Synergy Production Group Announces Hoops of Hope All-Stars Tour, the World's Largest Free Throw Festival, to Raise Money for AIDS Orphans in Africa

NASHVILLE, Tenn., November 19, 2009 — Synergy Production Group today announced the 2010 launch of the Hoops of Hope All-Stars Tour to raise funds for projects benefiting AIDS orphans in Africa. Deemed "the world's largest free throw festival," the events will take place across 12 cities throughout the United States, beginning in April through August 2010.

The Hoops of Hope All-Stars Tour (www.hoopsofhopeallstars.com/) will benefit Hoops of Hope, a non-profit organization founded in 2003 by then nine-year-old Austin Gutwein. Austin was moved to action after seeing a video by World Vision, a relief organization, about a girl named Maggie from Zambia who lost both her parents to AIDS. Austin was sponsored a dollar a shot by friends and businesses to shoot 2,057 free throws on World AIDS Day, one for every child orphaned from AIDS during an average school day. Since then, Hoops of Hope events have helped fund a school, medical clinic, water system and two orphan hope centers in Zambia.

"After meeting Austin and hearing his story, we knew immediately we would join the cause. He is truly inspirational. Our entire team has been moved to action to help Austin take this to a new level," said Carl Taylor, CEO of Franklin, Tennessee based Synergy Production Group, producer of the events. "Hoops of Hope has raised more than $1.5 million to date in its six-year existence. We want to quadruple that amount in the next 12 months by combining our production strength with Austin's passion to help others," Taylor said. One hundred percent of funds raised by free throw shooting go directly to projects across twelve African communities.

Below is the schedule of events in each U.S. city with corresponding aid recipient areas and types of projects: