Supporting Veterans: U-Haul to Sponsor Freedom Team at Hope & Possibility 4M Race

Supporting Veterans: U-Haul to Sponsor Freedom Team at Hope & Possibility 4M Race

Achilles International's 16th annual event will bring together disabled and able-bodied athletes on Sunday, June 24 in Central Park

PHOENIX and NEW YORK, June 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans will have a veteran-founded moving company in its corner and on its race jerseys come Sunday in Central Park.

U-Haul has proudly signed on as a $20,000 sponsor to support the Freedom Team at the 2018 Hope & Possibility race – a four-mile, fan-favorite event that New York City is hosting for the 16th year.

The 50 members of the Freedom Team will race at 8:55 a.m. after the handcycle and wheelchair participants get going, and before the 9 a.m. main start. U-Haul will have a team of participants as well comprised of local and veteran Team Members.

U-Haul Company's sponsorship ensures the Achilles Freedom Team will have all of its airline tickets, ground transportation, accommodations, meals and entry fees covered.

"We are thrilled to have U-Haul return as the sponsor of our 16th annual Achilles Hope and Possibility 4-Miler, which is now the largest race in the world that embraces people with disabilities," said Dick Traum, Founder and President of Achilles International.

"U-Haul support has helped significantly improve the lives of our nation's wounded veterans and people with disabilities, giving them the opportunity to achieve in mainstream racing events. On behalf of all the athletes we serve, thank you for your steadfast commitment and dedication!"

Achilles launched the Freedom Team program in 2004 to address the specific needs of wounded U.S. military members. Participants receive training and the use of specialized adaptive devices, such as hand-crank wheelchairs. While the ultimate goal is to complete a marathon, the program stresses achievable accomplishment, encouraging participants to begin by training for competitions such as the Hope & Possibility race.

Since the program's inception, Achilles has worked with the physical therapists at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., and Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego, Calif., to assist participants. Learn more or make a donation to the Freedom Team program by visiting achillesinternational.org/freedom-team.

"Supporting our veterans and military is at the core of who and what we are," stated Jeff Sonberg, U-Haul Company of Manhattan Bronx president. "The Achilles Freedom Team is a special group of men and women. They have our admiration. It's our honor to be part of this event, and to promote their participation and service to our country."

Founded by a U.S. Navy veteran and his wife in 1945 as WWII was ending, U-Haul was built on the backs of many veterans and small business owners who chose to serve their communities as U-Haul neighborhood dealers. The Company's earliest customers were veterans returning from war and moving their families to a new life.

Today, U-Haul dedicates a significant portion of its community work and charity support to organizations and initiatives that address veterans' needs. U-Haul has been honored repeatedly as a leading veteran-friendly U.S. employers and continues to place a major emphasis on recruiting and hiring veterans.

Go to uhauljobs.com to find a U-Haul career near you.

About U-Haul

Since 1945, U-Haul has been the No. 1 choice of do-it-yourself movers, with a network of more than 21,000 locations across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. U-Haul Truck Share 24/7 now offers customers access to U-Haul trucks every hour of every day through the self-service options on their internet-connected mobile devices. U-Haul customers' patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to more than 150,000 trucks, 112,000 trailers and 40,000 towing devices. U-Haul offers more than 581,000 rooms and more than 51 million square feet of self-storage space at owned and managed facilities throughout North America. U-Haul is the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry and is the largest retailer of propane in the U.S.

Contact:
Jeff Lockridge
Sebastien Reyes
E-mail: publicrelations@uhaul.com 
Phone: 602-263-6981
Website: uhaul.com

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SOURCE U-Haul