Richmond, VA (June 16, 2009) - The Fight SMA 2009 Annual Spinal Muscular Atrophy Conference, The Good Fight, featured many firsts.  One of the most important to SMA families was the first-ever webcast of the “Friends and Family” portion of the conference.  Now, Fight SMA is announcing that the video from that webcast is available for online viewing and download.

Founded in 1991 in Richmond, Virginia, Fight SMA is an international non-profit organization dedicated to finding a treatment or cure for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), the leading inherited killer of children under two.  The neuromuscular disease affects the victim’s motor neurons, causing muscle atrophy, loss of strength, and disability.  The majority of children who are born with SMA die prematurely due to respiratory complications.

“We were thrilled with the success of our first conference webcast, and we’re very excited to be able to make this video available,” said Fight SMA President Martha Slay.  “Families facing SMA need all of the information they can get about research, and the scientists who attended our conference are some of the best in the world.”

The video features the “Basic Science Update”, one of two panel discussions during the Families and Friends Conference.  Fight SMA Science Director Dr. Chris Lorson from the University of Missouri in Columbia led the discussion.  He presented the most current information available about the search for an SMA cure.

To view and download the video, please visit the 2009 Spinal Muscular Atrophy Conference page on the Fight SMA website.  The page can be accessed via a link on the front page of the Fight SMA site, or via this link: http://www.fightsma.org/index.php?annual_meeting_2009 .

About Fight SMA
Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, Fight SMA (also known as Andrew’s Buddies) is an international nonprofit group dedicated to accelerating research for a treatment or a cure for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a neuromuscular disorder that kills more babies than any other genetic disease.  For more information on spinal muscular atrophy and Fight SMA, please visit http://www.fightsma.org.  The latest SMA news and research information is available at the Spinal Muscular Atrophy Blog, at http://www.fightsma/blog.

Richmond, Virginia (May 19, 2009) - College athletics are more competitive than ever, which means athletes need to stand out from the crowd. On Saturday, May 30, 2009, Acceleration Richmond will hold several events to help athletes and their parents learn how to do just that.

First, middle and high school football players are invited to the Central Virginia Football Combine at 10:00 a.m. at St. Catherine’s School Lower Fields. For a minimal cost of $50, students can fine-tune their skills in the following areas: 40-yard dash, Pro-Agility, L-Drill, Vertical Jump, Broad Jump, and 185lb Bench Press* (high school only).

Acceleration Richmond will award 10 of these athletes with a “Golden Pass” to participate in a Football University (FBU) mini-camp. This will occur at Acceleration Richmond’s Open House and will feature a Free Football Recruiting Seminar presented by Rivals.com. Every participant in an FBU mini-camp will be exposed to Acceleration Richmond’s specialized football training program- from pre-camp assessment of gait, stability, strength and power, through mini-camp experiences that will enhance every athlete’s speed, power, agility and playmaking skills, to a sit-down, post-camp evaluation with each player and his parents.

The Acceleration Richmond Open House will take place following the combine at 1:00 p.m. at the Acceleration Richmond facility - 1501 Maple Avenue, Suite 100. Athletes and their parents will get advice from professionals and learn the following information:

· What It Takes To Elevate Your Game to the Next Level
· Every Aspect of the Recruiting Process
· How to Obtain a College Scholarship
· How to Receive Maximum College Exposure
· How to Move to the Top of Recruiters’ Target Lists

The Open House and College Recruiting Seminar are free of charge and are must-attend events for athletes who are looking to gain a competitive edge. It is not necessary to participate in the combine to attend.

About Acceleration Richmond
Acceleration Richmond is the area’s premier athlete training center and fitness facility, specializing in the one-of-a-kind Athletic Republic sports training programs. The specially educated trainers and staff are committed to helping clients achieve their athletic and fitness performance goals. Acceleration Richmond operates in the Sheltering Arms outpatient clinic on Maple Avenue. For more information, contact (804) 545-FAST, or visit www.accelerationrichmond.com.

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Richmond, Virginia (May 18, 2009) – It’s possible to learn new things, even at the age of 120 years old! Sheltering Arms, Central Virginia’s premier physical therapy healthcare provider, announced that it’s launching a new social media strategy. The Richmond-based non-profit organization, which was founded in 1889, will use a variety of social media techniques to better provide information to its patients.

