Country Music Stars Standing With Bands For Freedom Foundation

Bands For Freedom Foundation, Inc. today announced that it has gained the support of well-known country music celebrities Charlie Daniels, Mark Wills and Darryl Worley in its efforts to raise funds for the Armed Forces Relief Trust (AFRT) and the men and women of the U.S. military.

The three celebrities added their names to the Bands For Freedom Hero’s Page an online list of supporters for the U.S. troops via the Bands For Freedom Foundation (www.bandsforfreedom.com/en/heroes.php) and the AFRT.

Worley, whose "Have You Forgotten?" song became the post-9/11 anthem for many Americans, recently distributed hundreds of red, white and blue Bands For Freedom wristbands at a recent sold-out concert in Nevada. Worley’s music and country-boy image have helped him to take a prominent place in the world of country music. He has long been a major supporter of the troops and has toured with United Service Organization to Afghanistan, Iraq, Japan, Korea and Kuwait. Worley recently joined the AFRT and Bands For Freedom in their efforts to show Americans how easy it is to contribute to the well being of a soldier and his/her family.

Mark Wills’ involvement with the “Hope and Freedom Tour 2003” made a significant impact on his life and led him to participate as the lead performer in a recent country music ‘salute’ to the U.S. Army, which aired on the Armed Forces Network and the Pentagon Channel in March 2005. His support of the Bands For Freedom Foundation is in keeping with his tireless effort to help the troops in any way possible. Wills’ songs “Don’t Laugh at Me,” and “19 Something,” helped to catapult him into stardom all across the country.

Charlie Daniels, the fiddle-toting country music icon, has long been a vocal supporter of U.S. troops and the War on Terror. Most widely known for writing and performing the “Devil Went Down To Georgia,” Daniels recently paired up with newcomer Gretchen Wilson to perform at the 2005 Super Bowl. Daniels epitomizes the values of many country music fans and has gone to great lengths to make his opinions known.

“The country music industry has always been a stalwart supporter of the U.S. troops,” said Steve Cloward, president and chief executive officer of Bands For Freedom. “We feel honored that legends like Charlie Daniels and Mark Wills and Darryl Worley are wearing the Bands For Freedom wristbands and encouraging others to do the same.”

The wristbands come in both youth and adult sizes and can be purchased at www.bandsforfreedom.com. Bands For Freedom wristbands are similar to those made popular by the Lance Armstrong Wear Yellow Live Strong Foundation. The new Bands For Freedom wristbands were created to bolster support for the war on terror and U.S. troops who sacrifice for freedom. For more information about Bands For Freedom, please visit the Web site or call (866) 217-5595.

About Bands For Freedom Foundation Incorporated
Created in 2004, Bands For Freedom follows the lead of its predecessor, Freedombands, Inc., and has become an enormously popular supplier of patriotic silicone wristbands that come in red, white, blue and desert camouflage, as well as a marbled band with combinations of all three patriotic colors. The wristbands are marked with the word “FREEDOM” and are designed to aid Americans in making a respectful and unified statement in honor of the men and women of the armed forces. Bands For Freedom donates all after-cost proceeds to the Armed Forces Relief Trust fund.

About The Armed Forces Relief Trust
The Armed Forces Relief Trust (www.afrtrust.org) is a unique non-profit fund created to collect donations for U.S. troops and their families. The AFRT raises money to support the men and women of the U.S. armed forces and their families and, unlike many other charitable organizations, distributes 100 percent of the money it raises among the five divisions of the U.S. military.

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Media Contact:
Matt Clayton, Politis Communications, 801-523-3730(wk), mclayton@politis.com