CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Big South Conference is teaming up with corporate partner Hardee's® to administer a special basketball fundraiser and military appreciation initiative to celebrate and honor America's veterans around this year's Presidents Day holiday.

Together, the Big South and Hardee's will each donate $5 to the Patriot Foundation for every field goal made during five designated games played on Sunday, Feb. 18, in conjunction with each Big South member's own military appreciation activities during that time.  The donations will benefit the Patriot Foundation's mission to provide scholarship grants to the children of soldiers that have been killed, wounded, and injured since 9/11.

Below are the five designated military appreciation games involved in the initiative on Feb. 18:

·         Gardner-Webb at High Point

·         Liberty at Campbell

·         Longwood at Winthrop

·         Presbyterian at Radford

·         UNC Asheville at Charleston Southern

With contributions from partners like the Big South Conference and Hardee's, the Patriot Foundation has donated more than $4.5 million toward educational services to assist families of soldiers killed, wounded, injured, and seriously ill since 9/11.

"Hardee's is proud to partner with the Big South Conference to support our military," stated Jerry Allsbrook, chief marketing officer for Boddie-Noell Enterprise, the largest Hardee's franchisee in the United States.  "Hardee's customers have supported the Patriot Foundation for many years and this joint initiative will provide another opportunity for us to support military families who have sacrificed so much for our country."

"The Big South Conference is honored to partner with Hardee's to support the Patriot Foundation and our nation's heroes and their families," added Big South Conference Commissioner Kyle Kallander.  "We are so grateful for Hardee's generous contribution, and for their ongoing support of Big South student-athletes.  Big South institutions take great pride in recognizing the armed forces through their military appreciation days, so we are thrilled that the Patriot Foundation can benefit from these events."

ABOUT THE PATRIOT FOUNDATION (www.patriotfoundation.com)

The Patriot Foundation provides much needed college scholarship funding (with over $4,000,000 through CY16) for children of wounded, injured, or killed Army Airborne and Special Operations soldiers from Fort Bragg, North Carolina and Fort Campbell, Kentucky; as well as other selected warriors. Additionally, the foundation provides child funding to the spouses of fallen and disabled soldiers who need to obtain additional job training and development.

ABOUT CKE RESTAURANTS HOLDINGS, INC.

CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc. ("CKE") is a privately held company headquartered in Franklin, Tenn. CKE is not a franchisor and conducts substantially all of its restaurant activities and operations through its subsidiaries. Carl's Jr. Restaurants LLC and Hardee's Restaurants LLC own, operate and franchise the Carl's Jr., Hardee's, Green Burrito® and Red Burrito® concepts. Carl's Jr. and Hardee's operate as one brand under two names, acknowledging the rich regional heritage of both banners. After recent international openings in Chile, Cambodia and Kenya, Carl's Jr. Restaurants LLC and Hardee's Restaurants LLC now have over 3,800 franchised or company-operated restaurants in 44 states and 43 foreign countries and U.S. territories. Known for its one-of-a-kind premium menu items such as 100 percent Black Angus Thickburgers®, Made from Scratch™ Biscuits and Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders™, as well as an award-winning marketing approach, the Carl's Jr./Hardee's brand continues to deliver substantial and consistent growth in the U.S. and overseas. The Carl's Jr./Hardee's system is now 94 percent franchised, with international restaurants representing 21 percent of the system. For more information about CKE, please visitwww.ckr.com or its brand sites at www.carlsjr.com and www.hardees.com

WHAT'S THE BIG SOUTH?

Founded in 1983, the Big South Conference is an exemplary leader in college athletics, dedicated to developing student-athletes through the pursuit of excellence in the classroom, community and field of play.  The league's growing presence as an NCAA Division I athletic conference is made evident by its multitude of athletic accomplishments, innovative marketing and media partnerships, increased television packages and most importantly, its commitment to fostering the academic, personal, social, athletic and leadership development of its student-athletes.  Currently comprised of 10 member institutions (Campbell University, Charleston Southern University, Gardner-Webb University, High Point University, Liberty University, Longwood University, Presbyterian College, Radford University, UNC Asheville and Winthrop University, plus football members Kennesaw State University, Monmouth University and the University of North Alabama, and future members Hampton University and USC Upstate) sharing a common geographic region and similar academic values and purposes, the Big South's remarkable history of achievement is characterized by the league's 19 championship sports and the profound academic and life successes of its nearly 3,500 student-athletes. The Big South Conference: Where Winners Are Made.