Social media techniques will provide patients and potential patients a number of new ways to connect with and learn about Sheltering Arms. Working to develop and carry out the new social media strategy is Metro Richmond-based Social Media PR firm EndGame Public Relations.

“In my view, a social media strategy is essential for any business, because you simply can’t reach your audience solely through the traditional media anymore” said EndGame PR President Steve Mullen. “I’m thrilled Sheltering Arms is entering the world of social media, and I’m thrilled to be working with them.”

Sheltering Arms has already launched a new YouTube channel, where videos from the organization can easily be found. Also in place is the new Sheltering Arms Facebook Fan Page, which can be found at. Next steps include creating a blog and a podcast. Future steps may include a Sheltering Arms presence on Twitter.

EndGame PR has partnered with Sheltering Arms on a variety of traditional public relations projects, beginning in the fall of 2007. Previous projects primarily involved strategic media relations.

About Sheltering Arms
Sheltering Arms helps patients find the Power to Overcome the obstacles of illness and injury with a complete range of physical rehabilitation and wellness services. To learn more about Sheltering Arms’ two hospitals and seven outpatient clinics, visit www.ShelteringArms.com, or call 1-877-56-REHAB.

About EndGame Public Relations, LLC
EndGame Public Relations, LLC is a Social Media PR firm based in Richmond, Virginia that works to promote clients through a mix of traditional and new tactics, including media relations, crisis communications, social media strategy, blogging, web design, and corporate podcasts and web videos. For more information on EndGame PR, please visit http://www.endgamepr.com/.

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May 14, 2009 (St. Louis, MO) - It’s not unusual for companies to conduct research to find out what potential customers “think” of a new product or corporate brand. But, until recently, it wasn’t easy to find out what those potential customers are truly “feeling”. A St. Louis-based consumer research firm, experiEmotive® analytics, or EMA, has developed a new research technique that reveals specific feelings that people have toward brands, especially feelings that are hidden.

EMA’s technique, which company founder and CEO (Chief Emotive Officer) Paul Conner has dubbed “Emotional Profiling”, is different than traditional research techniques such as focus groups, telephone surveys, and online surveys.  Emotional Profiling not only captures emotions that people are aware of and willing to share (their “explicit” emotions), but it also reveals emotions that people are not aware of or are unwilling to share (their “implicit” emotions).

“Our technique is adapted from implicit approaches used in cognitive and social psychology to expose prejudices that people can’t consciously feel or aren’t willing to admit,” explains Conner. “We apply these approaches to brands to help marketers see important emotional connections that they may not otherwise know about.”

EMA’s technique assesses not just positive or negative feelings in general, but specific feelings that impact purchase decisions, such as security, excitement, and relaxation.

“Marketers immediately see the value of this, because even though emotions like security, excitement, and relaxation are all positive, marketing to security is certainly different than marketing to excitement or even relaxation,” said Conner. “We help marketers find important specific emotional connections.”

In the past year, EMA has completed two studies that demonstrate the value of its Emotional Profiling technique, particularly its implicit assessment feature.

The first study explored the Emotional Profiles of two battery brands. In this study, people explicitly said they felt more skeptical about the preferred brand vs. the non-preferred brand, and equally playful, disgusted, and worried about the two. These explicit results, which were inconsistent with brand preference, confused marketers regarding what to do. However, people implicitly showed they felt more playful and less disgusted, worried, and skeptical toward the preferred brand. These implicit results, which were consistent with brand preference, suggested that marketers leverage playfulness.

The second study explored the Emotional Profile of a well-known electronics brand. In this study, respondents who preferred the brand more, felt more implicitly, but not explicitly, cared for by it. This result, which would not have been revealed without the implicit data, suggested that marketers prioritize efforts to make people feel cared for by the brand.

The Emotional Profiling technique requires a quantitative phase that provides the metrics portraying the brands’ Emotional Profiles. EMA also offers (and recommends) a qualitative phase that reveals what triggers the key emotions found in the quantitative Emotional Profiles. Essentially, the qualitative phase tells marketers what to do to activate the desired emotions.

