Airline Whisks Do-Gooders Cross Country to Sold Out Festival
WARREN, N.J., and SAN FRANCISCO, July 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Virgin
America, the domestic airline that is reinventing air travel, is
teaming up with Virgin Mobile USA to take the Virgin Mobile
FreeFest movement from coast to coast - literally. Fresh off the
heels of Virgin Mobile USA's announcement that 35,000 Virgin Mobile
FreeFest tickets were scooped up by fans, Virgin America announced
today that it will donate use of an entire plane, dubbed the
FreeFest Express, to bring more West Coast do-gooders from Los
Angeles to Washington D.C. to attend the festival - for free. The
companies are teaming up to give people another chance to earn
their way to FreeFest by donating time to homeless youth
organizations. (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090123/VIRGINAMERICALOGO)
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090202/NY65560LOGO-b)
"Virgin America is all about giving travelers more for less - even
in today's climate," said Porter Gale, Vice President of Marketing
at Virgin America. "We couldn't be more pleased to partner with
Virgin Mobile USA to give West Coast do-gooders the chance to fly
for free - and in high style. We think FreeFest Express guests will
have a musical and memorable trip en route to the festival event of
the summer." In keeping with the spirit of the festival and the
Virgin brand, fans who donate their time to do volunteer work for
Stand Up For Kids, a homeless youth outreach organization in Los
Angeles and San Diego, will be eligible to win a free round trip
flight on Virgin America's FreeFest Express from Los Angeles (LAX)
to Washington D.C. (Dulles) on August 29-31, plus a two-night hotel
stay and VIP tickets to the hottest concert of the summer. To find
out how to volunteer and sign up for a chance to win a seat on the
flight or to learn more visit: virginmobilefreefestival.com. Virgin
Mobile FreeFest will feature Weezer, Blink-182, Public Enemy, Franz
Ferdinand and a dozen more acts on Sunday, August 30th at
Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Md. "Free rings - and rings
loudly," said Ron Faris, Senior Director of Brand Marketing and
Innovation, Virgin Mobile USA. "We're so happy to see our partners
step up and offer fans from the West Coast an opportunity to take
part in this momentous occasion." Several other companies, led by
Virgin Mobile FreeFest premier sponsor Kyocera, have also been
inspired by the FreeFest Movement and are treating fans to some
surprising and unusual "Freebies": -- Kyocera is giving away
assorted prizes, including free Kyocera cell phones. A few lucky
fans will also walk away with free lifetime cell phone service from
Virgin Mobile USA. The prizes will be awarded in the festival's
Kyocera Lucky Layoff Lounge, an area open to everyone but offering
special privileges to those who provide proof of unemployment. --
Megabus will donate use of a fleet of free WiFi buses, departing
from points in Boston, New York and Philadelphia. Again, eligible
fans can volunteer their time to homelessness youth shelters for a
chance to earn tickets. -- Converse will be giving away scores of
free Chucks sneakers and sunglasses at the festival. Converse will
also host the Punk Your Chucks Design Contest, in which fans who
submit designs for Chucks will be eligible to win free a year's
worth (12 pairs) of free Chucks. -- Sony Computer Entertainment
America will be giving away free content downloads from the
PlayStation Network to anyone who brings their PlayStation Portable
system to FreeFest. Scores of PlayStation Portable system
entertainment bundles will also be given away to those riding the
FreeFest Express plane from LA and the Megabus Express as well as
fans in the Kyocera Lucky Layoff Lounge. -- Gibson Guitars will be
giving away free "Flying V" electric guitars to lucky winners in
the Kyocera Lucky Layoff Lounge. -- Toyota, official vehicle
sponsor of Virgin Mobile FreeFest, will offer free Prius "test
drives" for fans who choose to shuttle themselves between stages at
the event. "Kyocera has been the Festival's premiere sponsor in
each of its four years because Virgin Mobile consistently delivers
incredible bands and performances without losing sight of things
like the environment and social responsibility," said Tom Maguire,
head of global marketing at Kyocera Communications Inc. "We share
Virgin Mobile's goal of using FreeFest to make a long-term
difference in the community and lending a hand to those in need
during these challenging times." "What we consistently find is that
there just aren't enough services available for homeless youth in
the Los Angeles area," said Judy Ranan, Executive Director for
Stand Up For Kids, Los Angeles. "We are all volunteers and we are
simply trying to bridge that gap. The assistance from Virgin Mobile
FreeFest couldn't come at a better time." Stand Up For Kids, Los
Angeles provides outreach in the Venice Beach and Hollywood areas.
