Families of Colleagues Killed in Sept. 11. Attacks to be Helped by New Travel & Hospitality Industries Foundation

'Our Own Foundation to Hold Online Raffles of Donated Travel Packages & Variety of Other Items, Host Launch Party --

Stamford, CT -- February 13, 2002 -- Today the travel and hospitality industries collectively launched a gift fund, 'Our Own, (www.our-own.org) to generate direct financial assistance for the families of their colleagues killed in the September 11 terrorist attacks. The Foundation will employ a unique fundraising vehicle; raising money via ongoing online raffles of everything from digital cameras to Bermuda vacations to the opportunity to pitch venture capitalists a business idea. The Foundation is actively seeking businesses and individuals to donate any item or service, large or small, to raffle off between now and February 7, 2003. The funds raised will be distributed throughout the year directly to the estates of the victims; 14 meeting and conference planners, 2 hotel employees, 33 flight crew members, 7 travel agents, 1 association executive, 1 student and 3 airline support personnel.

"Our Own was created to provide direct financial support to the families from our industries so devastated by the tragedies of 9-11," said Peggy Lee, Chairman and Founder of Our Own. We want to give back to the families of the 61 loved ones who gave to the travel and hospitality industries. We appreciate the contributions their loved ones made, and they are missed by their industry colleagues every day."

A wide variety of donated prizes are already available online for raffle, including vacation trips to Bermuda and Palm Springs, a duck-hunting trip to Arkansas, an opportunity to pitch a business idea to venture capitalists, spa appointments, a digital camera, plastic surgery, an interior design consultation, Smartphones, event management planning services and more. For information on donating a prize, to purchase raffle tickets, or to review the list of currently available prizes, visit http://www.our-own.org and click on packages.

The winners of raffles will be drawn during a party to launch the Foundation, and to commemorate the victims of 9-11. The event will take place on March 7 at the Stamford Marriott in Stamford, Connecticut. Tickets to the event may be purchased online from the aforementioned Web site. The Foundation needs an airline to donate flights for the families of victims traveling from out-of-state to attend the event. Hotel space is also needed.

Those interested in an opportunity to win an item or service may purchase raffle tickets. Tickets are sold online in increments of $10 up to double the estimated value of each item or service. For example, if a digital camera is valued at $500, then $1,000 worth of tickets (100) will be sold. Those interested in an item may increase their odds of winning it by purchasing multiple tickets, or win" the item outright by buying all of the available tickets. When the number of tickets sold reaches double the value of the item offered, the drawing will be held. If double the value of the item offered isnt sold after 90 days, then the raffle will be held regardless and draw from the number of tickets sold for that item to date. Prize certificates will be delivered by the Foundation to winners.

Our Own is a gift trust, therefore, contributions to the Foundation are not tax-deductible. The Foundation has been set up this way in order to streamline the process for delivering funds to the victims estates, and to ensure that one hundred percent of the funds raised go to the victims families. Donors are advised to consult with their own accountant to determine any tax ramifications prior to contributing items.

About the Our Own Foundation
Our Own is an industry-wide Foundation created to raise funds for the families of those in the travel and hospitality industry affected by the tragedies of September 11, 2001. The fund called Our Own" is a gift trust, for which all ticket purchases and donations will be made entirely on the Internet and are not tax deductible. As such, 100% of the proceeds will go directly to the families of the 61 victims of September 11 from our industry; 14 meeting and event professionals, 1 association executive, 7 travel agents, 3 airline support staff, 2 Marriott World Trade Center employees, 1 student in hospitality and tourism and the 33 crew members of American Airlines flights 11 and 73, United Airlines flights 173 and 93. Our Own may be reached at 1-877-773-3653, locally by dialing 203-319-2001, by fax at 203-254-8169, or via email at hope@leetravel.com. For more information, visit Our Own on the Web at http://www.our-own.org.


Current List of Gifts Available at www.ourown.org for Raffle

Bermuda Vacation Package, Valued @ $2,000.00
-- donated by Elbow Beach

Palm Springs Vacation Package, Valued @ $1,700.00
-- donated by La Quinta Resort & Club

Smartphones (Kyocera), Valued @ $500.00
-- donated by Wireless Zone Westport, CT

Spa Appointments, Valued @ $150.00
-- donated by Body, Mind & Spirit

Pitch Your Business to venture capitalists Valued @ $10,000
-- donated by Seaport Capital

Duck Hunting Adventure in Arkansas, Valued @ $5,000.00
-- donated by Sterne, Agee & Leach

Cosmetic Procedure, Dr. Andrew J. Olinde, MD FACS, Valued @ $1,000.00
-- donated by Dr. Andrew J. Olinde, Baton Rouge, LA

Decorating Consultation Valued @ $500.00
-- donated by Glenda Moralee of By Design of Darien, CT

Digital Camera, Valued @ $500.00
-- donated by D-Store

Promotional/Incentive Merchandise, Valued @ $500.00
-- donated by Wechter & Associates

Personal Training, Valued @ $150.00
-- donated by Liz

Complete Event Management, Valued @ $15,000.00
-- donated by Lee Travel Group

One Event Site on B-There.Com, Valued @ $7,000.00
-- donated by B-There.Com

Advertising Banner, Valued @ $250.00
-- donated by Meetings.com

A Day of Beauty, Valued @ $300.00
-- donated by Salon Shaheen

100 Gallons of Gasoline, Valued @ $160.00
-- donated by Riverside Sunoco

Full Conference Pass to Spring Internet World Los Angeles, Valued @ $1,295.00
-- donated by Internet World

Full Conference Pass to Nextware Expo Baltimore, Valued @ $1,095.00
-- donated by Penton Media

Internet World Wireless Conference Pass New York, Valued @ $1,195.00
-- donated by Internet World

A custom built interactive website for an event , Valued @ $15,000
-- donated by PGI (Production Group International

Tax consultation and preparation, Valued @ $500
-- donated by Kenneth J. Ayers, MBA, CPA, CFP

Contact:
Kent Streeb
HT News, Inc.               
412-244-9970               
kstreeb@ix.netcom.com