About experiEmotive® analytics
Founded in 2004, experiEmotive® analytics (EMA) is a consumer research company devoted to assessing the emotional dynamics of consumer behavior. Based on established research in neuroscience and psychology that shows emotions drive people’s behavior, EMA uses a variety of techniques to assess consumers’ emotions and help companies develop more emotionally engaging marketing and operations for their brands, products, services, advertising, and customer service, and more. For more information, please visit the experiEmotive® analytics website or call 314.752.0564.

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Additional information about experiEmotive® analytics:
Capabilities Presentation (Flash)
2009 webinar about Implicit Emotional Assessment

This release also posted at:
BusinessWire: Consumer Research Firm Pioneers Technique to Reveal Hidden Brand Emotions
PRLog: Technique to Reveal Hidden Brand Emotions Pioneered by Consumer Research Firm
OnlinePRNews: Consumer Research Firm Pioneers Technique to Reveal Hidden Brand Emotions
PitchEngine: Consumer Research Company Develops Technique to Reveal Hidden Brand Emotions

(Richmond, VA) – The 2009 version of “The Good Fight”, Fight SMA’s Annual Spinal Muscular Atrophy Conference, wrapped up on Tuesday, April 28, and it was another successful year!  Here are a few of the highlights:

• 20 researchers and two additional graduate students from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) were in attendance.

• Three of the attending scientists joined five additional doctors and healthcare professionals in an educational panel for attendees of the “Families and Friends Conference.”  This year’s panelists were Thomas Crawford, M.D., Tina Duong, MPT, Craig P. Eberson, M.D., Sally Evans, M.D., Sarah Feasel, MEd, RD, LD, CNSC, Mary Schroth, M.D., Kathy Swoboda, M.D., and Alex MacKenzie, M.D., Ph.D.

• On April 28, many of the families, friends and researchers descended on Capitol Hill to advocate for Spinal Muscular Atrophy and the SMA Treatment Acceleration Act, visiting the offices of more than 65 Congressional Representatives.  After a productive day, the SMA community was thrilled to learn that HR 2149, the SMA Treatment Acceleration Act, had been re-introduced in the House of Representatives.  FightSMA thanks all of our families, friends and researchers for kicking off the 2009 advocacy efforts in a big way.

• For the first year, Fight SMA offered a webinar of the Families and Friends panels.  The webinar was a success, with 30 participants from 13 U.S. states and a total of four countries.  Those who utilized the webinar said the experience was great!

Fight SMA is thankful for the contributions of everyone who made this conference a success, and for its sponsors, who made it possible: PTC Therapeutics, Genzyme, Hill-Rom Company, ISIS Pharmaceuticals, Psychogenics, Permobil, The Medi-Kid Co., and Exceptional Parent Magazine.  A special “thank you” goes to Hill-Rom Company and Genzyme, which not only sponsored the event, but also sent representatives to attend the Families and Friends Conference!

About Fight SMA
FightSMA is a 501c3 nonprofit corporation, organized in 1991 to strategically accelerate research for a treatment and a cure for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the leading genetic cause of infant death.  For more information, please visit www.fightsma.org.

(Richmond, VA) - Traveling with a sick child is always difficult, even when the trip in question involves learning more about the child’s illness.  That difficulty has only been amplified by the current state of the economy.  For that reason, Fight SMA is providing a free live webcast of two seminars from this year’s Family and Friends Annual Spinal Muscular Atrophy Conference in Washington D.C.

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is the leading genetic killer of children under two.  Fight SMA is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a treatment or cure for this killer.

The Families and Friends Conference, which is part of the annual families and researchers conference called “The Good Fight”, allows families the opportunity to meet and learn from prominent scientists who are researching SMA.  It will be held at the L’Enfant Plaza Hotel on April 27 and 28, 2009.  The webcast will allow those not attending the event to view the two seminars on April 27: the Basic Science Update (5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET) and the Thriving with SMA Panel (6:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. ET).

A limited number of spaces are available for the webcast on a first come, first serve basis. If you would like to take advantage of this opportunity and sign up for one of the spaces, please email Heather Lennon by April 23rd.

