Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association
1 NW OOIDA Drive, Grain Valley, MO  64029    
Web site: www.ooida.com

Contact: Norita Taylor, norita_taylor@ooida.com 
Headquarters: (800) 444-5791

(Grain Valley, Nov. 28, 2007) – The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) is helping Santa during the holiday season with a special gift to those who serve our country. OOIDA will conduct its first ever membership telethon where 10 percent of the membership fees will be matched by the Association and go toward care packages to be sent to U.S. troops stationed overseas.

The campaign takes place Dec. 3-7, 2007. Renewal members and new members can sign up anytime during the entire week. On Monday and Tuesday, “Land Line Now,” the association’s official radio show on XM Satellite Radio Channel 171, will promote the telethon during its regularly scheduled broadcast, 7-8 p.m. (EST).

“It’s a great way to encourage participation and make sure our troops get taken care of,” said OOIDA President and CEO Jim Johnston. “We know that many of our members have family serving overseas,” he added.

During the telethon, new and renewal memberships will be discounted from $45 to $25, 10 percent of which will go towards the care package funds. The Association will match the money raised, dollar for dollar. Listeners will be directed to a hotline, 1-800-444-5791, to join. Switchboard operators will be on hand for a limited time after business hours, however, some callers may be directed to a special voice mail to leave a detailed message to cover the volume of calls.

After the telethon, OOIDA will arrange and coordinate shipping the packages to arrive to the troops throughout January and February. “The Truckin’ Bozo” radio show will also help promote the campaign with interviews and several on-air mentions during the week of the campaign drive.

For more information, visit www.landlinenow.com or www.ooida.com or www.landlinemag.com.

“Land Line Now” is America’s first daily one-hour news program produced exclusively for the professional truck driver. The show is created every day at the headquarters of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association in Grain Valley, MO. OOIDA is the national trade association representing the interests of small-business trucking professionals and professional truck drivers. The Association currently has more than 157,000 members nationwide. OOIDA was established in 1973 and is headquartered in the greater Kansas City, MO, area.