Volvo Names West Jordan Woman One of Nation's Three Top Hometown Heroes

Celebrity Judges to Honor Bevilhymer at March 24 Volvo for life Awards Ceremony in Times Square With a $50,000 Charitable Contribution; One Grand Winner Will Receive a Volvo Car for Life

WEST JORDAN, Utah, March 14 -- Volvo Cars of North America today named Hope Bevilhymer of West Jordan, Utah, one of the nation's top three hometown heroes in the third annual Volvo for life Awards. Bevilhymer, an amputee distributing prosthetic limbs to developing countries, is the winner in the category of Quality of Life.

Bevilhymer will now go to New York City, where on March 24 she will be honored along with the Environment and Safety category winners in Times Square at the Volvo for life Awards Ceremony, a gala event attended by more than 200 New York media, hosted by Jim Belushi and featuring music by The Black Crowes.

The Volvo for life Awards is the largest-ever national search for and celebration of everyday heroes, with Volvo Cars of North America providing $1 million in awards and contributions. The program, launched in June 2004, called for individuals nationwide to visit www.volvoforlifeawards.com and nominate an unsung hometown hero they know in one of three categories: safety, quality of life or environment. Volvo received 4,272 nominations representing all 50 states. Volvo then selected three finalists in each of the three categories. A distinguished panel of judges -- including Hank Aaron, Paul Newman, Caroline Kennedy, Maya Lin, Bill Bradley, Dr. Sally Ride and Eunice Kennedy Shriver -- then selected the three category winners, including Bevilhymer in the quality of life category.

At the ceremony, Volvo will premiere a mini-documentary on Bevilhymer's work and the program's judges will present her with a $50,000 contribution to the charity of her choice. Volvo also will reveal which of the three winners is the overall grand winner, who will receive the designation of "America's Greatest Hometown Hero" and be presented with a new Volvo every three years for the rest of her life.

Born with bilateral clubfeet, Bevilhymer by age 25 had undergone more than 29 unsuccessful surgeries and was taking 100 Tylenol a week to manage her pain. Faced with the decision to either amputate one leg from the knee down or to undergo additional surgeries, she chose to amputate. Soon after her surgery, Bevilhymer received used prosthetics from people who thought she could use them. About the same time, she saw a documentary on African and Laotian refugees who were land-mine amputees unable to afford prosthetic limbs. Realizing the connection, Bevilhymer created the Limbs of Hope Foundation, which collects prosthetic limbs to share with people in developing countries. To date, Limbs of Hope has provided more than 55 prosthetic limbs to people in such countries as Cambodia, Mexico and Romania who otherwise would spend the rest of their lives missing limbs.

Paula Lucas, a Portland, Oregon domestic abuse survivor helping American women escape abusive relationships while living abroad was named the top safety winner. Lisa Busch, a Sitka, Alaska native bringing environmentalists and timber proponents together to revitalize her community, was named the top environmental hero. The six remaining finalists in the initiative also will be on hand and each will receive a donation of $25,000 to the charities of their choice.

"We look forward to honoring Hope at our awards ceremony and recognizing the work she has done to improve the quality of life of thousands of people worldwide. We also applaud the efforts of our other two category winners and six finalists, as well as the efforts of the more than 4,200 heroes who were nominated for our program this year," said Vic Doolan, president and chief executive officer for Volvo Cars of North America.

For more information on the Volvo for life Awards and to view this year's nominees' and finalists' stories, visit www.volvoforlifeawards.com.

NOTE TO EDITORS: For photos and more information on the Volvo for LifeAwards: www.volvocars-pr.com.