On average, Stand Up For Kids volunteers provide about 100 kids per
week in the LA area with food and hygiene packs referrals for youth
shelters as well as mental health and drug rehabilitation services.
Virgin Mobile USA, the wireless company and creator of one of the
largest and most critically acclaimed music festivals in the U.S.,
gave away 35,000 FreeFest tickets - in just minutes - so loyal fans
could enjoy Virgin Mobile FreeFest. Last week, the company
announced another way to get into the show: people who volunteer
through "The Re*Generation Free I.P." program have a chance to
score a VIP ticket. Virgin Mobile USA is also encouraging people,
regardless of wireless carrier, to text "FREEFEST" to 20222, to
make a $5 donation(1) which will go to select youth homeless
centers through The RE*Generation program, Virgin Mobile USA's
initiative to help homeless youth. More than two million young
people will experience homelessness in the U.S. this year, much of
it due to domestic violence, abuse or neglect. Virgin America is
the first airline to offer in-flight internet service on every
flight and hosts the largest in-flight entertainment library in the
domestic skies via its touch-screen Red(TM) seatback system. Virgin
America offers over 100 flights a day and flies to San Francisco,
Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., Seattle, Las Vegas, San
Diego, Boston and Orange County. The airline offers daily flights
from: SFO to LAX, SFO to JFK, SFO to SAN, SFO to IAD, SFO to LAS,
LAX to JFK, LAX to IAD, SFO to SEA, SEA to LAX, JFK to LAS, BOS to
LAX, BOS to SFO and SFO to SNA. Virgin America has flown more than
4.5 million guests since its inaugural flights in August 2007 and
now counts over 925,000 Elevate loyalty program members. EDITORS
NOTE: Virgin America is a U.S. controlled and operated airline and
an entirely separate company from Virgin Atlantic. Sir Richard
Branson's Virgin Group is a minority share investor in Virgin
America. About Virgin Mobile USA: Virgin Mobile USA, Inc.
(NYSE:VM), through its operating company Virgin Mobile USA, L.P.,
offers its millions of customers control, flexibility and choice
through Virgin Mobile's Plans Without Annual Contracts, with
coverage powered by the Nationwide Sprint Network. Virgin Mobile
USA also offers unlimited all-in contract plans with advanced
devices like the Ocean 2. More than 90% of its customers report
satisfaction. Virgin Mobile USA service recently announced its Pink
Slip Protection program*, which provides eligible monthly plan
customers who lose their jobs and become eligible for state
unemployment benefits free service for up to three months(2). Its
full slate of smart, stylish and affordable handsets are available
at approximately 40,000 top retailers nationwide and online at
http://www.virginmobileusa.com/, with Top-Up cards available at
almost 150,000 locations. About Virgin America: Headquartered in
California and launched in August 2007, Virgin America is one of
the fastest growing start-up U.S. airlines of all time and
currently employs over 1400 people. Virgin America offers guests
attractive fares and a host of innovative features aimed at
reinventing air travel. The airline's base of operations is San
Francisco International Airport's ultra-modern International
Terminal. The airline's new aircraft offer interactive in-flight
entertainment systems and power outlets near every seat for
electronic gear. Virgin America now offers in-flight internet
service on every flight and hosts the largest in-flight
entertainment library in the domestic skies via its touch-screen
Red(TM) seatback system. In addition to a 25-film library including
Oscar winners, foreign language films and Hollywood blockbusters,
Red features live TV, videogames, seat-to-seat chat, 3,000 MP3s,
music videos, interactive Google maps and more. In just over a year
flying, Virgin America was named "Best Domestic Airline" in the
Conde Nast Traveler 2008 Readers' Choice Awards and "Best Domestic
Airline" in Travel + Leisure 2008 and 2009 World's Best Awards. For
more: http://www.virginamerica.com/ About Kyocera Communications
Inc.: Kyocera Communications Inc. (KCI) is the sales, marketing,
customer engineering and service headquarters for Kyocera- and
Sanyo-branded wireless products and accessories in the Americas.
