Crown Royal® Heroes Project™ and Country Music Star Rodney Atkins to Honor Texas Firefighters Before Sunday Night Game in Dallas

DALLAS, Dec. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Before football fans take their seats for the highly anticipated battle between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas on Sunday, Dec. 11, Crown Royal will provide them with the opportunity to give back to Texas volunteer firefighters who have worked hard to keep Texans safe during the worst wildfire season in the state's history. As part of the Crown Royal Heroes Project – an on-going initiative by the whisky brand to honor and give back to everyday heroes—country music star Rodney Atkins will provide a free performance for fans at the stadium before the game to celebrate the courage and perseverance of the local volunteer firefighters.

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"Being a part of this on-going effort by Crown Royal to honor some of the most admirable people in our country is something really special," said Atkins. "We're looking forward to putting on a great show for Dallas fans and especially the Texas volunteer firefighters who were pushed to the limits this year."

Award-winning artist Atkins will take to the stage in the East Plaza of Cowboys Stadium one hour prior to kick-off with a special performance dedicated to members of the Texas Wildfire Relief Fund. Adult fans 21 and above attending the game will be able to show their support for the Texas-based charity by packing commemorative versions of the Crown Royal purple bags with items to be sent overseas.

"The Crown Royal Heroes Project continues to shine a spotlight on some of the most deserving individuals and organizations in our country," said Yvonne Briese, VP Marketing, DIAGEO North American Whisky. "We look forward to providing Dallas fans with the opportunity to demonstrate their passion for heroes both on and off the field, as well as attend a special performance by one of country music's hottest stars."

Crown Royal will donate $10 to the Texas Wildfire Relief Fund for every bag packed by fans before the start of the game. The Texas Wildfire Relief Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to generating awareness for volunteer firefighters in Texas.   Members of the organization will be invited to attend the game and receive VIP access during the at Atkins concert.

Former football standout Warrick Dunn, Founder of the Warrick Dunn Family Foundation, will also make an appearance at the Crown Royal Heroes Project bag stuffing event to show his support. Dunn and Atkins will be working with the Crown Royal Heroes Project throughout the course of the next year, helping to raise money and awareness for America's heroes.

Fans unable to attend this or any future Crown Royal Heroes Project events are encouraged to visit Facebook.com/CrownRoyal to help support Crown Royal's efforts to show appreciation to servicemen and women. The "Message the Troops" tab allows adult consumers to write personal messages to troops that will be embroidered on an iconic Crown Royal purple bag or printed on a postcard to accompany the care packages.  

This along with a series of additional regional events will build momentum for an ultimate celebration of heroes, the Crown Royal Presents the "Your Hero's Name Here 400" at the Brickyard. The annual race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 29, 2012 will mark the sixth time that Crown Royal has awarded race naming rights to an adult racing fan. The race in Indianapolis will recognize all unsung heroes, from firefighters and police officers, to local volunteers and military. 

Beginning in February, race fans can nominate their own personal heroes for a chance at naming rights to the race. The winner will be determined by consumer vote and will be celebrated in Indianapolis with true "purple carpet" treatment, including waving the green flag and delivering the trophy bearing his or her name to the winner of the race in Victory Lane.

About Crown Royal

Crown Royal Canadian whisky is the number one selling Canadian whisky brand in the US by value and has a tradition as long and distinctive as its taste. Specially blended to commemorate a grand tour of Canada made by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain in 1939, Crown Royal Canadian whisky's smooth, elegant style reflects its aristocratic origins and is considered the epitome of Canadian whisky. For more information visit www.crownroyal.com. Crown Royal encourages all football fans to celebrate responsibly.

About Diageo

Diageo (Dee-AH-Gee-O) is the world's leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, wines and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, J&B, Baileys, Cuervo, Tanqueray, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines.

Diageo is a global company, trading in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE).

For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit us at Diageo.com. For our global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit DRINKiQ.com.

About Rodney Atkins
Platinum-selling singer/songwriter Rodney Atkins has an impressive track record with hitting on sentiments that strike a chord with the country listener: landing six number one hits from his first three albums ("If You're Going Through Hell," "Watching You," "It's America," 'Cleaning This Gun," "These Are My People," "Take A Back Road," and "Farmer's Daughter," which quickly skyrocketed to platinum,) and he's sold over four million singles in the past five years alone. His latest album Take A Back Road hit stores Oct. 4th and features lead single and title track "Take A Back Road," which has propelled him to even bigger heights with its irresistibly catchy chorus and easygoing, windows-down, breezy summer vibe. It held the No. 1 spot on the Country Billboard charts for two weeks in a row. In 2007, Rodney was named ACM's Top New Male Vocalist and the same year, he garnered Billboard's Most Played Song of the Year award for "Watching You," among numerous other award recognitions. Since the start of his success, Rodney has appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, The Early Show on CBS, Good Morning America, Fox & Friends, CNN Headline News and many more. He is also the national spokesperson for CHEVY Silverado and the National Council for Adoption. For more information on Rodney Atkins, visit www.rodneyatkins.com

About the Texas Wildfire Relief Fund

The Texas Wildfire Relief Fund is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) committed to generating awareness and garnering support for Texas volunteer firefighters. The organization is working to provide the necessary resources to firefighters in need, including equipment, water, and food, as well as to ensure Texas is prepared for future wildfire disaster relief. For more information on the Texas Wildfire Relief Fund, visit www.txwildfirerelief.org.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Nicole Anastasi
Taylor Strategy
704-644-6921
[email protected]

Mike DaRe
Diageo North America
646-223-2016
[email protected]

SOURCE Diageo