Chevrolet to be the Official Vehicle of the Army-Navy Game

Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans to Receive New 2011 Silverado HD

Chevrolet will kick off a three-year partnership as the Official Vehicle of the Army-Navy Game presented by USAA. This year will be the 111th meeting of the U.S. Military Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy.  

During the game, Chevrolet also will present a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado to the Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans. The Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans is a part of Achilles International, which provides support to athletes and veterans with disabilities in gyms, parks, and tracks all over the world.

The Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans, formed at Walter Reed Medical Center, is dedicated to inspiring wounded veterans to complete a marathon, but stresses “achievable accomplishment” of any form. The Silverado HD will be used by the Freedom Team to transport athletes and equipment necessary to compete in marathons across the country. 

“We appreciate Chevrolet’s continued support of our military and veterans and look forward to Chevrolet being part of America’s Game,” said Jon Starrett, senior associate athletic director, U.S. Naval Academy.

“Chevrolet and the Army have worked hand-in-hand since the Chevrolet Suburban was used for troop transport in World War II,” said Bob Beretta, senior executive associate athletic director, U.S. Military Academy. “And we look forward to Chevrolet’s continued support.”

The partnerships with the Army-Navy game and Achilles International continue Chevrolet’s long-standing support of servicemen and women, according the Chris Perry, vice president Chevrolet marketing:

“We at Chevrolet would like to give something back to those who give so much to our country,” said Perry. “For more than a century the Army-Navy Game which has represented the honor and pride of the Armed Forces that transcends the game of football. We are also proud to support the Freedom Team athletes, who serve as inspirations for all Americans.”

Other Chevrolet efforts to support military personnel include a recent donation of 11,000 hours of prepaid calling cards to troops serving in Afghanistan.

The donation was made possible by Chevrolet and the GM Military Discount program, which collected more than 20,000 cell phones at Chevrolet locations and events across the country. The phones were donated to Cell Phones for Soldiers, a non-profit organization that recycles cell phones and uses the proceeds to provide calling cards for troops serving overseas.

The GM Military Discount is offered to all active and Reserve members – and their spouses – of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, National Guard and Coast Guard. Discounts range based on the suggested retail price of the vehicle purchased. The program also offers an additional $750 discount for members of USAA. Both the GM Military Discount and USAA member discount are available on all Chevrolet models, except the $111,000 Corvette ZR-1. More information can be found at www.gmmilitarydiscount.com.

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Chevrolet Helps Get 11,000 Hours Talk Time for Soldiers

Eleven thousand hours of talk time won’t bring far away relatives physically closer, but it can go a long way in curing homesickness for soldiers overseas.

Chevrolet’s efforts in the Cell Phones for Soldiers program so far has helped collect 20,000 cell phones, more than enough to provide 2,200 pre-paid calling cards with 300 minutes each to a group of soldiers in Afghanistan.

“These cards will provide our camp population with six months worth of calls, more than enough to call home for every holiday or family event from Thanksgiving to Mother’s Day,” said Col. Liana L. Bratland, Director of Human Resources/CJ1 for NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan/Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan. “That connection to home is a big morale booster for the troops and their families.” 

As an extension of the GM Military Discount Program, Chevrolet has been supporting Cell Phones for Soldiers since May. To date, Chevrolet has helped collect more phones for the cause at collection boxes in a variety of locations from General Motors headquarters to auto shows around the country.

In the days leading to Thanksgiving, Chevy is partnering with the Livonia Public Schools in suburban Detroit to host a contest among six schools to see which can collect the most used cell phones. Chevy is providing an additional 2, 000 prepaid calling cards and that students can send to troops serving overseas.

“Many of our own students have family members who have served overseas,” said Dr. Randy Liepa, Superintendent of Livonia Public Schools. “We look forward to working with Cell Phones for Soldiers and Chevrolet to support the families who are sacrificing their holidays to serve our country.”

All phones collected for Cell Phones for Soldiers are recycled, and the proceeds are used to purchase prepaid calling cards for members of the U.S. Armed Forces. The registered 501(C)3 was founded in 2004 by brother and sister Robbie and Brittany Bergquist.  To date, they have provided more than 60 million minutes of free calling cards through a national network of individual and corporate supporters.

For more information, please visit www.gmmilitarydiscount.com.

Phillips Chevrolet has Illinois’ Largest Chevy Inventory! We have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and are one of the Largest Chevy Dealers in the United States. Visit us at www.phillipschevy.com. View our specials! Follow Phillips Chevrolet on Facebook and Twitter to receive coupons, special offers and prizes!

Chevrolet Raising $1 Million to Help Troops Call Home

As an extension of the GM Military Discount program, Chevrolet is launching a year-long campaign to raise $1 million to support Cell Phones for Soldiers.

To reach that goal, Chevrolet is calling on GM employees, NASCAR fans, and Chevrolet dealers across the country to donate unwanted, gently used cell phones for recycling. Proceeds will be used to provide pre-paid calling cards to troops serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.

“We feel Cell Phones for Soldiers is a worthy cause that fits well with GM’s long-standing commitment to support the men and women serving our country,” said Mark Degnan, GM director of Local Advertising, Marketing and Training. “Personally, with a brother and a nephew in active duty in Iraq, I know how important every call home can be for soldiers overseas, and their families at home.”

Cell Phones for Soldiers was founded in 2004 by brother and sister Robbie and Brittany Bergquist. To date, they have provided more than 60 million minutes of free calling cards through a national network of individual and corporate supporters.

Cell Phones for Soldiers recently announced a new campaign to offer free cell phones to armed forces returning from service in Iraq and Afghanistan. Returning troops can receive a refurbished phone, preloaded with a month’s worth of calling time, to help them restart their lives after active duty.

To help raise funds for Cell Phones for Soldiers, Chevrolet’s effort will include:

• Encouraging all 77,000 GM employees in the United States to donate their used personal phones to the program.

• Placing collection boxes for used cell phones at Chevrolet dealers nationwide.

• Introducing Cell Phones for Soldiers to millions of race fans at 16 Chevy Racing events throughout the 2010 race season (schedule below). In May, Dale Earnhardt Jr. introduced Cell Phones for Soldiers to NASCAR fans at Richmond International Raceway.

Individuals who would like to support the cause also can download a pre-paid mailing label at www.gmmilitarydiscount.com/phone, to ship donations of one to 100 used cell phones.

“There are more than 130 million phones retired every year in the United States,” said Robbie Bergquist, “If just 2 percent of Americans were to donate their unwanted phones, we could supply every soldier with a free call home – and a small measure of our national gratitude.”

Cell Phones for Soldiers will be featured at these Chevy Racing Events in 2010:

July 2-3 Daytona
July 23-25 Indianapolis
July 30-August 1 Pocono
August 13-15 Michigan
September 3-5 Atlanta
September 10-11 Richmond
September 24-26 Dover
October 1-3 Kansas
October 8-10 Fontana

Phillips Chevrolet has Illinois' Largest Chevy Inventory! We have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and are one of the Largest Chevy Dealers in the United States. Visit us at www.phillipschevy.com. View our specials!