RICHMOND, VA, July 23, 2009— United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) and Crown Acura, Richmond are partnering to encourage organ donation. On Saturday, July 25 from noon to 4 p.m. and Sunday, July 26, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Crown Acura-Richmond and UNOS will co-host “Celebrate Life” an event to encourage people to become organ donors and raise awareness of UNOS and the importance of organ donation. Lisa Schaffner, director of public relations and marketing for UNOS and former WRIC News 8 anchor will be on hand to answer questions about organ transplantation and register people to become organ donors. Mr. Stuffee, an eight foot stuffed animal, will also be on hand to educate children on organ donation. Founded and headquartered in Richmond, UNOS administers the national Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) under contract with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Right now there are over 102,500 men, women and children in the United States awaiting a life-saving organ transplant. Up until several years ago, traffic deaths had been the largest source of organ donations but are on the decline due to increasing safety measures. On average, 18 people die every day while waiting because the organ they needed didn’t become available on time.
You can watch a video here.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for those in the metro Richmond community to learn more about organ donation and transplantation and how they can save lives,” says Schnaffner. “We are excited Crown Acura-Richmond is supporting our endeavors through “Celebrate Life”.
“We are thrilled to be working with UNOS and we think this partnership represents a great opportunity to benefit our community,” said Theodora Gianakos, general manager, Crown Acura—Richmond. For every car sold during the weekend event, Crown Acura-Richmond is donating $100 to UNOS. Gianakos adds, “For the first time in the history of automotive safety, Acura is the ONLY nameplate that simultaneously earned top IIHS (Insurance Institute of Highway Safely) and government safety ratings for every model in its vehicle line-up.”
Celebrate Life will be held at Crown Acura–Richmond, located at 8704 West Broad Street. To encourage a large turnout for this special event, people will be able to register for a number of prizes.
FACTS ABOUT UNOS
UNOS is a national non-profit organization founded and based in Richmond, Virginia 25 years ago. Its mission is to Save Lives through Transplantation. Through the UNOS Organ Center, organ donors are matched to waiting recipients 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Through its policies, UNOS ensures that all patients have a fair chance at receiving the organ they need – regardless of age, sex, race, lifestyle, religion, financial or social status. UNOS members include every transplant program, organ procurement organization and tissue typing laboratory in the United States. Policies governing the transplant community are developed by the UNOS membership through a series of regional meetings, deliberations at the national committee level and final approval by a 40 member board of directors, comprised of medical professionals, transplant recipients and donor family members
? UNOS oversees the national waiting list which currently includes more than 102,000 men, women and children in need of a life-saving organ transplant.
– 24 hours a day, 365 days a year through their vast computer system, UNOS matches donated organs from deceased donors to those on the national waiting list.
– Every transplant in this country comes through downtown Richmond—at least electronically.
– 500,000 transplants have been performed since UNOS was founded in 1984
– 80 lives saved daily
– 18 people die daily waiting for a life-saving organ
– Every 11 minutes a new patient is added to the waiting list
– A single donor can save 7 lives and enhance the lives of up to 50 additional people
– Anyone can be an organ donor
For more information, log on to www.unos.org
Crown Acura—Richmond is part of the Asbury Automotive Group (NYSE:ABG) Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. (NYSE: ABG), headquartered in Duluth, GA, is one of the largest automotive retailers in the U.S., with 2008 revenues of approximately $4.6 billion. The Acura is the first and only automotive brand on the market today to have a full line of 5-Star Crash Safety Rated vehicles. Every model in Acura’s lineup is A Top Safety Pick of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which is the highest rating the IIHS gives. Located at 8704 West Broad Street, Crown Acura—Richmond has won the prestigious Dealership of Distinction Award for five consecutive years. For more information, log on to www.crownauto.com or contact General Manager Theodora Gianakos at 804.640.5363
# # #
Media Contacts
Lisa Schaffner Pamela McElrath
Marketing & Public Relations Director Excite Marketing and Public Relations
UNOS Tel: 804.935.8725
Tel: 804.782.4630 Mobile: 804.901.2494
e-mail: [email protected] [email protected]
www.unos.org www.exciteteam.com
RICHMOND, VA, July 23, 2009— United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) and Crown Acura, Richmond are partnering to encourage organ donation. On Saturday, July 25 from noon to 4 p.m. and Sunday, July 26, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Crown Acura-Richmond and UNOS will co-host “Celebrate Life” an event to encourage people to become organ donors and raise awareness of UNOS and the importance of organ donation. Lisa Schaffner, director of public relations and marketing for UNOS and former WRIC News 8 anchor will be on hand to answer questions about organ transplantation and register people to become organ donors. Mr. Stuffee, an eight foot stuffed animal, will also be on hand to educate children on organ donation. Founded and headquartered in Richmond, UNOS administers the national Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) under contract with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Right now there are over 102,500 men, women and children in the United States awaiting a life-saving organ transplant. Up until several years ago, traffic deaths had been the largest source of organ donations but are on the decline due to increasing safety measures. On average, 18 people die every day while waiting because the organ they needed didn’t become available on time.
