Avis is Newest Sponsor of ING Miami Marathon
'Freedom Team' of Disabled Veterans Travels to Miami to Compete
PARSIPPANY, N.J., Jan. 10 -- Avis Rent A Car System, Inc. has today announced that for the first time ever they will be the Official Rental Car and Presenting Sponsor of the Athletes with Disabilities in conjunction with the ING Miami Marathon and Half Marathon. Avis will also give "We Try Harder" awards to the first male and female finishers in the Pushrim Wheelchair and Handcycle categories of the competition.
In addition, Avis will provide the resources necessary for the "Freedom Team" to travel to Miami and compete in the marathon. The Freedom Team is a group of disabled athletes, many of whom are veterans who suffered injuries while serving in the Armed Forces in Iraq or Afghanistan. The Freedom Team has recently been trained by members of the Achilles Track Club at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center to prepare them to compete in the 26.2 mile running event.
To further their support of runners with disabilities, Avis will provide members of the Miami Chapter of the Achilles Track Club with complimentary and discounted entry fees for local competitors. Avis will also supply vehicles to transport the athletes with disabilities and their gear throughout the city.
"Avis' sponsorship of the ING Miami Marathon and in particular, the athletes with disabilities, is in keeping with our commitment of 'trying harder' to support the communities we do business in," states Scott Deaver, executive vice president of marketing for Cendant Car Rental Group, parent company of Avis.
Avis has been a long-standing supporter of athletes with disabilities through its sponsorship of the Achilles Track Club, a national organization that helps runners with all forms of disabilities prepare to compete in running events. For the past three years, Avis has also been the presenting sponsor of the Wheelchair Division and Athletes with Disabilities of the ING New York City Marathon.
Visitors traveling to the ING Miami Marathon may take advantage of special discounted Avis rates for supporters of the marathon by visiting http://www.ingmiamimarathon.com/ and clicking on the "travel" tab.
ABOUT ING Miami Marathon
The ING Miami Marathon and Half Marathon is the premier running event in South Florida. The race creates awareness for healthy lifestyles in the local community. The 4th annual race runs on January 29, 2006 with over 10,000 runners and walkers expected to be in Miami, Miami Beach, and Miami-Dade County. The event has created an estimated $35 million economic impact on the surrounding community. For more information, visit http://www.ingmiamimarathon.com/ or call 305-278-8668.
About Achilles Track Club
Achilles is a Not-For-Profit 501(C) 3 Organization, founded in 1983, which is represented in over 60 countries. Our mission is to enable people with all types of disabilities to participate in mainstream athletics, to promote personal achievement, enhanced self-esteem, and the lowering of barriers between people. Every year, more and more Achilles athletes, walk, wheel and roll to achieving their goals of completing the 26.2-mile marathon distance. http://www.achillestrackclub.org/
About Avis
Avis Rent A Car System, Inc. and its subsidiaries operate the world's second largest general-use car rental brand, providing business and leisure customers with a wide range of services at nearly 1,900 locations in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the Latin American / Caribbean region. Avis is one of the world's top brands for customer loyalty, ranking as the number one car rental company in the 2005 Brand Keys(R) Customer Loyalty Index. The company is part of Cendant Car Rental Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cendant Corporation , a diversified global provider of business and consumer services primarily within the real estate and travel sectors. For more information visit http://www.avis.com/ or http://www.cendant.com/media.