For more information on the conference, please visit the Fight SMA website.  To reserve your webcast reservation, please email Heather Lennon.

About Fight SMA
FightSMA is a 501c3 nonprofit corporation, organized in 1991 to strategically accelerate research for a treatment and a cure for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the leading genetic cause of infant death.  For more information, please visit www.fightsma.org.

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This release also available on these sites:
PRLog: Spinal Muscular Atrophy Nonprofit FightSMA Offers Free Webcast of Annual SMA Conference
PitchEngine: Spinal Muscular Atrophy Nonprofit FightSMA Offers Free Webcast of Annual SMA Conference
1888PressRelease: Spinal Muscular Atrophy Nonprofit FightSMA Offers Free Webcast of Annual SMA Conference
24-7 Press Release (coming soon)

Sheltering Arms Marks its 120th Anniversary by Looking Back and Looking Forward

(Richmond, Virginia) - Despite being a city full of history, there are few institutions that are as much a part of the fabric of Richmond, Virginia area as Sheltering Arms.  This year, the non-profit born in the post-Civil War Reconstruction era turns 120 years old and is looking forward to its future while looking back at its rich history.

Longtime residents of Metro Richmond know that Sheltering Arms is not only a premier physical rehabilitation healthcare provider, but was also the first acute care hospital in the city founded with a mission of treating all patients regardless of ability to pay.

When Sheltering Arms first opened its doors in February of 1889, no one realized that it would become the tradition that it is today.  The organization began as the vision of a young woman named Rebekah Peterkin. Moved by the suffering of those around her, Ms. Peterkin made it her mission to help working families in Richmond.  Local physicians and nurses gave of their time to see patients at the fledgling hospital, and an executive Board of women devoted their hearts and their time to keeping it running. They sought funds and supplies from those who could spare them and even made the hospital’s first blankets by sewing newspapers inside cotton covers.

In 1894, Sheltering Arms moved to Clay Street, and this institution of caring was firmly established. Over the years, thousands of people who could not afford to be sick were nursed back to health at Sheltering Arms.

Over time, it became obvious that the mission of Sheltering Arms was being filled by other organizations, but an unmet need still remained.  In January of 1981, Sheltering Arms became the first private freestanding physical rehabilitation hospital in Virginia, and since then has been helping patients find the Power to Overcome the obstacles they face due to illness or injury.

“Sheltering Arms has a proud history of serving the people of Central Virginia, and while we help them in a very different way now than we did decades ago, our mission of improving lives has never changed,” said Sheltering Arms President Jim Sok.

With these goals always at the forefront, Sheltering Arms is renewing its commitment to offering the best care to meet the rehabilitative needs of Central Virginia.  The organization pairs leading-edge therapies with the compassionate hard work of its therapists to create the most comprehensive and extensive network of rehabilitation care in Central Virginia.  Today, Sheltering Arms is made up of two hospitals, day rehab programs, outpatient physician and therapy clinics, day recreation, support groups, and fitness and pool memberships and classes.

Images from Sheltering Arms’ history are available for use in media stories.  Links to two such images can be found below, with additional images available on request.

• An 1890 picture of the sign in front of the original Sheltering Arms building: http://tinyurl.com/8d358j
• Sheltering Arms nurses assist with a patient in 1890: http://tinyurl.com/74cacb
• Two nurses stand in front of Sheltering Arms’ Clay Street building in 1940: http://tinyurl.com/7k4h26
• Sheltering Arms receives a large donation during its annual fundraising drive in 1960: http://tinyurl.com/7uol8u

Members of the media who would like to arrange an interview with Sheltering Arms about its history or future should call the contact listed at the top of this release.

About Sheltering Arms
Sheltering Arms helps patients find the Power to Overcome the obstacles of illness and injury with a complete range of physical rehabilitation and wellness services.  To learn more about Sheltering Arms’ two hospitals and seven outpatient clinics, visit www.ShelteringArms.com, or call 1-877-56-REHAB.

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(Toronto, Ontario) - Pointing to the economy as one reason, the owner of the premier site on the web for new, sample, and used designer wedding dresses is announcing a record-setting third quarter. PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com, which connects buyers to sellers of high quality dresses, broke its own record for traffic, dresses listed, and gowns sold.

