APPLETON, Wis. (December 9, 2011) - Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation [NYSE: OSK] company, and Harley-Davidson Motor Company [NYSE: HOG] today awarded Fire Chief Kevin Barnes of the Rescue Hose Company No. 1 in Greencastle, Penn., a Harley-Davidson® Street Glide® motorcycle as the winner in the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) Full Throttle Support 3 sweepstakes. The motorcycle is on display at the International Motorcycle Show in Long Beach, Calif. The NFFF Full Throttle Support campaign recently completed its third consecutive year and has, in that time, generated donations of $275,000 to assist the NFFF.
Chief Barnes has been a member of Rescue Hose Company No. 1 since 1979, and was named its chief in 2006. "We are blessed to be able to regularly support the important cause and work of the NFFF," said Chief Barnes. "In the fire service, we care for our own. And the NFFF honors those who have lost their lives in the line of duty and sustains their families and loved ones with important support programs. The commitment of Pierce and Harley-Davidson speaks volumes about the importance both companies place on helping the families of these fallen heroes."
"I've been riding for about 40 years," continued Barnes, "and the fire service and motorcycles are two of my passions. Living close to the NFFF headquarters, I hope to display the bike at events and use it in whatever way I can to help generate awareness and funds for the Foundation. I’m very excited to take this awesome bike on the open road!"
Pierce senior vice president of sales Dan Peters added, "Pierce and its dealer family is proud to support the NFFF Full Throttle initiative. It is now the longest running and most successful charitable fundraising program we’ve ever been associated with. Since its inception, NFFF Full Throttle Support has generated $275,000 for this truly worthwhile endeavor. The money donated supports the noble mission of NFFF to honor the memory of firefighters who have lost their lives by assisting their families."
Since its inception, NFFF Full Throttle Support has generated close to 20,000 individual donations to the NFFF. The NFFF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring the memory of America’s fallen firefighters as it allocates resources to aid their surviving spouses and children with scholarship assistance for educational and job training costs, and for peer networks that offer families and coworkers essential emotional support.
"On behalf of Harley-Davidson Motor Company, and our dealers and riders, we’re honored, for the third consecutive year, to play a role with Pierce to champion the NFFF Full Throttle Support campaign. Harley-Davidson is proud and delighted to be a sponsor of this important cause," said Steve St. Thomas, Harley-Davidson Motor Company director, Police and Fleet Sales.
Cathy Hedrick, NFFF corporate relations specialist, said, "The NFFF is appreciative of the support given to us by both Pierce and Harley-Davidson. Without their commitment to the families of the fallen, our programs and services would not be as effective as they have been. NFFF Full Throttle Support has been one of our premiere corporate fundraising efforts, and we’re very happy that a fire chief and motorcycle enthusiast such as Chief Barnes has won this amazing bike."
