Super Bowl XXVI - MVP Mark Rypien Dishes Out Goodwill for Special Pizza Party
at Fisher Houses(TM) in DC
PHOTO OPPORTUNITY & MEDIA ALERT
WHAT:
Heartwarming Veteran's Day Story - Wounded Warriors and their families get
welcomed visit from Redskin Super Bowl MVP and hundreds of pizzas.
WHEN:
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
10:45-11:30 AM Photo Opportunity and Interviews
WHERE:
Fisher House III - on the grounds of Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Entrance
on 16th Street, NW.
MEDIA ACCESS AND CLEARANCE (RSVP) A MUST:
Notify Lisa DiGangi by 5pm Monday, November 9 to ensure entry at (301)
294-8560 or LDiGangi@fisherhouse.org. Include full names of representatives,
affiliation, and for any vehicles, the year, make, model, color, and license
plate information.
MORE INFO: Former Redskin and Super Bowl XXVI MVP Mark Rypien will join Uno
Chicago Grill® CEO and Vietnam Veteran Frank Guidara, and Mark Evans, founder
of Pizzas 4 Patriots, to deliver pizzas and goodwill to residents of the three
Fisher Houses(TM) that support members of the military and their families
located at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Rypien and Guidara will join
Evans to announce the launch of Operation Pizza Surge - Super Bowl, to deliver
thousands of pizzas to our troops to enjoy on Super Bowl Sunday.
UNO® is a proud supporter of the nonprofit Fisher House Foundation and the
U.S. Military. Pizzas 4 Patriots, a non-profit organization, Uno® and DHL
dished out 28,000 deep-dish pizzas to U.S. troops stationed in Iraq and
Afghanistan in time for the July 4 Independence Day celebration. They are now
gearing up for a similar effort to provide pizzas to our troops for Super Bowl
Sunday.
The group delivered pizzas to VA hospitals last year for Veterans Day, and
believes that in addition to supporting our troops overseas, we must never
forget those wounded warriors who are now home and in need of our care and
support. Evans, a retired Master Sergeant with 26 years of service Air Force
regular and reserve, has personally delivered pizzas to these heroes. "When
you look into the eyes of the active duty soldiers and veterans who receive
this gift, it makes you grateful for the sacrifices they have made for our
country," said Evans.
"It is an honor to support the Fisher House Foundation and the families
currently residing in the three Fisher Houses at Walter Reed Army Medical
Center," said Guidara. "We're glad to visit with those who have served our
country and their families to share pizza and goodwill in honor of Veterans
Day and to include them in our mission to support their comrades in arms."
Because members of the military and their families are stationed worldwide and
must often travel great distances for specialized medical care, Fisher House
Foundation donates "comfort homes," built on the grounds of major military and
VA medical centers that allow family members to be close to a loved one at the
most stressful times. There are three Fisher Houses located at Walter Reed
Army Medical Center, currently hosting 27 families.
INTERVIEW/PHOTO OPS:
Rypien will be on hand to serve pizzas, sign autographs and take photos with
the service members and their families residing at the DC-based Fisher Houses.
On hand for interviews and comment will be Pizzas 4 Patriots founder Mark
Evans, UNO® CEO Frank Guidara, himself a Vietnam Army Veteran, Jim Weiskopf,
Executive Vice President, Communications, Fisher House Foundation, and David
M. Griffith, Colonel, U.S. Army, Director, Freedom Team Salute.
About Pizzas 4 Patriots:
Pizzas 4 Patriots (P4P) is a non-profit organization with the mission of
making a positive difference in the lives of service men and women. P4P
proudly supports those patriots presently serving, as well as wounded
Veterans. It is the organization's goal to provide the Armed Forces with
unique gifts from home. P4P has been fortunate to receive donations, ranging
from financial contributions to products and services, from individuals,
families, corporations, and other organizations, all wishing to show
appreciation for the sacrifice of our brave troops. P4P's goal is to bring a
little slice of home to the troops and show them that they are supported by
their fellow countrymen who enjoy the freedoms they provide for us. For more
information on P4P, please visit: www.Pizzas4Patriots.com.
About UNO:
Based in Boston, Uno Restaurant Holdings Corporation includes 200
company-owned and franchised full-service Uno Chicago Grill units located in
28 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, South Korea, the United Arab
Emirates, Honduras, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The company also operates a fast
casual concept called Uno Due Go®, a quick serve concept called Uno Express®,
and a consumer foods division which supplies airlines, movie theaters, hotels,
airports, travel plazas, schools and supermarkets with both frozen and
refrigerated private-label foods and branded UNO products. For more
information, visit www.unos.com.
About Fisher House:
Fisher House Foundation is best known for the network of 43 comfort homes on
the grounds of major military and VA medical centers. The houses are 5,000 to
16,800 square foot homes, with up to 21 suites, donated to the military and
Department of Veterans Affairs by Fisher House Foundation. The Foundation
provides support to families of patients receiving care at the nearby medical
center and has ensured that families of service men and women wounded or
injured in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom do not pay
for their stay at a Fisher House or other base facility if they are on a wait
list. For more information on the work of Fisher House Foundation, go to
www.fisherhouse.org, or call toll-free (888) 294-8560.
Contact: Ann Subervi
Utopia Communications
(732) 542-9100 x114
Mobile: (908) 433-7821
ann@utopiacommunications.biz
Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click
appropriate link.
Frank Guidara
https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=79705
/PRNewswire -- Nov. 5/
SOURCE UNO
