11-01-07

Darrell Gwynn Foundation Gears Up for

Florida Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Week

November 12-18, 2007

 More wheelchair donations and school visits mark the

Second Annual FSCIAW

Ft. Lauderdale, FL:  The Darrell Gwynn Foundation (DGF) – a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing paralysis when possible, providing support for individuals living with paralysis and ultimately finding a cure for paralysis, has announced an array of events to mark the second annual Florida Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Week.   FSCIAW will take place November 12-18, 2007.  Among the highlights of the week will be multiple wheelchair donations to children in need, including one in association with the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, and dramatically more high school speaking engagements.

The success of the initial FSCIAW in 2006 led to increased interest in educating today’s youth.  As a result, DGF is making a stop at high schools in Miami-Dade County throughout the year and numerous other high schools statewide to address safety and injury prevention. In addition, DGF has planned several wheelchair donations, and will be airing public service announcements featuring two-time NASCAR Nextel Cup champion Tony Stewart to educate the public on preventing spinal cord injuries. DGF says its ultimate goal for the week is to reduce the number of spinal cord injuries in the state of Florida annually.

As a quadriplegic, Darrell Gwynn, president and founder of DGF, is passionate about spinal cord injury prevention and education. “Through the success of the inaugural Florida Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Week we were able to expand this year’s program to more schools and more venues. This statewide initiative is so important because it reminds people of some things they already know and, more importantly, educates them on some things they don’t realize could potentially help avoid a lifetime of paralysis,” he said. Gwynn, a former professional racecar driver, became a quadriplegic after suffering a devastating spinal cord injury during a 1990 race car crash.

Florida Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Week was made possible by Florida legislators Sen. Nan Rich (D) and Rep. Rene Garcia (R), who passed a Resolution on the campaign in the Florida Legislature earlier this year, and have been big supporters.

DGF believes that consistent communication is the key to prevention. To spread the word, Darrell Gwynn and other paralyzed individuals will visit all Miami-Dade high schools, as well as selected high schools throughout Florida, to talk with students about what it’s like to be paralyzed and ways to prevent spinal cord injuries. The Florida Department of Health will continue to sponsor the PSAs to air during the campaign on major television and cable stations. The Darrell Gwynn Foundation will also be distributing spinal cord injury prevention tips and information brochures at participating hospitals, rehab centers, sporting events and retail locations.   In addition, local South Florida celebrity Paul Castronovo of Big 105.9’s Paul and Young Ron show will spend some time in a wheelchair this week to examine and report on the obstacles faced by those with spinal cord injuries.

The weeklong series of events and educational outreach will culminate at Homestead-Miami Speedway during the Ford Championship weekend.  From November 16^th through 18^th NASCAR Craftsman Truck, Busch and Nextel Cup drivers will show their support by displaying a Florida Spinal Cord Injury Awareness decal on their cars. The closing weekend of FSCIAW also features the DGF’s 6^th Annual Miccosukee Resort and Gaming Hot Rods & Reels NASCAR Drivers Charity Fishing Tournament at Homestead-Miami Speedway’s infield lake on November 17.

Florida Spinal Cord Injury Week is generously sponsored by Homestead-Miami Speedway, the Florida Spinal Cord Injury Resource Center, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, the Florida Department of Health, Miccosukee Resort & Gaming, and the Florida Alliance for Assisted Services & Technologies (FAAST),. For more information, visit www.darrellgwynnfoundation.org or call 954-792-7223 ext. 112.

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About The Darrell Gwynn Foundation

The Darrell Gwynn Foundation (DGF) is a certified non-profit 501(c)3 Agency.  DGF exists to prevent, provide for and ultimately cure spinal cord injuries and other debilitating illnesses. To expedite specific cures, the Foundation assists in the funding of targeted research.  DGF is also dedicated to injury prevention, with special emphasis on programs targeting children.  The Foundation helps improve the quality of life for those already afflicted with injury or illness, by providing necessary equipment or special services. Additional information about DGF is found at www.darrellgwynnfoundation.org.

Media Contact: Caren Berg or Michelle Friedman of Boardroom Communications at (954) 370-8999, or cberg@boardroompr.com, mfriedman@boardroompr.com.

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