Texas Firefighters Help Children Across the Country

Texas Firefighters Help Children Across the Country

Holiday CD Benefits Children with Disabilities

GARLAND, Texas, Nov. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- 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 children 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 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 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 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 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 www.dynavoxtech.com.

Source: FireForce

CONTACT: Jeff Tokar of FireForce, +1-972-205-2272, or
JTokar@ci.garland.tx.us; or Mitchell Owens of the National Organization Caring
for Kids, +1-419-630-7273, or mowens@nockonline.org; or Joanne Kaufmann of
DynaVox Technologies, +1-412-222-7837, or Joanne.kaufmann@dynavoxtech.com

Web site: http://www.usafireforce.com/
http://www.sara-sings.com/
http://www.nockonline.org/
http://www.dynavoxtech.com/

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