The Original Benjamin's Calabash Seafood restaurant holds an annual canned food drive each November to help local homeless shelters. For the past 10 years, the restaurant has collected over 1,000 non-perishable food items from employees and customers to donate around the holidays. With over 800 homeless individuals in the area and less than half having access to shelters, the donations are important. Employees receive rewards like "Benjamin Bucks" for their donations, and customers get $15 off their meal for contributing at least 15 items. The food drive helps tackle food insecurity in the community during the winter months.

1. Public Relations Office – 9593 North Kings Highway – Myrtle Beach, SC 29572 – (843)-449-0821
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FEATURE RELEASE
The Original Benjamin’s
Calabash Seafood
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sept. 24, 2014
Media Contact: Phone: 843-446-7539
Kylie DeBari Email: kddebari@coastal.edu
LOCAL RESTAURANT TO HOST ANNUAL GINGERBREAD COMPETITION
The Original Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood restaurant has been judging which way the cookie
crumbles for over 20 years and continues to bring in new competitors each year. Beginning each
holiday season, the restaurant opens up a gingerbread building competition to its employees and
to the public.
The contest is judged by instructors of culinary and pastry arts from Horry Georgetown
Technical College. In the past, those from the personal chef service A Difference in Dining have
also took part in the judging of the competition. Last year this included Tom Mullally, Lindsey
McInville, and Randy Rimedio.
The judges look for creativity (products used), degree of difficulty, and uniqueness. The
employee competition differs in that they may use some non-edible items, whereas those that
participate in the public competition must use all edible items. There are six categories that the
public and employees can enter in. This includes a group division, employee division, amateur,
professional, and children’s divisions. The children’s division is broken into youths ranging from
9-14 and from 15 to 19 years. A “tots” category is included for those younger than nine.
Gingerbread house kits are not allowed at this competition for anyone outside of the “tots”
division as creativity at its fullest is encouraged.
The judges may choose the best overall gingerbread house, however, customers get to choose
another winner to be the crowd favourite.
“The whole competition is called ‘Gingerbread Lane’ and anyone who wants to stop by the
restaurant can come look at everyone’s houses,” says Original Benjamin’s Bartender Porter
O’Herron, “We’ve even had a nativity scene outside with live animals and hot cocoa for guests
in the past.”
Benjamin’s creates a one of a kind spectacle during the holidays with Gingerbread Lane and
even invites local choirs to come sing on weekends. Santa even replaces the usual pirate that
greets customers as they walk in the doors.
According to Donna Robello, all participants will receive a gift certificate to Benjamin’s just for
participating in the contest. Winners from each division will also receive a cash prize and other
goodies from the restaurant.
“We’re the only place to do something like this in the entire area,” says O’Herron, “nothing
screams the holidays like gingerbread!”

2. Public Relations Office – 9593 North Kings Highway – Myrtle Beach, SC 29572 – (843)-449-0821
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FEATURE RELEASE
The Original Benjamin’s
Calabash Seafood
Porter O’Herron-----Biographical Sketch
Porter O’Herron is one of the current bartenders at The Original Benjamin’s Calabash
Seafood. However, don’t let the mysterious façade of a bartender fool you, Porter’s life has been
nothing but exciting.
Porter grew up as the granddaughter of Edward O’Herron, chairman of the Eckerd’s
drug store chain. Her family’s influence on the south still remains a great force today. Her
knowledge of Benjamin’s expands past any individual currently employed at the restaurant, due
to her childhood friendship with one of the current owners of Benjamin’s, Mamie Howard.
Prior to her career at Benjamin’s, Porter was an interior design specialist and has worked
for many design company showrooms. As a graduate of the Savannah College of Art and
Design, Porter has also designed new layouts for The Original Benjamin’s. Eventually, Porter
plans to open up her own design company.
September 24, 2014

3. Public Relations Office – 9593 North Kings Highway – Myrtle Beach, SC 29572 – (843)-449-0821
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FEATURE RELEASE
The Original Benjamin’s
Calabash Seafood
Trisha O’Connor
Director
The Athenaeum Press
166 University Blvd
Conway, SC 29526
Dear Ms. O’Connor:
At the beginning of 2014 over 800 homeless people resided within the community of Myrtle Beach.
However, less than one fourth of those individuals have access to shelters and food banks. The Original
Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood has a non-perishable food drive each year to tackle this issue. The
restaurant then distributes the food to shelters across the city and to locations where many homeless
reside.
I think the story of The Original Benjamin’s food drive would be ideal for The Athenaeum Press as it
could showcase to students what local businesses in the community are doing during the holidays while
tackling the subject of homelessness. Your recent series of Gullah: The Voice of an Island and Chasing
the Paper Canoe did a remarkable job of bringing light to a side of South Carolina that is rarely explored.
As the director of such an established news outlet, the story of a local business would naturally fit in with
such series. The back-story behind the restaurant tells the tale of a family who is constantly giving back to
the community that they serve. Their constant goodwill to not only their employees, but customers and
community alike is enough to make readers interested in the story.
We’re offering The Original Benjamin’s story exclusively to The Athenaeum Press, therefore I would
need to know as soon as possible if you’re interested. I can assure you that the owners of Benjamin’s and
all employees would gladly cooperate with any journalist or photographers that you would assign to the
story. We also can arrange any meetings with the public relations consultant for the restaurant as well.
Please let me know if I can assist in any way to help further this story along. My direct phone number is
843-446-7539.
I will call Wednesday, Oct. 1, to see if I may be of any assistance on a possible story on The Original
Benjamin’s. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Kylie DeBari
Public Relations Specialist

4. Public Relations Office – 9593 North Kings Highway – Myrtle Beach, SC 29572 – (843)-449-0821
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FEATURE RELEASE
The Original Benjamin’s
Calabash Seafood
LOCAL RESTAURANT GIVES BACK TO COMMUNITY
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.-----The Original Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood restaurant will be holding its
annual canned food drive at the beginning of November to help local shelters feed the homeless.
Benjamin’s collects over 1,000 non-perishable items each year from employees and customers alike to
help those in need of food for the holidays and has done so for the past ten years.
According to Firefighter Sheri DeBari, over 800 homeless individuals were accounted for earlier this
year. Less than one half of the homeless reported have attempted to access shelters for food due to a lack
of a plethora of permanent housing for the homeless.
The drive initially began with employees and was later extended to the public after a customer inquired
about how the community could help. If employees bring in a certain amount of non-perishables they get
“Benjamin Bucks” to use in raffles at the company Christmas party.
“Everyone here always brings in canned goods, however, I think being able to get something in return for
helping out the community is an initiative to give even more” says Benjamin’s Bartender Porter
O’Herron. Not only do employees benefit from helping the community but customers do as well. If a
customer brings in at least 15 non-perishable items, the customer gets $15 dollars off of his/her meal. This
deal only lasts till the 25th
of December.
For more information visit http://www.originalbenjamins.com/events.php
*Photos of the past years event and The Original Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood available upon request.