Site owner Josie Daga launched PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com in 2004 after she tried unsuccessfully to sell her dress by existing methods. The web site connects buyers to sellers of new, sample and used designer wedding dresses. Ms. Daga says she believes the current economic climate is an obvious contributor to the increases.

“In any economic conditions, buying a pre-owned wedding gown makes good sense. In this current economy, it makes incredibly good sense,” says Daga. She also credits the site’s wide selection of gowns as well as its advanced search features for the rise in sales.

PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com has seen steady growth since its inception, and has had a record year overall this year. In the Q3 2008, the site posted its highest quarterly results to date:

• Q3 2008 site traffic increased 201% over the same period in 2007
• Q3 2008 dresses listed increased 210% over the same period in 2007
• Q3 2008 dresses sold increased 226% over the same period in 2007

PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com currently features over 1400 new, sample and used designer wedding dresses for sale.

About PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com
Founded in 2004 by Josie Daga after she unsuccessfully tried to sell her wedding dress via existing methods, PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com is the premier destination for buyers and sellers of new, sample and used designer wedding dresses. For more information, please visit http://www.preownedweddingdresses.com.

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Richmond, Virginia (October 29, 2008) - EndGame Public Relations President Steve Mullen announced today that Central Virginia’s largest trade organization, the Richmond Association of Realtors (RAR), has retained his firm for podcast production and web design services.

BizPodz Productions, the business podcast production service from EndGame PR, will produce TREScast, an audio podcast of seminars from RAR’s The Real Estate School (TRES). TRES provides training for REALTORS® and Real Estate Brokers. RAR will also utilize EndGame PR’s web design and consultation service for a redesign of the TRES website and RAR’s RealtorStoreOnline.com.

“I’m very excited about this partnership,” said Mullen. “These projects will help TRES not only spread the word to RAR’s thousands of members about their offerings, but also will help those members to learn on their own schedule. The realtors will be able to use the seminar podcasts to learn while in their car, while exercising, or any other place where listing to audio is possible.”

Work on the projects has already begun.  To listen to episode #1 of TREScast, click the right-facing arrow below!

Subscribe to this podcast via RSS

About EndGame Public Relations, LLC
EndGame Public Relations, LLC is a full service PR firm based in Richmond, Virginia that works to promote clients through a mix of strategic media relations, PR for search engine optimization (SEO PR), and production of social media such as blogs and podcasts. For more information on EndGame PR, please visit http://www.endgamepr.com/.

About BizPodz Productions
With more than 15 years of communications experience behind it, BizPodz (a service of Richmond, Virginia-based PR firm EndGame Public Relations, LLC) helps businesses, nonprofits, and government entities market and brand themselves through podcasting. With systems in place for local and non-local clients, BizPodz assists with not only the actual audio production, but also development of show concepts and formats, promotion, and even “nuts and bolts” such as hosting and online presentation. For more information, please visit http://www.endgamepr.com/podcasts/.

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Richmond, Virginia (October 28, 2008) - EndGame Public Relations President Steve Mullen announced today that PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com, a website that connects buyers and sellers of new, sample and used designer wedding dresses, has retained his firm to provide SEO PR services.

The campaign will use public relations tactics to solidify the Toronto, Ontario-based website’s already strong search rankings. EndGame PR will utilize online news release distribution, blogger relations, traditional media relations, and other strategies.

“Our goal is to not only spread the word about this great way to save money on designer wedding gowns, but also do it in a way that will help our new client strengthen its online visibility,” said Mullen.

Work on the campaign begins immediately.

About EndGame Public Relations, LLC
EndGame Public Relations, LLC is a full service PR firm based in Richmond, Virginia that works to promote clients through a mix of strategic media relations, PR for search engine optimization (SEO PR), and production of social media such as blogs and podcasts. Founded in 2006, EndGame PR is based near Richmond, Virginia. For more information, please visit http://www.endgamepr.com/.

About PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com
Founded in 2004 by Josie Daga after she unsuccessfully tried to sell her wedding dress via existing methods, PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com is the premier destination for buyers and sellers of new, sample and used designer wedding dresses. The web site currently features more than 1400 designer wedding dresses for sale. For more information, please visit http://www.preownedweddingdresses.com.

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This release can also be viewed at:

PRLog: Premier Bridal Attire Web Site Retains EndGame PR
I-Newswire: Premier Bridal Attire Web Site Retains EndGame PR

Richmond, Virginia (September 16, 2008) - Sheltering Arms, Central Virginia’s premier physical rehabilitation provider, announced today that it has been named as one of the 100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare.  Sheltering Arms is the only Virginia physical rehabilitation facility included on the list, and is the only healthcare provider of any kind from the Richmond area to be given the honor.  Modern Healthcare, one of the leading online and print sources of healthcare business news, compiled the national list.  The list recognizes workplaces in healthcare that enable employees to perform at their optimum level to provide patients and customers with the best possible care and services.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled at receiving this honor,” said Sheltering Arms CEO Jim Sok.  “We’ve always known that Sheltering Arms provides an exemplary environment in which our employees do remarkable things.  We are proud of all our employees and their work in helping patients find the power to overcome setbacks that result from injuries and illness”

To determine the workplaces included, Modern Healthcare entered into a partnership with the Best Companies Group, a Harrisburg, Pa.-based firm that conducts regional “best places to work” programs across the country.

“Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to Work in Healthcare identifies and recognizes healthcare organizations that have successfully built workplace excellence and enabled employees to perform at their optimal level,” said Fawn Lopez, Publisher of Modern Healthcare.  “By sharing the best practices and innovations in the workplace settings, we hope to enable others to develop progressive human resources strategies critical to creating and sustaining the best healthcare system for patients,”

The full list of 100 organizations honored is available on the Modern Healthcare website, at http://modernhealthcare.com/article/20080908/VIDEO/809059976. Modern Healthcare will reveal the specific ranking of the 100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare in a special supplement to be published October 27, 2008. The supplement also will recognize the top places to work by industry segment and by number of employees, and will profile some of the recipients.  A gala will be held to honor this year’s winners on Wednesday, October 29 at the InterContinental Chicago.

About Sheltering Arms
Sheltering Arms helps patients find the Power to Overcome the obstacles of illness and injury with a complete range of physical rehabilitation and wellness services.  To learn more about Sheltering Arms’ two hospitals and seven outpatient clinics, visit www.ShelteringArms.com, or call 1-877-56-REHAB.

About Modern Healthcare
Modern Healthcare is the industry’s most trusted, credible and relied-upon news source. Modern Healthcare examines the most pressing healthcare issues and provides executives with the information they need to make the most informed business decisions and lead their organizations to success. It’s for this reason Modern Healthcare is deemed a “must-read publication” by the who’s who in healthcare. In addition to our weekly magazine, we provide executives with the most up-to-date and valuable information through our website, ModernHealthcare.com; two daily e-newsletters, Daily Dose and Health IT Strategist; and breaking news email service, Modern Healthcare Alert. We also provide news and information for physician executives via our sister publication, Modern Physician; website, ModernPhysician.com, and breaking news email service, Modern Physician Alert.

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Richmond, Virginia (September 09, 2008) - William and Mary graduate and Bridgewater, Virginia native Josh Sundquist knows a lot about “the power to overcome”. At the age of nine, he lost one of his legs to a form of bone cancer. Now, at the age of 24, he’s been a member of the U.S. Paralympic Ski Team and is an author, motivational speaker, and the founder of an online community for amputees. Sundquist will use his own brand of inspiration through humor to tell his story at the 2008 Celebration of the Power to Overcome fundraising gala, organized by Sheltering Arms.

The gala, to be held on Tuesday, September 23 from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at the Jefferson Hotel, is just one of the events from Sheltering Arms during this year’s National Rehabilitation Awareness Week, which runs from September 21-27. The week highlights the contributions made by rehabilitation medicine as well as patients working to overcome physical disability. Governor Tim Kaine declared Virginia’s participation by issuing a proclamation earlier this year.

“National Rehabilitation Awareness Week is our opportunity to honor the patients striving to recover from debilitating injury or illness, as well as the therapists who help them achieve their goals,” said Sheltering Arms president and CEO James E. Sok.

