Disability Technology & News

Avis ‘Freedom Team’

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Avis ‘Freedom Team’ of War Veterans to Compete at the 2007 ING Miami Marathon

PARSIPPANY, N.J., Jan. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Avis Rent A Car
System, LLC today announced that Avis and the Achilles Track Club will be
sending a newly formed “Freedom Team” of 15 veterans with disabilities from
across the U.S. to compete in the upcoming ING Miami Marathon. For the
second consecutive year, Avis is the presenting sponsor of Athletes with
Disabilities and the Wheelchair Division, and is the Official Rental Car
Company of the ING Miami Marathon.

The Freedom Team is a group of veterans who sustained injuries while
serving in the armed forces in Iraq or Afghanistan or on active duty, and
are undergoing rehabilitation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in
Washington D.C., Balboa Naval Medical Center in San Diego or the Brooke
Army Medical Center in San Antonio. Many of them will be competing in a
marathon for the first time. The Freedom Team athletes have been trained
for the race by the Achilles Track Club, an organization that provides
training to athletes with disabilities and makes it possible for them to
compete in mainstream running events, thanks in part to sponsors like Avis.
As part of sponsorship, Avis will provide the resources necessary for
the Freedom Team to travel to and compete in the marathon. Once in Miami,
the Freedom Team will be joined by the members of the Miami Chapter of the
Achilles Track Club, forming one of the largest fields of athletes with
disabilities to ever compete in a marathon.

“This group of athletes really embodies the Avis ‘We Try Harder’
spirit,” said Becky Alseth, senior vice president of marketing for Avis
Budget Group, Inc., parent company of Avis. “We are proud to support them
and all the participants competing in the ING Miami Marathon.”
Avis’ sponsorship of the Achilles Track Club arose out of the Company’s
commitment to making travel more accessible to people with disabilities.
The Company launched “Avis Access,” the nation’s first comprehensive
program for travelers with disabilities, in 2003. Service offerings for
drivers and passengers with disabilities include the following: transfer
boards, swivel seats, spinner knobs, panoramic mirrors, hand controls,
accessible bus service and mobility scooters. For the past four years, Avis
has also been the presenting sponsor of the Wheelchair Division and
Athletes with Disabilities of the ING New York City Marathon.
Visitors traveling to the ING Miami Marathon may take advantage of
special discounted Avis rates visiting http://www.ingmiamimarathon.com and
clicking on the “travel” tab.

About ING Miami Marathon and Half Marathon(R)
The ING Miami Marathon and Half Marathon(R) is the South Florida’s
Premier Road Race and the largest in the region. The race creates awareness
for healthy lifestyles in the local community. The 5th annual marathon and
half marathon will draw 12,000 runners and walkers plus an additional 3,000
participants in other events. The events draw thousands of visitors to
Miami and Miami Beach and have created an economic impact of $58 million
since 2003. For more information go to ingmiamimarathon.com or call
305-278-8668.

About Achilles Track Club
Achilles is a Not-For-Profit 501(C) 3 Organization, founded in 1983,
which is represented in over 60 countries. Achilles’ mission is to enable
people with all types of disabilities to participate in mainstream
athletics, to promote personal achievement, enhanced self-esteem, and the
lowering of barriers between people. Every year, more and more Achilles
athletes, walk, wheel and roll to achieving their goals of completing the
26.2-mile marathon distance. http://www.AchillesTrackClub.org

About Avis
Avis Rent A Car System, LLC and its subsidiaries operate one of the
world’s leading car rental brands, providing business and leisure customers
with a wide range of services at more than 2,100 locations in the United
States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the Latin American / Caribbean
region. Avis is one of the world’s top brands for customer loyalty, ranking
as the number one car rental company in the 2006 Brand Keys(R) Customer
Loyalty Index. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Avis Budget
Group, Inc. (NYSE: CAR). For more information, visit http://www.avis.com.

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