®, and Paradise Bakery & Café® names. Our bakery-cafes are principally located in suburban, strip mall, and regional mall locations. We feature high quality, reasonably priced food in a warm, inviting, and comfortable environment. With our identity rooted in handcrafted, fresh-baked, artisan bread, we are committed to providing great tasting, quality food that people can trust. Nearly all of our bakery-cafes have a menu highlighted by antibiotic-free chicken, whole grain bread, and select organic and all natural ingredients, with zero grams of artificial trans fat per serving, which provide flavorful, wholesome offerings. Our menu includes a wide variety of year-round favorites complemented by new items introduced seasonally with the goal of creating new standards in everyday food choices. In neighborhoods across the United States and in Ontario, Canada, our customers enjoy our warm and welcoming environment featuring comfortable gathering areas, relaxing decor, and free internet access. Our bakery-cafes routinely donate bread and baked goods to community organizations in need. Additional information is available on our website, http://www.panerabread.com.

About Children's Hospital of Boston Children's Hospital Boston, founded in 1869 as a 20-bed hospital for children, has been ranked as one of the nation's best pediatric hospitals by U.S. News & World Report for the past 21 years. Children's is the primary pediatric teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School and the largest provider of health care to Massachusetts children. In addition to 395 pediatric and adolescent inpatient beds and 228 outpatient programs, Children's houses the world's largest research enterprise based at a pediatric medical center, where its discoveries benefit both children and adults. More than 1,100 scientists, including nine members of the National Academy of Sciences, 11 members of the Institute of Medicine and nine members of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute comprise Children's research community. For more information about the hospital visit: www.childrenshospital.org/newsroom.

Media Contact:

Sarah Francomano
Vice President
Fleishman-Hillard, on behalf of Panera Bread
Sarah.Francomano@Fleishman.com
617-692-0515/781-799-1216

Source: Panera Bread

OTTAWA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 02/09/12 -- Seeking to gain market share and spark country-wide adoption of managed services, N-able Technologies®, the global leader in remote monitoring and management (RMM) automation software for managed service providers (MSPs) and IT departments, today announced a new alliance with Hartco Distribution, a subsidiary of Hartco Inc. (TSX: HCI), a market leader in Canadian information technology (IT) for more than 30 years.

As part of the new alliance, N-able will expand its reach into the Canadian marketplace and gain direct access to Hartco Distribution's network of IT solution providers, including MicroAge and Metafore locations across Canada. In exchange, Hartco affiliates will benefit from N-able's 100% IT Coverage model, innovative freemium programs and vast array of sales and marketing enablement resources to cultivate successful MSP partnerships and drive new business in 2012 and beyond. N-able's N-central® RMM platform and complementary technologies, including the popular Security ManagerAnti-spam and Backup Manager tools, will form the cornerstone of the alliance.

"With more than one million small and mid-size businesses (SMBs) -- and the majority of them not proactively managed by a RMM automation platform -- Canada represents an untapped market opportunity for MSPs," says Mike Cullen, N-able's vice president of sales. "Given their size and competitive landscape, many Canadian SMB business owners are quick to understand the business value and importance technology plays in their day-to-day operations and customer service experience -- that's a huge sales advantage for an MSP who knows how to make the business case for managed services and can offer a scalable, cost-effective IT service offering."

To help ensure the mutual success of N-able and Hartco partners, the RMM leader is also giving resellers and MSPs who purchase N-central access to its industry-renowned business transformation and technical services, as well as its team of Partner Development Specialists and field sales experts. This includes N-able's Business e-Training Essentials, Technical e-Training Essentials, Instructor-Led Product Training, Professional Services, and much more.

"Hartco is pleased to offer N-able's industry leading remote monitoring and management automation solutions to MicroAge and Metafore to accelerate the growth of their managed services practices," says Patrick Waid, Hartco's president and chief operating officer. "N-able's partner enablement, dedication to channel sales and proven technical advantages will give MicroAge and Metafore enhanced capabilities to deliver valuable managed IT services to organizations of every size across Canada."

"Hartco is poised to play a pivotal role in N-able's targeted growth within Canada," says JP Jauvin, president and chief operating officer, N-able Technologies. "We have high expectations for strong adoption of N-central within the Hartco community and look forward to helping MicroAge and Metafore build and refine their managed services businesses to ensure greater profitability, higher levels of technician productivity and improved customer service."

Canadian solution providers interested in hearing more about N-able's alliance with Hartco should email sales@n-able.com.

For more information about N-able Technologies, visit www.n-able.com.

Follow N-able on Twitter and Facebook at www.twitter.com/NableMSP and www.facebook.com/NableTechnologies.

