Press Release

Habitat for Humanity of Orange County Announces Second Annual Blaze of Glory Poker Run

Proceeds to benefit "Habitat for Heroes and Foundations for Families"™ Development in San Juan Capistrano

Santa Ana, CA, March 31, 2009--Habitat for Humanity of Orange County is proud to announce that our 2nd Annual Blaze of Glory poker run will be held on May 9, 2009. The motorcycle ride will be attended by hundreds of riders as well as Grand Marshal Robert Patrick - best known for his performance as the "T-1000" in "Terminator 2: Judgment Day." Patrick is currently starring as Colonel Tom Ryan in the CBS television series "The Unit."

The Blaze of Glory poker run route will take you from the Irvine Auto Center, through beautiful Santiago Canyon, to Oakley's headquarters in Foothill Ranch. There the ride will conclude with lunch, vendor displays, live music, entertainment, silent auction and an opportunity drawing for a 2009 Harley-Davidson 1200 Nightster, a 2009 Yamaha Raptor and six months free Cox High Speed Internet Preferred Service. Poker run prizes include $250 for best hand, $150 for worst hand and $250 for chapter challenge.

The fundraising ride will benefit Habitat for Humanity of Orange County's "Habitat for Heroes and Foundations for Families"™ development in San Juan Capistrano. It will assist in raising funds and awareness for homes which are being marketed to combat-disabled veterans and/or their surviving families.

The Blaze of Glory is for all motorcycle riders, co-riders and spectators who enjoy the sport and recreation of open road riding.

Pre-registration: $35 per bike, co-rider $25 (includes ride pin to first 1,000). Day of event: $45 per bike, co-rider $35, $5 discount for military with I.D. Lunch is provided with registration. T-shirts are available for sale during pre-registration for $15 on or before May 1, $20 after May 1.

Sign up now! For more information and a registration form, please go to: Blaze of Glory

About Habitat for Humanity of Orange County

Celebrating 20 years of changing lives and changing communities in Orange County. 130 houses built in Orange County
Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, headquartered in Santa Ana, CA, is dedicated to ending substandard housing and building strong communities in Orange County. Habitat uses non-government donations of funding, materials, professional services and volunteer labor to build simple, decent homes which are sold to qualified low-income families for a 1% down payment, closing costs, and a zero-interest mortgage. Mortgage payments are recycled to build more Habitat homes. Habitat families contribute 500 hours of "sweat equity" to the program by building their own home, helping another Habitat family build a home, or working in some other area of the Habitat organization. Habitat for Humanity families and volunteers have built 130 homes in Orange County since 1988, and are currently building eight homes in San Juan Capistrano.

27 homes to be built in San Juan Capistrano
Habitat for Humanity of Orange County’s Habitat for Heroes and Foundations for Families™ development of 27 homes at the end of Calle Rolando will be built in phases.  Framing for the first four homes began on July 2, 2008.  The second four homes were framed on October 3, 2008.  Funding for the land on which these homes are being built was donated by the City of San Juan Capistrano Redevelopment Agency.  Funds for building these homes have been generously donated by The HTN Foundation; Bank of America; the Orange County Realtors Partnership, which consists of the Orange County Association of REALTORS®, Laguna Board of REALTORS®, and Newport Beach Association of REALTORS®; an anonymous donor;  the Steve Tisch Foundation; Toshiba America Business Solutions; the Presbyterian Partnership; St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Dana Point; Hyundai Motor America; the Van Cleve Foundation; and more than a thousand other local donors.

300,000 houses built worldwide
Habitat for Humanity of Orange County is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, an ecumenical Christian housing ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat International has built more than 300,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1.5 million people. Habitat for Humanity International is currently the 16th largest homebuilder in the United States, according to Builder OnLine magazine.

For more information about Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, please call (714) 434-6200 extension 229 or visit our Web site at habitatoc.org.

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