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George Foreman visits Naples to support healthy fast food restaurant
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U Food Grill
1201 Piper Boulevard, #11, Naples, Fl
Two-time world heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman’s success comes from healthy living.
Foreman, spokesman for UFood, visited UFood Grill -- the first healthy fast food restaurant franchise -- in North Naples on Friday.
“The foundation of any kind of living is a healthy diet,” said Foreman, 59.
Hundreds of Southwest Florida fans got a chance to meet the boxing champ -- at 45, the oldest man ever to win the heavyweight title -- from around 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday at UFood Grill, 1201 Piper Blvd., in the Piper’s Crossing Shopping Center in North Naples.
“We’ve been fans for a long, long time,” East Naples seasonal resident Nancy Canalonga, 59, told Foreman as she shook his hand and gave him a small poster to autograph. “You are a wonderful guy and role model.”
Foreman smiled.
Around noon, a line of about a dozen fans wrapped around the entrance of the 2,000-square-foot fast food restaurant, with a seating capacity of 32 people inside. Sitting at a corner table autographing photos and posters of himself, Foreman smiled when pictures were taken with him.
Foreman also is well-known to many people for his popular grilling machines.
And that is exactly what North Naples resident Francis Ruger, 18, got autographed by the athlete.
“It’s awesome,” Ruger said after meeting Foreman and getting his blue grill machine autographed. Ruger said he tries to eat healthy and uses a Foreman grill often.
Many of the fans, including Canalonga and Ruger, also enjoyed lunch at the restaurant.
Foreman said one could trust UFood Grill for healthy eating.
UFood Grill estimated it had 400 customers throughout the day while Foreman was present.
Everything at UFood Grill is either baked, grilled or steamed, with no added trans fat, owner Mark Messina said.
That’s why their french fries aren’t fried, but baked.
UFood Grill, formally Low Fat Know Fat, was developed 10 years ago by brothers Mark Messina and Steve Messina in Watertown, Mass.
Today, it’s a 10-unit chain and growing. It offers a variety of healthy choices, including burgers, wraps, sandwiches, Ubowls and salads, with prices ranging from $3.99 for a burger to $11.99 for sirloin tips.
Among fans waiting in line were North Naples residents Domenic Lucarelli, 43, his cousin, Dominick Lagravinese, 59, and Lagravinese’s son, Frankie, 10.
Lucarelli, who watches ESPN classic fights every night, took his work lunch break to meet the champ.
Apart from meeting fans, Foreman was scheduled to be flipping burgers at the grill.
“If you are going to turn another chapter in your life, start by eating right,” Foreman said, noting that exercise also is important for healthy living.
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Just another dumb restaurant! Enough already!
#1 Posted by boone1 on February 22, 2008 at 11:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The "Champ" knows how to make a dollar. This is a man that came back from a defeat that would have sunk most men into the next world. To win the world boxing title at 45 years of age and without steroids is one of the great stories of this generation. Foreman would make a great president, he knows who the crooks are and how to handle them.
#2 Posted by rainbowchaser on February 23, 2008 at 1:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Jubk the grill-that's a good one...say what?
#3 Posted by The_Brooks on February 23, 2008 at 3:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Who?!?!??!
#4 Posted by techie on February 23, 2008 at 3:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Techie = idiot.
Boone = you type the same thing on every article.
twstrus = right... burgers = satan = toliet.
I'll take a black & blue burger while you're at it....
#5 Posted by jim09091 on February 24, 2008 at 3:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
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