On average, Sheltering Arms works with more than 1,350 patients and employs more than 150 therapists at its nine facilities in Metro Richmond.

Sundquist will provide the keynote address during the Celebration of the Power to Overcome gala. His story has been featured on CNN and in the USA Today, Washington Post, Richmond Times-Dispatch, and elsewhere. The evening’s mistress of ceremonies will be former Richmond news anchor Lisa LaFata. On the guest list are numerous community and public leaders who support Virginians with physical disabilities and the services that help them.

The gala is a fundraiser for Club REC, a Sheltering Arms program dedicated to helping victims of stroke, spinal cord injury, and traumatic brain injury maximize quality of life following therapy. The proceeds will subsidize Sheltering Arms’ commitment to deliver services to all those in need, regardless of ability to pay

Other events organized for this year’s National Rehabilitation Awareness Week by Sheltering Arms include multiple seminars for local healthcare professionals about advancements in rehabilitation techniques, and the 16th annual Different Strokes Golf Extravaganza. The event, which is for golfers and non-golfers alike, will include food, music, games for kids, a golf clinic, and a nine-hole golf tournament pairing disabled and non-disabled golfers. There will also be a trick golf exhibition by nationally known golf celebrity Dennis Walters, who became disabled 34 years ago as the result of a golf cart accident. Registration for the golf tournament is $45, and includes green fees, a cart, water, dinner, and awards. All other activities at this event are absolutely free!

For ticket information for the Celebration of the Power to Overcome gala, or for more information about the Different Strokes Golf Extravaganza, please call 764-5275.

About Sheltering Arms
Sheltering Arms helps patients find the Power to Overcome the obstacles of illness and injury with a complete range of physical rehabilitation and wellness services. To learn more about Sheltering Arms’ two hospitals and seven outpatient clinics, visit www.ShelteringArms.com, or call 1-877-56-REHAB.

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Richmond, Virginia (September 3, 2008) - Dave Tindall wants you to have a “clean” moving day, and he has the means to make it happen! Mr. Tindall is the new co-owner of the Richmond franchise of moving and storage firm Two Guys and a Truck®. He’s also the owner of Maid to Perfection® of Richmond, a residential and commercial cleaning service.

The franchise is the latest sold by the Sterling, Virginia-based Two Guys and a Truck, and is co-owned by Mr. Tindall and longtime Two Guys and a Truck employee Kim Wyatt. The Richmond operation was previously company owned. Two Guys and a Truck is currently selling additional franchises across Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.

“We’re very excited by Dave and Kim purchasing our Richmond franchise,” said Two Guys and a Truck CEO David Underwood. “Their partnership is a perfect mix of business acumen and moving experience.”

Mr. Tindall, who lives in Short Pump, has owned the local Maid to Perfection franchise for more than four years. Previous to becoming an entrepreneur, he worked as a comptroller for Smurfit Stone and a manager at MeadeWestvaco. He holds an MBA from UNC Chapel Hill and an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from Syracuse University. He’s a longtime member of both the Innsbrook Rotary Club and St. Michael’s Catholic Church.

“I’m looking forward to the synergy created by not only owning a moving business, but also a cleaning service,” said Mr. Tindall. “While I want to grow these two businesses separately, I realize that there are a number of ways they can work together and benefit from each other.”

Mr. Tindall’s partner, Kim Wyatt, is a veteran of the industry. He has been in the moving and storage business for 25 years, working for Two Guys and a Truck for the last six years. Most recently, he managed the Richmond office.

The franchise’s offices and storage facility is located at 2210 Magnolia Street, near the intersection of Mechanicsville Turnpike and Interstate 64. For more information on their services, please call (804) 644-2770.

About Two Guys and a Truck
Two Guys and a Truck® is a successful, professional, full-service moving company located within the Washington, DC metropolitan area. They currently are awarding franchise territories within the Maryland, Virginia, and DC areas. Two Guys and a Truck® has been a pioneer and an acknowledged leader in the moving and storage business, specializing in local, national and international relocation and storage since 1987. For more information on the company and franchise opportunities, please visit www.twoguysandatruck.com or call (703) 657-1406.

