Toyota Joins Forces with America Supports You to Show Support for the Troops

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U.S.A., announced its plans to join America Supports You, a Department of
Defense program that recognizes citizens' that stand behind members of the
U.S. Armed Services and their families, to demonstrate support for the
troops with Toyota's 2007 grassroots marketing programs.
Toyota, a long-time supporter of U.S. military-support programs, plans
to connect its sponsorship and partner alliance programs with America
Supports You efforts. Programs incorporating America Supports You
initiatives include B.A.S.S. (Bass Anglers Sportsman's Society), a property
of ESPN Outdoors; Bass Pro Shops retail locations; country music stars
Brooks & Dunn tour stops; and the Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team.
"We are really pleased that Toyota is using their very successful
grassroots programs to connect Americans to the hundreds of ways they can
support our troops and their families," says Allison Barber, Deputy
Assistant Director of Defense for Public Affairs and founder of America
Supports You. "We also recognize and thank Toyota for their ongoing support
of our military through programs like 'Hire-a-Hero,' which provides
employment opportunities for returning National Guardsmen and Reservists.
And we're thrilled Toyota is joining our America Supports You team to do
even more for our service members."
In addition to the Hire-A-Hero program, Toyota recently made a donation
totaling $1.65 million over five years to the Marine Corps Scholarship
Foundation, which will endow 16 scholarships for the children of Marines
killed or wounded in action.
"We have a civic duty to keep our troops top of mind as they defend our
freedoms," said Don Esmond, Toyota's Senior Vice President and former
Marine Corps helicopter pilot. Esmond, recipient of the Silver Star,
Distinguished Flying Cross and Purple Heart, added, "Toyota is happy to
help bring the America Supports You message to the public through these
key, grassroots partnerships."
PRO CYCLING RACES
Program support from Toyota will come from a variety of efforts
including signage on all of the Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team pace and
chase Prius vehicles, as well as the vehicle entourage, team bus and
equipment trailers. The team calendar cards and Web site will also promote
the ASY message. Planned meet and greets with the team at local races and
team ride-alongs along the way will include some returning veterans and
their families.
"When we were first approached about this initiative for Toyota, we
said 'we're absolutely in,'" said Sean Tucker, owner of the Toyota-United
team. "It only further punctuated how committed our partners at Toyota are
to giving back to the communities we serve. It makes perfect sense, and we
wanted to be a major part of this effort."
BASS FISHING TOURNAMENTS AND BASS PRO SHOPS
Toyota will include its BASS and Bass Pro Shops relationships to help
get the message out to key audiences with angler autograph cards and
website messaging. This includes the grassroots traveling mobile-marketing
program called the "Tundra Outdoor Tour." It stops at local Bass Pro Shops
mega- retail stores and features Toyota's professional angler team
following the Bassmaster Elite Series Tournament Trail. Programs include
the sport's winningest angler, Kevin Van Dam; the 2006 Angler of the Year,
Michael "Ike" Iaconelli; and other top team anglers Greg "The Hack Attack"
Hackney, Terry "Big Show" Scroggins and Dave Wolak, 2005 Toyota Rookie of
the Year.
"I don't take for granted the thousands of military personnel around
the world sacrificing so we can live our dreams and enjoy the very freedom
they help preserve. I'm proud of the job they do and proud to be part of
Toyota's involvement with the America Supports You program," concluded
Hackney.
COUNTRY MUSIC TOURS
Toyota's sponsorship of country music superstars Brooks & Dunn's 2007
tour will also feature America Supports You program elements in onsite
events tied to the all-new 2007 Toyota Tundra. The award-winning duo's
first major tour stop began in California at the inaugural "Stagecoach
Festival" in Indio, a two-day festival presented by Toyota.
"We've always been big supporters of our military men and women," said
Clarence Spalding, President of Spalding Entertainment and manager for
Brooks & Dunn. "Kix [Brooks] and Ronnie [Dunn] routinely include a salute
to the troops in their concert tour. When Toyota mentioned its plans, we
were automatically on board with the idea."

About Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.: Toyota established operations
in the United States in 1957 and currently operates 10 manufacturing
plants, including one under construction. There are more than 1,400 Toyota,
Lexus and Scion dealerships in the U.S. which sell more than two million
vehicles a year. Toyota directly employs more than 32,000 people in the
U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $13 billion,
including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development,
financial services and design.
About America Supports You: America Supports You is an ongoing,
nationwide program organized by the Department of Defense to showcase
Americans' support for the men and women of the Armed Forces and their
families. Since its launch in November of 2004, the America Supports You
program has welcomed nearly 300 homefront organizations and more than 35
corporations to the program. Many America Supports You supporters help the
troops through letter writing, care packages, helping the wounded when they
return home, assisting military families, sending an email or kind
gesture-to learn more about how you can support military personnel please
visit http://www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil.

[JoeKidd]

Toyota rocks! Bought 6, nothing else ever (except maybe a Jeep Rubicon)