ThanksUSA and Country Music Stars Band Together for Families of Military Service Members

WASHINGTON, April 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- ThanksUSA  announced a country music benefit concert in support of military families, starring Rodney Atkins, following his sixth No. 1 hit, and award-winning country and Christian contemporary artist Lucas Hoge.  The performance will kick off the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) show at 7:30 p.m. on April 15 at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas.

"These dynamic performers are sure to be a hit with NAB Show attendees," said NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith. "The concert is also a wonderful opportunity for our attendees to give something back by supporting America's military families who have given so much for our country."

The musical fundraising event is part of ThanksUSA's ongoing mission to say "thanks" to America's service men and women through the gift of education for their children and spouses.  The non-profit provides the families of active-duty military personnel with need-based post-secondary school scholarships. Since its inception in 2006, ThanksUSA has awarded 2,500 scholarships totaling nearly $7.5 million across all the Armed Forces, including the Guard and Reserves, and the families of the fallen and wounded.

"Offering a helping hand to ensure their children's and spouse's future through education as our service members secure our nation's freedom is the least we can do," said Bob Okun, Chairman and CEO of ThanksUSA.  "We're also excited to be able to show our appreciation by inviting 400 military families from nearby Nellis Air Force Base to enjoy top-flight entertainment free of charge."

In its own tribute to the troops, American Airlines is providing complimentary flights for the singers and their bands.

"Giving back to those in uniform and their families is a cause that American's employees and customers are very passionate about," said Captain Jim Palmersheim, Managing Director - American Airlines Veterans Initiatives. "This is a wonderful way to help raise funds for our long-time partner, ThanksUSA, and the organization's scholarships benefitting military spouses and children. We are honored to help make this concert possible."

The concert will also be streamed live to troops around the globe by TV Worldwide, a pioneering Internet TV Channel network, as part of its long-time Annual NAB "Salute the Troops" webcast.

"We're pleased to have again been selected to deploy our TV Worldwide Internet TV network to support ThanksUSA's NAB Country Music Concert to benefit families of military service members," stated Dave Gardy, Chairman and CEO of TV Worldwide.   "This will be our 11th consecutive year of demonstrating the latest in Internet TV technology by webcasting video greetings live from the NAB Show to the troops worldwide on US Vets TV and we wanted to produce something special to commence the 2012 webcast."

About ThanksUSA

ThanksUSA began in 2005 when two Virginia schoolgirls set out to mobilize Americans to thank active-duty troops for defending our freedoms. The organization provides need-based scholarships to the children and spouses of active-duty status military. Scholarships have been awarded in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to families representing all branches of the Armed Forces, including the National Guard and Reserves, and the families of the wounded and fallen. For more information, visit www.ThanksUSA.org.

About NAB Show

NAB Show, held April 14-19 in Las Vegas, is the world's largest electronic media show covering filmed entertainment and the development, management and delivery of content across all mediums. With more than 90,000 attendees from 151 countries and 1,500+ exhibitors, NAB Show is the ultimate marketplace for digital media and entertainment. From creation to consumption, across multiple platforms and countless nationalities, the NAB Show is home to the solutions that transcend traditional broadcasting and embrace content delivery to new screens in new ways. Complete details are available at www.nabshow.com.

About American Airlines

American Airlines, American Eagle and the AmericanConnection® carrier serve 260 airports in more than 50 countries and territories with, on average, more than 3,300 daily flights. The combined network fleet numbers more than 900 aircraft. American's award-winning website, AA.com®, provides users with easy access to check and book fares, plus personalized news, information and travel offers. American Airlines is a founding member of the oneworld® alliance, which brings together some of the best and biggest names in the airline business, enabling them to offer their customers more services and benefits than any airline can provide on its own. Together, its members and members-elect serve more than 900 destinations with more than 10,000 daily flights to 149 countries and territories. American Airlines, Inc. and American Eagle Airlines, Inc. are subsidiaries of AMR Corporation. AmericanAirlines, American Eagle, AmericanConnection, AA.com, and AAdvantage are trademarks of American Airlines, Inc. AMR Corporation common stock trades under the symbol "AAMRQ" on the OTCQB marketplace, operated by OTC Markets Group.

AMR Corporation, and certain of its United States-based subsidiaries, including American Airlines, Inc. and AMR Eagle Holding Corporation, filed voluntary petitions on Nov. 29 for Chapter 11 reorganization in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. More information about the Chapter 11 filing is available on the Internet at http://aa.com/restructuring.

About TV Worldwide

Founded in 1999, TV Worldwide (www.tvworldwide.com) developed the first Internet TV network of community-based Internet TV channels, primarily targeting niche professional communities ranging from the Maritime industry to the Digital Media sector. Known by many in the industry as "Intelligent Internet TV," Fortune 500 companies, 30 government agencies, and numerous International associations including the National Association of Broadcasters utilize TV Worldwide's live and archived state-of-the art video streaming content applications and Internet TV channels. In recognition of the company's unique achievements in new media, TV Worldwide was selected by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) to webcast past Daytime Emmy Awards and the Emmy awards for Technology and Engineering. CEO Dave Gardy has been honored by Streaming Media Magazine in 2008 as one of the 25 Most Influential People in Streaming Media. Mr. Gardy also currently serves as the President of the International Webcasting Association (IWA).

Media Contact:
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Email: [email protected]

SOURCE ThanksUSA