Master Sergeant Alfonso S. of Walker Valley is Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins' Grand Prize-Winning

Inspired by the heroic "Super-Soldiers" in Marvel Studios' Captain America: The First Avenger, Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, with support from the USO (United Service Organizations), launched a co-branded contest to identify and honor America's real Super-Soldiers, the unsung heroes whose service has had a significant impact in local communities throughout our country. Today, Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins officially announced that Alfonso S. of Walker Valley, N.Y. is the grand prize winning Super-Soldier.  Selected from more than 1,000 official entries, he wins a cash prize of $5,000, a new high-definition television, a new Blu-Ray DVD player and a selection of DVD movies in which Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins products are featured.

Alfonso S. was nominated by his daughter-in-law, Lisa R., of Rosendale, New York, who will also win a $1,000 cash prize and a $100 Dunkin' Donuts Card. According to Lisa's entry, "Alfonso the Great," he served during WWII, Korea and the Vietnam conflict, in both the Army and Air Force, retiring with the rank of Master Sergeant. He returned several times to Vietnam after the conflict to help villagers that were supportive of him while he was deployed there, and he fulfilled his promise to a Vietnamese priest to supply the church with a new bell after theirs was destroyed. After returning from Vietnam, Alfonso worked tirelessly to ensure that Vietnam veterans were acknowledged and treated with respect and dignity, writing the Vietnam Veteran's Day Act, which was enacted in 1976.

In addition to the Grand Prize winner, eight other First Prize winners were chosen for their unsung heroism. Both the First Prize winners and their nominators will each receive a $100 Dunkin' Donuts Card to congratulate and recognize them for their inspirational stories.

"America's Super-Soldiers" was part of a summer partnership between Dunkin' Brands and Marvel Studios to bring the excitement of Captain America: The First Avenger to Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins restaurants nationwide. The national search for "America's Super-Soldiers" contest ran from June 27 through July 15, 2011. Fans visited Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins' official Facebook pages to nominate an active or veteran serviceperson who they believe makes a difference in their hometown and/or communities in which they serve. Winners were chosen based on four pieces of criteria including originality and quality of answers (25%), adherence to the Super-Soldiers contest theme (25%), nominee's leadership (25%) and nominee's commitment to making a difference (25%).

"We are proud to recognize America's unsung heroes who give selflessly to make such a difference to so many people, and honored we can show our appreciation for Super-Soldiers like Alfonso and all of service men and women who were nominated in our Super-Soldiers contest for their commitment to our country and to serving others," said John Costello, Chief Global Marketing and Innovation Officer at Dunkin' Brands.  

Dunkin' Donuts has a long history of honoring America's service men and women, and has donated more than 175,000 pounds of coffee to troops deployed overseas since May 2003.  The company holds a monthly drawing to randomly select at least 50 United States military members to receive one case of Dunkin' Donuts coffee.  During the holiday season, Dunkin' Brands' corporate employees also send additional pounds of coffee to the troops.


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