PIGEON FORGE, TN (Tuesday, February 7, 2005) – The not-for-profit American Eagle Foundation (AEF) announced today that its newly created Eagle Mountain Natural Spring Water brand will be sold in all 90 Food City supermarkets, owned and operated by K-VA-T Food Stores, Inc., beginning February 7, 2005.

The source of this certified natural spring water is the Nantahala National Forest in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.  The water will be bottled, marketed and distributed by Misty Mountain Spring Water Company of Abingdon, Virginia, also owned and operated by K-VA-T Food Stores, Inc.

“We appreciate Misty Mountain and Food City working with us to make this special brand of natural spring water available to the general public,” said AEF, President Al Cecere.  “This is just one more way we can proudly promote environmentally friendly products and the cause of protecting our nation’s majestic Bald Eagles.”

Initially, the selling of this spring water at retail will be $5 for two six pack bottles.  A royalty from each sale will benefit the not-for-profit eagle preservation group, which is headquartered in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

“The clear quality and healthy nature of this pristine water product is a perfect match for the noble cause it helps support,” said Steven C. Smith, Food City’s President and Chief Executive Officer.  “We’re happy to be involved in a project that will care for and increase the population of our magnificent national bird.”

Headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia, K-VA-T Food Stores operates 90 retail supermarkets throughout the tri-state regions of Southeast Kentucky, Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee.  Originally, a Piggly Wiggly franchise with three stores, K-VA-T was founded in 1955.  It has continued to expand through acquisitions, new store locations, expansions and added services, including 53 Food City Pharmacies and 38 Gas ‘N Go fuel stations.  Mid-Mountain Foods, Inc., home of Misty Mountain’s bottling facilities serves as K-VA-T’s warehousing and distribution center. 

The non-profit American Eagle Foundation (www.eagles.org) is federally licensed to provide care to more than 70 birds of prey daily, including approximately 35 bald and golden eagles.  These birds are non-releasable due to permanent physical disabilities or accidental “imprinting” on humans.  Many of the “non releasable” eagles residing at the AEF’s Pigeon Forge facility have successfully reproduced while in captivity.  The organization operates the world’s largest Bald Eagle breeding facility and public exhibit, which has released dozens of captive-hatched eaglets into the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains and other areas.  The AEF also has been a party to releasing hundreds of other eaglets into the wilds of Tennessee in cooperation with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.  In addition, it supports and conducts numerous public education and eagle recovery and protection projects in various states.

For more information, contact AEF President, Al Cecere at 865-429-0157 (office), 865-256-0372 (cellular) or savetheeagle@aol.com (e-mail)

To download a photo of the Eagle Mountain Spring Water bottle from a “jpg” file (200 dpi - 6 inches tall), please visit the following URL : http://www.nestingeagles.com/water/

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