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News
CONTACT:
Aimee Dueñas
Wk: (626) 403-3200, ext.
210
aimee@vpepr.com
Give a Day of Volunteer Service in 2010, Get a Day of Disney
Theme Park Fun – Free
Disney Parks Hopes to Inspire 1 Million Volunteers Beginning Jan.
1
Sept. 29, 2009 – Disney Parks today announced a new program that
celebrates the spirit of volunteer service with a simple
proposition: “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day.”
Disney hopes to inspire families to volunteer in their communities
during 2010 through this first of its kind program. One million
people who perform volunteer service for a participating
organization will receive a free one-day admission ticket to a Walt
Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort theme park.
While the “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” program kicks off Jan. 1,
right now guests can learn more about the program and how to get
their free one-day admission to a Walt Disney World or Disneyland
theme park by visiting
www.DisneyParks.com (for the United States and Puerto Rico) or
www.DisneyParks.ca (for
Canada).
In the past year, guests have been celebrating all sorts of special
moments in their lives at Disney parks – from birthdays and
anniversaries to reunions and graduations – as part of the “What
Will You Celebrate?” campaign.
“In 2010, we want to recognize and add one more reason for
celebration: the contributions people make to their communities
every day,” said Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and
Resorts. “We want to inspire 1 million volunteers – people who will
invest time and energy to make their own communities and
neighborhoods a better place.”
To enable people to sign up for an eligible volunteer project,
Disney is working with HandsOn Network, the nation’s largest
volunteer network. Part of Points of Light Institute, HandsOn
Network has 250 on-the-ground volunteer action centers across the
country and connects volunteers to more than 70,000 nonprofit
agencies that need their help.
“Wherever we live, our communities need our hands-on help to
thrive,” said Michelle Nunn, CEO of Points of Light Institute. “We
are thrilled at this unprecedented effort by Disney Parks to help
mobilize 1 million volunteers into action. ‘Give a Day, Get a Disney
Day’ has the potential to reach so many families and instill the
volunteer spirit in a new generation.”
Bob Iger, president and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, said, “
‘Give a Day, Get a Disney Day’ fits perfectly with our long history
of supporting and participating in volunteer efforts. It’s a great
way to honor guests who are making a positive contribution to their
communities.”
Starting Jan. 1, 2010, guests can go to
www.DisneyParks.com for the
United States and Puerto Rico or
www.DisneyParks.ca for Canada to search for volunteer
opportunities available in those areas through HandsOn Network and
sign up for a day of volunteer service. Many of the opportunities
will be for projects that entire families can participate in
together.
To raise awareness for grass-roots community volunteerism and the
“Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” program, Disney VoluntEARS joined
local volunteers in cities across the United States and Canada
today. Work projects involving 1,000 volunteers were coordinated by
HandsOn Network in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles and Miami, and
across Canada – in Toronto, Montreal, Halifax and Vancouver.
Joining the Sept. 29 effort were scores of volunteers from Southwest
Airlines, which will also provide transportation for a 20-city tour
that will take the Disney Parks volunteer message to major cities
across the United States this fall and winter.
“Southwest Airlines strives to make a positive difference in the
communities we serve, from protecting the environment to supporting
a local cause,” said Linda Rutherford, vice president of
Communications and Strategic Outreach, Southwest Airlines.
“Southwest employees give back both locally and nationally through
volunteerism, with individual and personal efforts, serving together
as teams or through companywide efforts. The opportunity with Disney
unites two companies that are devoted to the spirit of
volunteerism.”
Give a Day, Get a Disney Day details:
Must pre-register and sign up for eligible volunteer opportunity at
disneyparks.com.
Ticket quantities for this program are limited. Must be at least age
6 to participate. Other terms and conditions apply. For details, see
disneyparks.com in the United States and Puerto Rico. In Canada, see
disneyparks.ca.
About HandsOn Network
The volunteer-focused arm of Points of Light Institute, HandsOn
Network is the largest volunteer network in the nation and includes
more than 250 HandsOn Action Centers that reach more than 83 percent
of the nation’s population and extend to 10 countries. HandsOn
includes a powerful network of more than 70,000 corporate, faith and
nonprofit organizations that are answering the call to serve and
creating scaled impact. In 2008, the network delivered approximately
30 million hours of volunteer service.
About Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts are where dreams come true. More than
50 years ago, Walt Disney created a new kind of entertainment
families could experience together, immersed in detailed atmospheres
and vibrant storytelling. His vision now includes a collection of
five of the world’s leading family vacation destinations –
Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, Calif.; Walt Disney World Resort, Lake
Buena Vista, Fla.; Tokyo Disney Resort, Urayasu, Chiba, Japan;
Disneyland Resort Paris, Marne-la-Vallée, France; and Hong Kong
Disneyland Resort, Lantau Island, Hong Kong, China. In addition,
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts includes the world-class Disney Cruise
Line; Disney Vacation Club, with nine resorts and more than 420,000
members; Adventures by Disney, a guided group vacation experience to
some of the world’s most popular destinations; Disney Regional
Entertainment, which operates the ESPN Zone dining and entertainment
centers; the World of Disney stores; and Walt Disney Imagineering,
which creates and designs all Disney parks, resorts and attractions.
For more information and images, please visit
www.disneyparks.com.
NEWS MEDIA CONTACTS:
Walt Disney World Public Relations – 407/566-6397
Media-only news site:
www.wdwnews.com
Disneyland Resort Public Relations – 714/781-4500
Media-only news site:
www.disneylandnews.com
HandsOn Network / Jennifer Geckler – 404/979-2941
e-mail:
jgeckler@handsonnetwork.org
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