*This is a press release only, and not an offer for sale of a franchise.

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This release also found at:
PRLog: Veteran Business Owner Partners in the Purchase of Two Guys and a Truck Franchise
24-7 Press Release: Richmond, Virginia Franchise Owner Hopes to “Clean Up” Your Moving Day

(Richmond, Virginia) - Golfers and non-golfers alike are gearing up for a day of fun and education at the Crossings Golf Club in Glen Allen on September 21, 2008. The 16th Annual Different Strokes Golf Extravaganza is just one of the several activities planned by Sheltering Arms for National Rehabilitation Awareness Week 2008.

The event, which starts at noon with a free lunch, will include a nine-hole golf tournament for physically challenged and non-disabled golfers, but will also feature a variety of activities for those who don’t wish to play golf:

• The Dennis Walters Show: Host of his own program on the Golf Channel, Dennis Walters will entertain the crowds from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. with his unique mix of humor, amazing trick golf shots, and the story of how he turned the story of his disability into a 30-year career of inspiring others. Learn more about Mr. Walters at www.denniswalters.com.
• Free Golf Clinics: Sheltering Arms and LPGA Women’s Golf Professional of the Year, Janet Phillips, will hold a series of clinics for golfers of all skill levels. Clinic topics will include the short game, full swing, and putting. Clinic space is available on a first come, first served basis
• Other Non-Golf Activities: Non-golfers will also enjoy a performance by local musician Susan Greenbaum, free chair massages, demonstrations of therapeutic horseback riding, and activities and games for the kids.

The “captain’s choice” golf tournament begins at 2:30 p.m. with a shotgun start. Registration begins at noon. Each team will include three non-disabled golfers and one physically challenged golfer. While participants are encouraged to organize their own team, individuals and groups with fewer than four golfers can be organized into foursomes.

“We wanted to create a day that was not only educational, but also fun,” said Sheltering Arms President Jim Sok. “This event is not a fundraiser for Sheltering Arms, because we didn’t want to distract from our message that everyone has the power to overcome disabilities.”

Registration for the golf tournament is $45, and includes green fees, a cart, water, dinner, and awards. All other activities during the Different Strokes Golf Extravaganza are absolutely free!

For more information, please call 764-5275.

Also planned during National Rehabilitation Awareness Week are seminars for local medical professionals and the “A Celebration of the Power to Overcome,” a gala fundraising event to be held at The Jefferson Hotel on September 23rd.

About Sheltering Arms
Sheltering Arms helps patients find the Power to Overcome the obstacles of illness and injury with a complete range of physical rehabilitation and wellness services. To learn more about Sheltering Arms’ two hospitals and seven outpatient clinics, visit www.ShelteringArms.com, or call 1-877-56-REHAB.

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Sterling, Virginia (August 13, 2008) - Two Guys and a Truck has a new “guy” on the executive team. The locally based moving and storage firm announced this week the hiring of longtime professional financial manager Ralph Castano as the company’s new controller.

Mr. Castano has a long record of sound financial management, having most recently helped guide Winchester-based DK Industrial Services through chapter 11 reorganization as that company’s comptroller. Previous to that position, he worked as an accounting manager for Leesburg-based REHAU, Inc.

“We’re thrilled to add Ralph’s considerable skills to our team,” said Two Guys and a Truck CEO David Underwood. “As we continue the growth of our business in Loudoun County, and as we sell more franchises around Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia, we’ll need to have an experienced financial executive.”

Mr. Castano begins work in the newly created position immediately.

About Two Guys and a Truck
Two Guys and a Truck® is a successful, professional, full-service moving company located within the Washington, DC metropolitan area. They currently are awarding franchise territories within the Maryland, Virginia, and DC areas. Two Guys and a Truck® has been a pioneer and an acknowledged leader in the moving and storage business, specializing in local, national and international relocation and storage since 1987. For more information on the company and franchise opportunities, please visit www.twoguysandatruck.com or call (703) 657-1406.

*This is a press release only, and not an offer for sale of a franchise.

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This news release also found at:
PRLog: Moving and Storage Firm Two Guys and a Truck Adds to Executive Team