Texas Firefighters Help Children Across the Country
Holiday CD Benefits Children with Disabilities
GARLAND, Texas - FireForce, a sextet of full-time
professional firefighters and part-time vocal group
from Garland, Texas, has released Home for Christmas,
a CD of contemporary and traditional holiday songs.
Sara Pyszka, a young woman with cerebral palsy who is
unable to speak using her natural voice, but sings using
a DynaVox 3100 speech-output device is also featured.
Proceeds from the sale of the CD will be donated to
the National Organization Caring for Kids (NOCK) and
the Guns and Hoses Foundation.
NOCK provides funding to help hildren with physical
and speech disabilities access technology such as wheelchairs,
seating systems and speech-output devices. The Guns
and Hoses Foundation provides support to the families
of police and firefighters who have died in the line
of duty.
"Every member of FireForce is very excited about
this CD. As firefighters, we are committed to helping
others," said Jeff Tokar, FireForces's founder.
"We do this every day as part of our work, but
we don't often have the opportunity to help so many
on a national level. This project gives us that opportunity
through NOCK and the Guns and Hoses Foundation."
"NOCK is privileged to partner with FireForce,
and our collective hope is that thousands of special
needs kids will benefit from this fantastic CD,"
said Mitchell Owens, NOCK founder.
Home for Christmas can be purchased by visiting the
FireForce website at http://www.usafireforce.com.
The $20.00 cost includes shipping.
About FireForce
FireForce is a vocal sextet of professional career firefighters
from the Garland, Texas Fire Department. Over the past
five years, the group has sung the national anthem at
Texas Rangers baseball and Dallas Stars hockey games,
as well as Garland Star Spangled 4th concerts with:
Tracy Byrd, Tracy Lawrence, Morris Day and the Time,
Asleep at the Wheel, Rick Springfield, Styx, K.C. and
the Sunshine Band, Steppenwolf, Rick Trevino, Jeffrey
Osborn, Sonic Floor and the Newsboys.
This year, FireForce has produced a CD of holiday songs
entitled "Home for Christmas." Proceeds from
the sale of the CDs benefit the National Organization
Caring for Kids (NOCK) and the Guns and Hoses Foundation.
For more information about FireForce and Home for Christmas,
please visit http://www.usafireforce.com.
About Sara Pyszka
A college freshman at Wright State University, Sara
is unable to walk or talk due to the effects of cerebral
palsy. Sara is a bright young woman, however, who uses
a wheelchair for mobility and speaks with a DynaVox
speech-output device. Sara loves music and has studied
with Lucas Richman, former conductor of the Pittsburgh
Symphony Orchestra. She has been featured on ABC World
News with Peter Jennings in July 2005, led the Republican
National Convention in The Pledge of Allegiance in September
2004 and sung the national anthem at Cleveland Indians
and Pittsburgh Pirates baseball games. Sara has performed
original works at concerts in and around her hometown
of Pittsburgh, PA. To learn more about Sara, visit http://www.sara-sings.com.
About the National Organization Caring for
Kids (NOCK)
NOCK is a national non-profit dedicated to improving
the lives of children with special needs through the
use of assistive technology. NOCK fulfills this mission
through its two Kids Count Programs.
The Expressions program provides funding for augmentative
and alternative communication (AAC) devices. These devices
enable children, who otherwise cannot speak, to communicate
with teachers, friends and family members - sometimes
for the first time in their lives. The ability to communicate
provides an equal opportunity for education, better
social interaction and an overall improved quality of
life.
The Wheelchairs for Kids program provides funding for
wheelchairs and seating systems. Customized seating
systems offer freedom to many kids who will spend their
life in a wheelchair. A properly built and fitted seating
system cannot only provide independence for a child
but can also extend his or her life.
For more information on NOCK and its programs visit
http://www.NOCKonline.org.
About DynaVox Technologies
DynaVox Technologies applies proprietary technology
and applied research efforts to deliver a broad range
of augmentative and alternative communications tools
to improve the quality of life for adults and children
with severe speech disabilities caused by Amyotrophic
Lateral Sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease), stroke,
traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, Parkinson's
Disease, autism and mental retardation.
The Company offers a wide range of software and hardware
technology, along with an extensive customer
support program, which enables individuals and their
families to access state-of-the-art technology and reimbursement
counsel regarding the Company's suite of products. For
more information about DynaVox Technologies, visit http://www.dynavoxtech.com.
More:
For VNRs, B-roll footage, photos, backgrounders, past
press releases, or to set up an interview, please call
or email the contacts listed above.
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