LONG BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 16, 2006--On June 17 and 18, more than 200 Vons employees, friends and family will volunteer their time as part of the Company's commitment as Gold Medal Sponsor and Official Food Supplier of the 2006 Special Olympics Southern California Summer Games. This is Vons 20th consecutive year as Official Food Supplier.

As official Food Supplier, Vons will host a VIP reception on Friday, June 16, at 4:30 p.m. at the site of this year's Games, Cal State University, Long Beach. More than 500 guests, including celebrity supporters of the Special Olympics, Vons dignitaries and local city officials, will be on hand to kick off the games at the Opening Ceremonies.

In addition to the VIP reception, Vons will supply lunches for more than 11,000 Special Olympic athletes, coaches and the thousands of support staff that make the Games a success. This monumental task requires more than 200 employee volunteers, arriving at 5 a.m. to face 1,500 lb. of turkey, 1,500 lb. of ham, mountains of chips, drinks and energy bars. Vons and Pavilions employee volunteers come from nearby cities; others travel to the Games from as far as Fresno, Big Bear, San Diego, Palm Springs and the Imperial Valley.

According to Tom Keller, president of Vons, "Sharing the Special Olympic experience with fellow employees has become an annual tradition for members of the Vons family. For one weekend in June, they meet to renew friendships, make acquaintances, and to prepare lunches for thousands of mentally retarded people who participate in the Southern California Special Olympics Summer Games."

Special Olympics Southern California is celebrating 100 years of serving nearly children and adults with mental retardation in an eleven-county region of southern California. The program offers sports training and competition in 21 individual and team sports on a year-round basis. Athletes range in age from eight to eighty. SOSC is one of 52 accredited Special Olympics entities operating in the United States.

Vons is also celebrating 100 years of service in the community this year. Vons has been a major sponsor of the Summer Games as Official Food Supplier since 1986. Vons is a division of Safeway Inc., the second largest food and drug retailer in North America based on sales. Safeway operates 1,497 stores in the United States and Canada, with 325 stores under the Vons and Pavilions banner.

MEDIA ARE INVITED TO ATTEND THE VIP RECEPTION

WHEN: Friday, June 16, 2006

TIME: 4:30 p.m.

LOCATION: Cal State University, Long Beach --
Adjacent to the Carpenter Performing Arts Center

WHO: Celebrity Supporters, City Officials, Vons Officials

Copyright Business Wire 2006

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