Contact: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Butter Buds Foodservice, a division of Cumberland Packing Corp., has named Fayette County Public Schools the first recipient of the Allen C. Buhler “Making Healthy Happen” Award.

This award was created to acknowledge food service organizations that take a leadership role in developing nutritionally balanced menus. It also pays tribute to the man who developed the all- natural Butter Buds product line and founded Butter Buds Food Ingredients. Mr. Buhler passed away earlier this year.

“Allen Buhler would have been proud to see this award being given to Fayette County Public Schools,” said Jim Dodge, director of sales for Butter Buds. “Their food service department is among the nation’s best in setting and adhering to high nutrition standards for the children they serve.”

The trophy and a $1,000 gift will be presented July 11 to FCPS Child Nutrition director Michelle Coker and coordinator Marty Flynn at the School Nutrition Association’s annual conference in Nashville.

“It’s an honor to receive this first award of its kind from Butter Buds Foodservice, a company that has helped us to achieve our goals of producing flavorful food that fits within our guidelines, especially when it comes to limiting the amount of fat, calories and cholesterol,” Coker said.

Coker was named the 2010 “Outstanding Dietitian of the Year” by the Kentucky Dietetic Association, and Flynn was the Kentucky School Nutrition Association’s 2010 “Administrator of the Year.” Together, they help to develop nutritious menus for the state’s second-largest school district.