You can watch a video here.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for those in the metro Richmond community to learn more about organ donation and transplantation and how they can save lives,” says Schnaffner. “We are excited Crown Acura-Richmond is supporting our endeavors through “Celebrate Life”.
“We are thrilled to be working with UNOS and we think this partnership represents a great opportunity to benefit our community,” said Theodora Gianakos, general manager, Crown Acura—Richmond. For every car sold during the weekend event, Crown Acura-Richmond is donating $100 to UNOS. Gianakos adds, “For the first time in the history of automotive safety, Acura is the ONLY nameplate that simultaneously earned top IIHS (Insurance Institute of Highway Safely) and government safety ratings for every model in its vehicle line-up.”
Celebrate Life will be held at Crown Acura–Richmond, located at 8704 West Broad Street. To encourage a large turnout for this special event, people will be able to register for a number of prizes.
FACTS ABOUT UNOS
UNOS is a national non-profit organization founded and based in Richmond, Virginia 25 years ago. Its mission is to Save Lives through Transplantation. Through the UNOS Organ Center, organ donors are matched to waiting recipients 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Through its policies, UNOS ensures that all patients have a fair chance at receiving the organ they need – regardless of age, sex, race, lifestyle, religion, financial or social status. UNOS members include every transplant program, organ procurement organization and tissue typing laboratory in the United States. Policies governing the transplant community are developed by the UNOS membership through a series of regional meetings, deliberations at the national committee level and final approval by a 40 member board of directors, comprised of medical professionals, transplant recipients and donor family members
? UNOS oversees the national waiting list which currently includes more than 102,000 men, women and children in need of a life-saving organ transplant.
– 24 hours a day, 365 days a year through their vast computer system, UNOS matches donated organs from deceased donors to those on the national waiting list.
– Every transplant in this country comes through downtown Richmond—at least electronically.
– 500,000 transplants have been performed since UNOS was founded in 1984
– 80 lives saved daily
– 18 people die daily waiting for a life-saving organ
– Every 11 minutes a new patient is added to the waiting list
– A single donor can save 7 lives and enhance the lives of up to 50 additional people
– Anyone can be an organ donor
For more information, log on to www.unos.org
Crown Acura—Richmond is part of the Asbury Automotive Group (NYSE:ABG) Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. (NYSE: ABG), headquartered in Duluth, GA, is one of the largest automotive retailers in the U.S., with 2008 revenues of approximately $4.6 billion. The Acura is the first and only automotive brand on the market today to have a full line of 5-Star Crash Safety Rated vehicles. Every model in Acura’s lineup is A Top Safety Pick of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which is the highest rating the IIHS gives. Located at 8704 West Broad Street, Crown Acura—Richmond has won the prestigious Dealership of Distinction Award for five consecutive years. For more information, log on to www.crownauto.com or contact General Manager Theodora Gianakos at 804.640.5363
# # #
Media Contacts
Lisa Schaffner Pamela McElrath
Marketing & Public Relations Director Excite Marketing and Public Relations
UNOS Tel: 804.935.8725
Tel: 804.782.4630 Mobile: 804.901.2494
e-mail: [email protected] [email protected]
www.unos.org www.exciteteam.com