Syrcause, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/18/2011 -- Subway® restaurants (http://www.subway.com) has announced that Jared Fogle, known popularly as “the Subway® Guy” in a series of commercials for the franchise, will serve as the keynote speaker for the 2011 Syracuse Start! Heart Walk, part of the American Heart Association’s national initiative to encourage people to walk and lead healthy lifestyles. This year’s Start! Heart Walk is scheduled for Saturday, April 16 from 7 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Long Branch Park, located at 3813 Long Branch Road in Liverpool, N.Y.

Designed to promote physical activity and heart-healthy living while raising funds to save lives from the country’s number one and number three killers, heart disease and stroke, the Start! Heart Walk movement is nationally sponsored by Subway® restaurants, the world’s largest QSR franchise. The Syracuse Start! Heart Walk coincides with Customer Appreciation Day in the greater Syracuse area, also on April 16. Participating Subway® restaurants will offer the “Buy Any FOOTLONG™ Sub and Get One Free” special all day to show appreciation to loyal customers by offering its newest special during the final days of tax season.

QUOTES:
“The American Heart Association’s Start! Heart Walk movement is a much-needed and beneficial initiative to encourage people across the country to get up and get moving to improve their health,” said Fogle. “This year, more than 1 million walkers will participate in nearly 350 events nationwide, and I am proud and honored to serve as the keynote speaker for and participate in the Syracuse event.”

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DETAILS:
- Fogle was a 425-lb. freshman at Indiana University when he lost 245 pounds within a year in part by eating Subway sandwiches rather than junk food as well as exercising. He has established the Jared Foundation to help educate children, parents and caregivers about the importance of a balanced diet and regular physical exercise. For more information on the Jared Foundation, visit http://www.jaredfoundation.org.

About Subway® Restaurant
The Subway® restaurant chain is the world’s largest QSR franchise, with more than 33,000 locations in 92 countries. Headquartered in Milford, Conn., and with regional offices in Amsterdam, Beirut, Brisbane, Miami and Singapore, the SUBWAY® chain was co-founded by Fred DeLuca and Dr. Peter Buck in 1965. The SUBWAY® brand was ranked the number one Franchise Opportunity and the number one Global Franchise in the 2010 edition of Entrepreneur magazine's “Annual Franchise 500®” survey, an honor that the SUBWAY® chain has received 17 times in the past 23 years. For more information about the Subway® restaurant chain and its sustainability efforts, please visit http://www.subway.com and http://www.subwayfreshbuzz.com. Subway® is a registered trademark of Doctor’s Associates Inc.