About Hartco Inc. Hartco Inc. (TSX: HCI) has been a leader in the Canadian information technology business for more than 30 years. Through its operating divisions, which together include 50 locations across Canada, Hartco Inc. delivers information technology solutions to private and public sector organizations of every size. For more information, please visit www.hartco.com.

About N-able Technologies N-able Technologies is the global leader in remote monitoring and management automation solutions for managed service providers (MSPs) and IT departments. N-able's award-winning N-central® software and complementary toolsets are proven to reduce IT support costs, improve network performance and increase productivity through the proactive monitoring, management and optimization of IP-enabled devices and IT infrastructure. N-central features an industry-first freemium model that drives down the cost of remote management and accelerates the mass adoption of managed services. With offices in North America, the U.K., the Netherlands and Australia, N-able is 100% channel-friendly and maintains strategic partnerships with Microsoft, Intel, IBM, CA, Cisco and APC, among others.

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Press Contact:

Derik Belair
Vice President of Marketing and Business Development
N-able Technologies
Office: 613-592-6676 x304
Toll Free: 1-877-655-4689 x304 (US/Canada)
00-800-6225-3000 (outside US/Canada)
dbelair@n-able.com

Marie Rourke
Channel PR
WhiteFox Marketing (for N-able Technologies)
marie@whitefoxpr.com
Cell: 714-292-2199

Source: N-able Technologies

FT. WORTH, TX -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 02/09/12 -- Like competitors gearing up for the big day last Sunday, a team of like-minded fighters for people with severe visual disorders assembled on February 3, in Fort Worth, Texas, just two days before the great 2012 sports challenge, to rally its own players to lead the attack against visual disorders worldwide. The "2012 North American Meeting of AMD Alliance International (AMDAI) Members and Friends" gained yards against age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy, and other potentially blinding visual conditions. The goal is to improve eyesight and quality of life for millions of people and to save billions of dollars annually.

Meeting participants discussed the global economic impact of visual impairment, scientific advances that improve early detection, and models for successful outreach to all players.

"We want to thank all of those who attended this important event and hope they will be inspired to continue the fight against the devastating effects of AMD," said Hugh R. Parry, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness America and Board Chair of AMDAI. "We are encouraged by all the promising advances we're seeing in research and treatment options for AMD but there is still much more work to be done to help save sight today."

AMDAI is a collaboration of leading vision organizations from across the globe that strives to raise awareness and to support each other to overcome macular disease. The efforts of its leaders impact everyone across the globe -- people of all ages, families and caretakers, doctors, vision advocates, and governments worldwide.

AMD is the biggest cause of vision impairment in the United States and is a potentially blinding condition.

AMDAI and its North American partners have a message: Heads up. Catch vision problems early. If you already have a vision problem, don't drop the ball. Depend on your eye care team.

"I am proud to be a part of a group here in North America that is so passionate about vision loss prevention and that does so much to raise awareness of macular disease," says Narinder Sharma, CEO and president of AMDAI.

If a single move could help prevent eye disease it would be regular eye exams. Betty Ann Baker, who told her story at the meeting, is a perfect example of someone whose vision loss may have been significantly lessened by regular eye exams. Never in all her 50 plus years had Betty Ann had an eye exam. That changed in a single day when she suddenly realized that she had lost vision in one eye. She now has regular exams and monthly intraocular injections to prevent additional decline from her AMD. She and her doctors are working hard to preserve her eyesight.

According to The Global Economic Cost of Visual Impairment study from AMDAI:

• Betty Ann is among the estimated 733 million people worldwide whose vision is impaired.
• The cost of visual disorders worldwide is $3 trillion dollars.
• At the current rate of visual loss, the cost will grow by 2020 to $3.5 trillion, enough to support the economy of a nation as large as the United Kingdom.

A status report by the World Health Organization shows that visual disorders exceed respiratory disease, diarrheal disease, unipolar depressive disorder, ischemic heart disease, HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes on the impact of the quality of life. http://www.who.int/whr/2003/en/Chapter1.pdf

For more information on AMD or AMDAI, please visit amdalliance.org or e-mail info@amdalliance.org.

About AMDAI AMD Alliance International strives to bring knowledge, help and hope to individuals and families around the world affected by AMD. Our mission is accomplished through:

• Generating awareness and understanding of age-related macular degeneration;
• Promoting the importance of education, early detection, knowledge of treatment and rehabilitation options; and.
• Preserving vision and improving the quality of life of individuals affected by age-related macular degeneration.

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For more information:
Elaine Richman, Ph.D.
Richman Associates, LLC
(on behalf of AMD Alliance International)
(410) 491.8370
Email Contact

Source: AMD Alliance International