PRESS RELEASE: Grand Finale Set for Santa Clara Valley Medical Center

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
JEFF DERDERIAN/"Feel the Burn Ride 07"
PHONE NUMBER-(401) 441-7823
jeffderderian@hotmail.com

Cross-Country Ride for Burn Survivors Grand Finale Set for Santa Clara Valley Medical Center

Firefighter Faces Huge Obstacles But Keeps Going To Support Survivors

EDITOR'S NOTES:

* Interview/Photo Opportunity - Interviews with Mike Manning call 401-441-7823 to schedule

* Photos available at: www.feeltheburn2007.blogspot.com/



SAN JOSE, CA, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20TH - Ohio Firefighter Mike Manning will crossing the finish line of his extraordinary journey at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center on June 20th as part of a 3,100 mile cross-country trek from Boston to San Jose. The inaugural event, called "Feel the Burn '07," is part of Manning's mission to raise $100,000 and important awareness for burn survivors across the United States. A huge welcoming party for Manning is planned for noon in San Jose on June 20th. The event will bring together all of the people who provide important and meaningful assistance and care within the burn community every day. The festivities will include:

* A motorcycle escort from the Iron Warriors Motorcycle Club as Mike rides his bicycle across the official finish line tape where he'll be greeted by local firefighters

* Live Performance by the "Valley Medical Center Idols Band" which is doing a special performance in honor of Mike

* A home style Barbecue

* Speaking program where Mike will share his journey over the last number of weeks with burn survivors, families, medical staff, and volunteers

* An official signing ceremony where all attendees will have the chance to sign Mike's bicycle

Manning's journey has taken him across 13 states to generate financial support for the Phoenix-Society for Burn Survivors, a national non-profit burn survivor assistance group based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Every penny collected towards the $100,000 goal is going to assist the needs and recovery services of burn survivors. Manning has been staying at fire stations from coast to coast to avoid using donation money for food and lodging.

The trip has had its share of challenges. After leaving Shriners Hospital in Boston on May 8th on his bicycle, Mike suffered an injury on the road that prevented him for pedaling his bicycle one more mile. Forced with the heart-wrenching decision of quitting, Mike came up with the idea of continuing his trek on his fire chief's Harley Davidson. As fate would have it, Mike was involved in an accident in Las Vegas and luckily wasn't seriously injured. Now, with his injury healed that occurred in May, Mike can finish this one-man journey the way he started---on his bicycle.

"It's a bit ironic, many burn survivors set out to do something in a certain way but often have to alter things---Now, I'm doing the same thing and I'm committed to finishing this ride. In a small way, I was tested like burn survivors are in their recovery. My body has limitations but I realized with support from others I can still accomplish the goal--just in a different way. They have encouraged and inspired me to go on no matter what" Manning said. Manning first came up with this nationwide campaign after selling his VW bus on E-bay and giving all of the proceeds to a burn survivor in need of help.

Amy Acton of the Phoenix-Society for Burn Survivors adds, "The entire burn community from burn survivors, healthcare providers and the fire fighters who every day give to the burn community have been simply outstanding in their support for Mike and his ride." All money raised is going to the Phoenix-Society for Burn Survivors, which has 30-year history of helping people and is dedicated to empowering anyone affected by a burn injury through peer support, education, and advocacy.

For more information on the Phoenix-Society for Burn Survivors, go to www.phoenix-society.org

For Mike's schedule in Sacramento please call 401-441-7823 or e-mail jeffderderian@hotmail.com

To read Mike's inspirational diary entries from the road and see the amazing people who have helped with this trek, go to: www.feeltheburn2007.blogspot.com/

Press Availability for Burn Center b-roll or interviews with Burn Center staff on Tuesday AM or day of event (6/20), please contact Joy Alexiou at 408.885.4164.

We're Getting Close!!!! Yay!!!!