The company's devices are driving the convergence of
telecommunications, broadband and multimedia. KCI was formed in
April 2009 through the combination of Kyocera Wireless Corp. and
Kyocera Sanyo Telecommunications Inc., two wholly owned
subsidiaries of Kyocera International Inc. The former was created
when Kyocera purchased QUALCOMM Incorporated's consumer wireless
phone business in 2000, while the latter was formed when Kyocera
purchased the wireless phone business of Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
in 2008. Based in San Diego, KCI leverages Japan's history of
creating advanced consumer technologies around humanism and respect
for the environment and blending them with a Western
entrepreneurialism and style, resulting in a unique design language
and a natural, user-friendly interface. For more information,
please visit http://www.kyocera-wireless.com/. Kyocera Corporation
(NYSE:KYO) (TOKYO:6971) (http://global.kyocera.com/), the parent
and global headquarters of the Kyocera Group, was founded in 1959
as a producer of fine ceramics (also known as "advanced ceramics").
By combining these engineered materials with metals and plastics,
and integrating them with other technologies, Kyocera has become a
leading supplier of telecommunications equipment, office-document
imaging equipment, solar power generating systems, semiconductor
packages, electronic components, cutting tools and industrial
ceramics. During the year ended March 31, 2009, the company's net
sales totaled 1.13 trillion yen (approximately US $11.5 billion).
Kyocera marks its 50th anniversary in 2009, and the 40th
anniversary of its U.S. operations. It is ranked #418 on Forbes
magazine's 2009 "Global 2000" listing of the world's largest
publicly traded companies. About I.M.P.: Formed in 1980, I.M.P. is
a Bethesda, MD-based concert promoter and event production company.
In addition to launching Virgin Mobile Festival in the U.S., the
principals at I.M.P. own Washington, D.C.'s award-winning 9:30
Club,http://www.930.com/, renowned as the premier place to see and
hear cutting-edge live music of all varieties. I.M.P. also programs
and operates Merriweather Post
Pavilion,http://www.merriweathermusic.com/, in Columbia, MD. Over
the last 29 years, I.M.P. and the 9:30 Club have put on nearly
10,000 events, hosting millions of music fans. About Stand Up For
Kids: The mission of Stand Up For Kids is to help homeless and
street kids. This mission is to be carried out by a national
volunteer force whose on-the-streets outreach efforts will find,
stabilize, and assist homeless and street kids in their efforts to
improve their lives. The organization's mission will also be
furthered through deterrence and resource programs provided in
school and via the internet. All facets of this mission will be
guided by the mandate that our volunteers shall tell kids they care
about them and then, at every turn, prove it.
http://www.standupforkids.org/. About Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.,
Inc. Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing,
sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and
Scion. Established in 1957, TMS markets products and services
through a network of more than 1,400 Toyota, Lexus and Scion
dealers. Toyota directly employs more than 34,000 people in the
U.S. and sold more than 2.2 million vehicles in 2008. For more
information about Toyota, visit http://www.toyota.com/,
http://www.lexus.com/, http://www.scion.com/ or
http://www.toyotanewsroom.com/. 1. About Txt2Donate: Standard
messaging rates apply to all messages sent and received in
connection with Txt2Donate. All charges will be applied to
individual's wireless carrier account. Donations are collected by
Virgin Unite by the Mobile Giving Foundation for the benefit of The
RE*Generation and are subject to the terms found at
http://www.hmgf.org/t. Virgin Unite will deduct $0.50 of the
donation to cover administrative costs and the rest will benefit
The RE*Generation. 2. Subject to certain terms and conditions
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090202/NY65560LOGO-b
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090123/VIRGINAMERICALOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Virgin America CONTACT:
Corinne Nosal of Virgin Mobile USA, +1-908-607-4235, ; or Abby
Lunardini of Virgin America, +1-650-533-7576, ; or Audrey Fix
Schaefer of Schaefer + Co. for I.M.P., +1-301-947-1133, ; or John
Chier of Kyocera Communications Inc., +1-858-882-3543, ; or Judy
Ranan of Stand Up for Kids Los Angeles, +1-310-291-3996, Web Site:
http://www.virginamerica.com/ http://www.virginmobileusa.com/
http://www.kyocera-wireless.com/
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