Wounded Warrior Project Announces Under Armour as Title Sponsor for Courage Awards & Benefit Dinner
– Award recipients announced for this year’s event –
Jacksonville, FL (January 26, 2011) – Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is pleased to announce Under Armour as the title sponsor for their sixth annual Courage Awards and Benefit Dinner. This year’s event will be held March 31, 2011 at The Waldorf-Astoria in New York City.
To date, more than 40,000 members of our nation's armed forces have been physically wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. Recent estimates report nearly 300,000 veterans currently suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or major depression, and that 320,000 veterans experienced a traumatic brain injury in deployment (RAND, 2007). Only about half of those who meet criteria for PTSD or major depression have sought treatment.
The Courage Awards and Benefit Dinner will help provide much needed support for mental health programs such as WWP’s Combat Stress Recovery Program (CSRP), which responds to the mental health needs of our warriors at various stages of the re-adjustment process. Donations raised will also fund WWP adaptive sports, benefits counseling, education and employment services, and many other programs. WWP assists wounded warriors and their families through a holistic approach to their recovery. WWP empowers warriors with the tools essential to not only survive their injuries but to thrive and achieve personal and professional success.
“Under Armour is honored to be involved in this year’s Courage Awards and continuing partnership with the Wounded Warrior Project,” said Kip Fulks, Under Armour Executive Vice-President. “We are dedicated to supporting the brave men and women who have sacrificed so much for our freedom and will continue to carry out the great mission of the Wounded Warrior Project.”
“We are thankful to Under Armour for their commitment to our mission of honoring and empowering wounded warriors,” said Steve Nardizzi, Executive Director of Wounded Warrior Project. “This generous sponsorship is a yet another reflection of their dedication to assisting our nation’s wounded veterans and their families.”
Three special honors will be awarded during the evening:
- The Tony Snow Award is being presented to Bob Kingsley of Bob Kingsley’s Country Top 40. This award is designed to recognize a citizen in corporate America, the media, or the public eye who, by their actions, has made a significant difference in the lives of injured servicemen and women – and who has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to WWP and its mission.
- The Talkhouse Award for Community Service is given to honor an individual whose efforts personify patriotism, demonstrates compassion, and has helped further the mission of WWP in support of the brave men and women who have sacrificed for our freedom. This year’s award will be presented to both the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) and New York Police Department (NYPD).
- The George C. Lang Award for Courage was founded in memory of George C. Lang, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient and friend of WWP. George passed away on March 16, 2005. The recipient of this award will be announced the night of the event.
About Wounded Warrior Project
The mission of the Wounded Warrior Project® is to honor and empower wounded warriors. WWP’s purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and service to meet their needs. WWP is a national, nonpartisan organization headquartered in Jacksonville, FL. To get involved and learn more, visit woundedwarriorproject.org.
About Under Armour, Inc.
Under Armour® (NYSE: UA) is a leading developer, marketer, and distributor of branded performance apparel, footwear, and accessories. The Company’s products are sold worldwide and worn by athletes at all levels, from youth to professional, on playing fields around the globe. The Under Armour global headquarters is in Baltimore, Maryland, with European headquarters in Amsterdam’s Olympic Stadium, and additional offices in Denver, Hong Kong, Toronto, and Guangzhou, China. For further information, please visit the Company’s website at www.underarmour.com.