As we get ready for the grand finale of the Feel the Burn 2007 in San Jose we are very excited. I know this fundraiser is far from over but want to write some thoughts down for all of you before I am overcome with the daunting task of finding a full-time job to provide for my family. We have raised over $15,000 (thanks to many of you reading this right now) and donations are still coming in, I have visited 9 burn centers:

-Boston Shriner's Hospital
-Ohio State University Burn Center, Columbus OH
-Riley Burn Center, Indianapolis IN
-Memorial Medical Center, Springfield IL
-Burnett Burn Center at U of Kansas Hospital, Kansas City KS
-Via Christy Regional Medical Center, Wichita KS
-University of Colorado at Denver Burn Center, Denver CO
-Denver Children's Hospital, Denver CO
-The Arizona Burn Center, Phoenix AZ

and given out, with the help of 2 Germantown Fire Fighters, over 50 toys, crayons, books, and stuffed animals. I have received many calls from burn survivors I've never met before expressing their gratitude and kindness regarding what we ALL have accomplished. Many nurses and doctors expressed their thanks to the Phoenix Society and to all firefighters for what we do and how we always remember that there are burn patients and burn survivors. I have met many burn survivors who instantly became some of my closest friends and visited over 21 firehouses:

Branford, CT
Hartford, CT
Bloomingburg, NY
Dalton, PA
Canton, PA
Coudersport, PA
Germantown, OH
Martinsville, IN
Springfield FD, Springfield IL
Little Dixie Fire Protection District, Mexico, MO 573.581.6235 Chief Hoover c573-473-4001
Kansas City FD, Kansas City MO
Wichita FD, Wichita KS
Grant County FD, Ulysses, KS
Trinidad FD, Trinidad, CO 81082
Denver Fire Rescue, Denver CO
La Veta FD, La Veta, CO
Durango Fire and Rescue, Durango, CO
Phoenix Fire Rescue, Phoenix AZ
Las Vegas Fire Rescue, Las Vegas, NV
Sacramento FD, Sacramento, CA
San Jose FD, San Jose, CA

I have helped people look at the bright side of being in the closely knit burn community and they have helped me understand that helping others, and allowing others to help is priceless.

The Phoenix Society is an amazing organization. I knew it was when I started but feel it with much more conviction now. Every fire department and hospital I visited was touched at how the Phoenix Society fills a much needed void in burncare today. They all wished they could join me on this journey and that just shows the commitment and caring that is in the full circle of burncare; from first responder, to hospital, to therapy, to the Phoenix Society. There are so many people who have benefited from the Phoenix Society's matrix of support; burn survivors, their families and friends, healthcare workers, firefighters, and the hundreds of people who have donated to this fundraiser, especially Chief Anding whose Harley is such an inspirational symbol of the energy in all of us powering this ride forward. Giving is a beautiful thing isn't it - it helps the one who gives as well as the one who receives. Awesome.

I do not have any commitments this week so I am taking some time off from traveling right now, getting some much needed rest. I have made a change to the finale in San Jose. I am recently 100% healed from my cycling injury and want to finish on my bicycle, the one with so many signatures from burn survivors I've met along this great journey. I will be leaving Sacramento on June 19th to finish the final leg of the journey on my bicycle, arriving in San Jose on the 20th. This is how I want to finish this coast to coast journey of raising awareness of the Phoenix Society and those whom they help.

I will not be posting much this week as I gear up for San Jose and focus my thoughts on what good we ALL have accomplished. I will post all of the details of the San Jose reception party as they come in though. The world is definitely a better place because of this fundraiser, I truly believe that. From the bottom of my big warm heart, I want to thank all of you out there who have donated, supported, given me water, given me food, given me a place to sleep, washed my clothes, given me clothes, driven me places when my legs we so tired, let me use your internet connection, let me ride in your firetrucks on calls, given me hope, made me laugh, made me cry, bought me drinks, given me directions (good and bad), given me toys (thank you Target), and shared your burn survivor stories with me. I also want to send a big thank you to Jani Spede and the Clemson University marketing class who helped get the word out on this fundraiser and helped focus our efforts before my tires even hit the road.

There are some phrases in the English language that fall short from the meaning we are attaching to them. "Thank You" is one of these phrases that I want to use for three individuals who are/were such a big part of this fundraiser but feel it is inadequate. I would like to say "Mahalo" instead. Mahalo is Hawaiian for thanks and gratitude, and also thanks for all that is, I have said it only a handful of times in my life. My friend Big Will from Hawaii (the Big Island) explained to me that it is the deepest way of showing appreciation and love of someone with your spirit. You say it with your spirit and your voice simultaneously. I say Mahalo to four individuals right now: Amy Acton (Executive Director of the Phoenix Society), my good friend Jeff Derderian (the person behind the scenes of all of the media support we have received), and my lovely cousin Kathy Greenler (internet guru, positive influence, and the one who set up the blog), and Chief Scott Anding (new Daddy) who donated his motorcycle to this cause. These four people are very special to me and have transformed part of my spirit during this fundraiser, and for that I say Mahalo to you all.

See you in San Jose my friends, stay posted for event details.

Your friend,

Mike Manning