Teletouch - Hawk Electronics Division Supports the Fort Worth Air Power Foundation with a Cellular Industry First: "What If 10%" Affinity Charity Donation Program
2008-10-11 03:27:01 -
www.teletouch.com - Teletouch Communications, Inc. Amy Gossett, Investor Relations, 800-232-3888 investors@teletouch.com or Fort Worth Air Power Council Jim Thomason, Chairman, 817-929-4276 GemThomason@Yahoo.com Teletouch Communications, Inc. (Pink Sheets: TLLE) Hawk Electronics division, a leading U.S. cellular services provider and consumer electronics retailer today announced a cellular industry first, the affinity marketing and charitable donation program: "What If 10%"(TM). The first use of this new program is to support the Fort Worth Air Power Foundation and its sponsoring entity, the Fort Worth Air Power Council, the nation's oldest civilian military support organization. "What If 10%" will be launched October 11, 2008 at Sky Ball VI, the annual fundraising event hosted by the Fort Worth Airpower Foundation, its mission to raise money to support and help solve financial difficulties facing the families of deployed and injured troops.
The "What If 10%" program allows participating Hawk Electronics customers to designate that 10% of their purchases' net proceeds be donated to the Fort Worth Air Power Foundation, including all consumer electronics and monthly Hawk-billed cellular services. As the primary billing provider, Hawk is pleased to provide this recurring monthly support program allowing its customers to help our troops stationed locally at the NAS Fort Worth, Joint Reserve Base (JRB) at Carswell, and in San Antonio, Texas at Brooke Army Medical Center.
With an expected attendance of some 3,000 patriotic guests, Sky Ball VI major sponsors include American Airlines, Porsche Motors of North America, the Ben E. Keith Company and Hawk Electronics, a Teletouch Company. This year's theme, "A Salute to the Greatest Generation," is styled as a 1940's style "Hanger Dance," with the evening's entertainment including a "Glen Miller" show band, Nashville Country Music Star, Michael Peterson, a first ever night-time air show in North Texas, and a reading by CSI: New York TV star and Hollywood A-List actor (The Green Mile, Forrest Gump, Open Season), Gary Sinise.
Sky Ball is an exceptional event originally created by the Council to fund its sister organization, the Fort Worth Airpower Foundation, which is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The sole mission of the Council and Foundation is to help meet certain emergency financial needs of the families of local service men and women. For more information, go to the Fort Worth Airpower Foundation website at www.fwapf.org.
T. A. "Kip" Hyde, Jr., Teletouch President and CEO of Hawk Electronics stated, "We are excited to introduce our new 'What If 10%' customer affinity program, to provide an ongoing opportunity for Hawk customers to support our troops. Virtually all of us are familiar with grocery and retail store affinity cards, which often provide rebates and donations back to local schools and other similar organizations. In a cellular industry first, we look forward to using this same model for our recurring cellular billing customers, which also includes 'pay-over-time' consumer electronics product purchases and other monthly billed applications."
(See Hawk Electronics CEO - Fort Worth Airpower Foundation Sky Ball video message and appeal at www.HawkElectronics.com/SkyBall, at www.teletouch.com and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgFIZ5Y8I9A)
Hyde continued, "Thousands of our fellow Americans from the local area have committed them-selves and their families to maintaining our freedoms. This is, in itself, awe-inspiring, and I believe that it is every one of our duties to do everything we can to help support them in times of financial distress. Friends and staff have heard me say many times, 'We don't get to do what we do, if our soldiers and their families don't do what they do.' How can we support them? Through 'What if 10%,' now we can. God bless our troops and all that they do for our nation."
About Fort Worth Air Power Council & Foundation
Now celebrating its 50th year, the Fort Worth Airpower Council and the related Fort Worth Airpower Foundation (a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation) mission is to provide direct financial assistance to military families in need, and to financially support local troop deployments, welcome home receptions and comfort gatherings for the families of deployed military, as well as provide additional financial support for the various Welfare and Relief projects of military units assigned to North Texas. With annual gifts exceeding $1 million, all monies are raised from the private sector. To support these goals, the Fort Worth Air Power Foundation hosts an annual Sky Ball each fall. Now in its sixth year, the Sky Ball is a high-quality patriotic event, featuring moving entertainment events, including notable appearances by the United States Air Force Academy Chorale, the Marine Reserve Band and headlining music acts, TV and movie actors of significant national importance. Funding sources from this event include ticket sales, corporate sponsorships, proceeds from live and silent auctions and direct donations. For more information about the Fort Worth Air Power Council and the Fort Worth Air Power Foundation, or to donate, please visit our website at www.fwapf.org.
About Teletouch Communications
For more than 40 years, Teletouch has offered a comprehensive suite of telecommunications products and services including cellular, two-way radio, GPS-telemetry, wireless messaging and public safety/emergency response vehicle products and services throughout the U.S. Teletouch's wholly-owned subsidiary, Progressive Concepts, Inc. (PCI), is a leading provider of AT&T Mobility(R) services (voice, data, entertainment), as well as other mobile, portable and personal electronics products and services to individuals, businesses and government agencies. PCI operates a chain of retail stores and sells under the "Hawk Electronics" brand; through Hawk-branded sub-agents; its own direct sales force and through the Internet at various sites including: www.hawkelectronics.com, www.hawkexpress.com, among others. PCI also operates a national wholesale distribution business, known as PCI Wholesale, which serves smaller cellular and automotive retailers, car dealers and rural cellular carriers throughout the country; Dealers and Retailers see www.pciwholesale.com. Additional information on Teletouch's Emergency Vehicle Products group can be found at www.teletouchevp.com. Teletouch's common stock is traded Over-The-Counter under stock symbol: TLLE. Additional information about Teletouch can be found at www.teletouch.com.
All statements in this news release that are not based on historical fact are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the PSLRA of 1995 and the provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. While management has based any forward-looking statements contained herein on its current expectations, the information on which such expectations were based may change. These forward-looking statements rely on a number of assumptions concerning future events and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are outside of our control, that could cause actual results to materially differ from such statements. Such risks, uncertainties, and other factors include, but are not necessarily limited to, those set forth under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's most recent Form 10-K and 10-Q filings, and amendments thereto, as well as other public filings with the SEC since such date. The Company operates in a rapidly changing and competitive environment, and new risks may arise. Accordingly, investors should not place any reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. The Company disclaims any intention to, and undertakes no obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statement.
Additional Pictures & Logos - Media Use Approved by Listed Parties & DoD:
-- Fort Worth Airpower Council '50th Anniversary' Logo
-- Sky Ball VI Coin Logo
-- "What If 10%"(TM)
-- Hawk Electronics Logo
"What If 10%" to be Launched at Sky Ball VI, October 11, 2008
