Virgin Mobile USA Announces "Free I.P." Program for FreeFest
Fans Can Earn VIP Tickets to Sold Out Virgin Mobile "FreeFest" by Volunteering at Homeless Youth Centers; Others Can Join the Movement by Texting FREEFEST to 20222 to Donate $5 to Homeless Youth Organizations
2009-06-30 18:14:01 -
WARREN, NJ -- (Marketwire) -- 06/30/09 -- Virgin Mobile USA : www.virginmobileusa.com/ (NYSE: VM), creator of one of the largest and most critically acclaimed music festivals in the U.S., today announced that Virgin Mobile FreeFest : www.virginmobilefreefest.com/ tickets have been scooped up. But music fans need not worry, because people across the East Coast will have the chance to volunteer through "The RE*Generation Free I.P." : www.virginmobilefestival.com/#/home/ program in order to receive a VIP ticket to the hottest free festival of the summer. The Virgin Mobile FreeFest will take place August 30th at Merriweather Post Pavilion : www.merriweathermusic.com/ in Columbia, Md. Artists include Weezer : www.weezer.com/ , Blink-182 : www.blink182.com/ , and Public Enemy : www.publicenemy.com/ .
To respond to the sharp decrease in national social giving, Virgin Mobile FreeFest is giving music fans opportunities to devote time to community service at designated homeless youth shelters around the country for a VIP ticket to Virgin Mobile FreeFest. Virgin Mobile USA : www.virginmobileusa.com/ is also encouraging people, regardless of wireless carrier, to text "FREEFEST" to 20222, making a $5 donation(1) which will go to select youth homeless centers through The RE*Generation : www.virginmobileusa.com/regeneration/ program, Virgin Mobile USA's initiative to help homeless youth.
"Over two million young people will experience homelessness in the U.S., many of them due to domestic violence, abuse or neglect," said Ron Faris, Senior Director of Brand Marketing and Innovation, Virgin Mobile USA. "With charitable giving at a low, we hope this program inspires music fans to volunteer locally and engage in this issue. There's never been a better opportunity to reward fans with a free VIP ticket to this amazing, sold out festival."
"Once again, the folks at Virgin have come up with an idea that is so simple and wonderful, it reminds us we need people from outside the concert industry to take a fresh look," said I.M.P. Chairman and FreeFest producer Seth Hurwitz. "The idea of offering people the opportunity to do charity work in exchange for concert tickets is truly inspiring, and I am going to look for ways to do that the rest of the year. Why not use our power to give?"
Get Involved Locally
Sign-ups for volunteers in Maryland and Washington, D.C. are being coordinated at Virgin Mobile's FreeFest website starting today at www.virginmobilefreefest.com/ : www.virginmobilefreefest.com/ ; select homeless youth organizations have been aggregated together to accommodate volunteers around the country.
People in the Maryland and Washington, D.C. area can sign up to volunteer 13 hours in exchange for one Free I.P. ticket. This offer is good while supplies last, as there are a limited number of tickets available.
Volunteers can also participate in broader community service projects offered by Howard County for a general admission ticket.
"When we started the concept of Summer of Service in Howard County, we wanted youth to contribute," said County Executive Ken Ulman. "We're honored to partner with Virgin Mobile around this truly unique and inspired initiative."
Volunteer Opportunities on the East Coast
Outside Maryland and Washington, D.C. Virgin Mobile USA is organizing volunteer projects in Philadelphia, New York and Boston. Two Free I.P.
(VIP) tickets will be awarded to the volunteers who complete the most time above the minimum of 13 hours. Winning volunteers from Philadelphia, New York and Boston will receive free transportation to Virgin Mobile FreeFest courtesy of Megabus, the official bus partner.
Homeless youth organizations working with Virgin Mobile USA include Bridge Over Troubled Waters in Boston, Green Chimneys in New York, HELP USA in Philadelphia, Sasha Bruce in Washington, D.C., and StandUp For Kids in Baltimore.
Raising Awareness
In addition to the launch of the volunteer program, Virgin Mobile USA will team up with FreeFest sponsors, led by returning premier sponsor Kyocera : www.kyocera-wireless.com/ , to build awareness of additional ways to donate to this issue. Kyocera also will help chronicle the efforts of Virgin Mobile's RE*Generation to build awareness for youth homelessness through episodic videos.
About the Virgin Mobile FreeFest
The 2009 Virgin Mobile FreeFest will be hosted on the beautiful 40 wooded acres of Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Md., on Sunday, August 30.
The grounds and facilities of Merriweather will be expanded to accommodate the multiple stage and dance tent set-up from prior Virgin Mobile Festivals. Those scheduled to appear at this year's FreeFest include Weezer : www.weezer.com/ , Blink-182 : www.blink182.com/ , Franz Ferdinand : www.franzferdinand.co.uk/ , Public Enemy, Jet, The National : www.americanmary.com/music/ , Girl Talk, The Bravery : www6.thebravery.com/thebravery/home.php , The Hold Steady, St. Vincent, Wale, and Taking Back Sunday : www.takingbacksunday.com/ , as well as dance tent favorites that include HOLY F*CK, Pete Tong, Danny Howells and Lee Burridge. More information is available at www.virginmobilefreefest.com : www.virginmobilefreefest.com .
About Virgin Mobile USA
Virgin Mobile USA, Inc. (NYSE: VM), through its operating company Virgin Mobile USA, L.P., offers more than 5 million 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, and recently launched a prepaid nationwide broadband device with Best Buy Mobile.
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 www.virginmobileusa.com/ : www.virginmobileusa.com/ , with Top-Up cards available at almost 150,000 locations.
(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 www.hmgf.org/t : 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
Media Contacts:
Corinne Nosal
Virgin Mobile USA
908-607-4235
Email Contact : www2.marketwire.com/mw/emailprcntct?id=0B74E1B597F79A4A
Audrey Schaefer
Schaefer + Co for I.M.P.
301-947-1133
Email Contact : www2.marketwire.com/mw/emailprcntct?id=ECFAF57956D48E6F
