/R E P E A T -- PIZZA NOVA giving back at home and abroad/

TORONTO , Nov. 13 /CNW/ - At an award ceremony in Toronto , PIZZA NOVA presented its "Rising Star Scholarship" to seven aspiring Variety Village athletic students in hopes that the support will help to make their journey to success just a little bit easier.

This scholarship represents an additional component to Pizza Nova's annual 'That's Amore Pizza for Kids' event that has raised over $700,000 for Variety, supporting the on-going efforts of this fantastic facility, its incredible programs and inspiring athletes.

While throughout the month of October, Pizza Nova customers additionally raised funds for the UNICEF Schools for Africa program, through the purchase of Pizza Nova pizzas to build a clean water source for an entire school in Rwanda , Africa .

"Giving back to the community that supports us has always been of the utmost priority for as at Pizza Nova" says Stephanie Angelone , Vice President Sales and Marketing. "But it is also our duty as fortunate Ontarians to support those international communities who can't even fathom the idea of picking up the phone and ordering a pizza for dinner."

Those Variety Village athletes receiving scholarships this year include:

Evan Lymer, a 13 year old weightlifter who competed at the Ontario Juniors and The Winterlift Competition where he placed bronze and gold.

Rachel Cohen , a determined swimmer looking to reach her goal to attend provincials in no time!

Hayden Keleher , an eclectic soul who recently beat his personal best swim by 3 minutes and 22 seconds in the 50 backstroke.

Raesean Gilkes-Baskette, a determined 8 year old working hard toward his black belt career in Taekwondo.

Kirsten Vergara , a 13 year old star of the Variety Village Track Team ranked top three in the province.

Alex Zator, a wheelchair basketball player well on his way to achieving his dream to be among those selected to represent Ontario at the Canada Games in 2011 in Halifax .

Nicole Flynn , a member of the Variety Village Synchro Club for the past 9 years and has been involved in both Provincial Level and National Level competition as a soloist, duet and team member. Nicole has been to competitions all over Canada , including Regionals, Provincials, Divisionals and Nationals.

Congratulations to these incredible and inspirational athletes.

ABOUT PIZZA NOVA

Founded in 1963, Toronto-based Pizza Nova is a family-operated business with over 110 locations in Southern Ontario, lauded for their community involvement. Specializing in fresh toppings, Pizza Nova serves over 4 million pizzas annually and offers a wide range of menu items including salads, lasagne, panzerotti, toasted sandwiches, chicken wings and their famous baby back ribs. Pizza Nova locations offer delivery, pickup and some sit-down service. Visit pizzanova.com and follow PizzaNovaGuy on Twitter.

ABOUT VARIETY VILLAGE

Variety - The Children's Charity is a world-renowned sports training and fitness centre focusing on implementing projects and programs that make a difference in the lives of children with special needs. Dedicated to promoting inclusive sports and recreational programs for children across Ontario, Variety assists children of all abilities to recognize their own potential, experience what is possible, and develop the skills to achieve their goals.

ABOUT UNICEF

UNICEF has saved the lives of more children than any other humanitarian organization in the world and is the driving force that helps to build a world where the rights of every child are realized. UNICEF possesses the global authority to influence decision-makers, and the variety of partners at grassroots level to turn the most innovative ideas into reality. Visit www.unicef.org.

For further information: Stephanie Angelone, Pizza Nova, [phone], [email protected]