ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 12, 2012 – Next week, Trusted Choice^®, the consumer branding program for independent insurance agents and brokers, will unveil a Trusted Choice^®-themed custom motorcycle designed by the renowned Orange County Choppers to raise money over the next year for Make-A-Wish. The July 19 event will be recorded for an upcoming episode of the Discovery Channel television show “American Chopper.”
 
Who:          Paul Teutul, Sr., Orange County Choppers owner and “American Chopper” star
                    Robert Rusbuldt, Trusted Choice^® president
                    David Williams, Make-A-Wish president & CEO
                    Mayor William Euille, City of Alexandria
                    Jake Fetty, Make-A-Wish kid
 
What:         “Chopper for Charity” unveil
 
Date:          Thursday, July 19, 2012
 
Time:         12:30 p.m. EST (gates open at 11:00 a.m.)
                   
Where:       Alexandria Waterfront Park
                    Corner of Prince Street and Strand Street                                                             
                    Old Town Alexandria, Va.
 
Additional Information:
                    A press riser and a mult box will be available for the stage presentation. Members of the media should check in at the press registration tent. Media availability with the event speakers will immediately follow the program. The Discovery Channel requests that no close-up photos of the chopper be published or broadcast before this episode of “American Chopper” airs on September 17, 2012.
 
Media Registration:                       
                    Members of the press may pre-register by contacting Sue Nester (radio and television only) at susan.nester@iiaba.net or Margarita Tapia (all other media) at margarita.tapia@iiaba.net.
 
            The picnic-style event is open to the public and will include a stage program featuring the official unveiling of the Trusted Choice^® chopper by Paul Teutul, Sr., the star of “American Chopper.” Food and refreshments by Hard Times Café and Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream will be available for purchase on site.
 
            Trusted Choice^® will raise money for Make-A-Wish this year through a social media campaign starting in August. For every Facebook page “share” during that month, Trusted Choice^® will donate $10 to Make-A-Wish. A similar social media campaign last year raised more than $170,000. The Facebook campaign will launch a year-long fundraising effort involving the Trusted Choice^® “Chopper for Charity.” The chopper will tour across the country and ultimately be auctioned with proceeds going to Make-A-Wish.
 
            “Trusted Choice^® is excited and proud to work with the Orange County Choppers to raise money and awareness for Make-A-Wish,” says Robert Rusbuldt, Trusted Choice^® president and Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America president & CEO. “Independent insurance agents and brokers have a strong track record with countless charity efforts in their communities and this is one way for all of us to join forces for a very worthy national campaign.”
 
Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. According to a 2011 U.S. study of wish impact, most health professionals surveyed believe a wish-come-true can have positive impacts on the health of children. Kids say wishes give them renewed strength to fight their illnesses, and their parents say these experiences help strengthen the entire family. Based in Phoenix, Make-A-Wish is one of the world’s leading children’s charities, serving children in every community in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and more than 25,000 volunteers, Make-A-Wish grants a wish somewhere in the country every 38 minutes. It has granted more than 212,000 wishes since its inception in 1980; nearly 14,000 in 2011 alone. Visit Make-A-Wish at wish.org and discover how you can share the power of a wish^®.
 
Orange County Choppers builds custom motorcycles for regular riders as well as themed choppers for corporations and is featured on the popular television show “American Chopper,” which is on the Discovery Channel on Monday nights at 9 PM ET/PT. For more information, visit www.orangecountychoppers.com.
 
Trusted Choice^® educates consumers about the benefits of using independent agents and brokers for their insurance needs: choice of companies, customized policies and advocacy support. Trusted Choice^® is the consumer marketing identity for more than 22,000 independent insurance agencies and brokerage firms and 67 leading insurance companies. For more information, go to www.TrustedChoice.com.
 
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