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Sage North America Helps Troops Phone Home

Sage Donates Thousands of Calling Cards and Supports Cell Phone Collection Drive; Encourages Other Companies to Get Involved This Holiday Season

Sage North America announced today that it has donated 11,400 phone cards to the USO to support troops, and that employees of its Atlanta campus have collected more than 500 cell phones for the Cell Phones for Soldiers program. More than 150,000 troops are currently serving overseas away from their families, and with the holiday season upon us, their need for help in staying connected is especially great.

"We salute our troops and thank them for the many sacrifices they make to protect us, knowing that being away from loved ones is perhaps most difficult around the holidays," said Connie Certusi, vice president and general manager, small business accounting solutions, Sage North America. "Through the USO and Cell Phones for Soldiers, we are delighted to be able to help our troops reach out to their loved ones back home, and encourage other companies to offer their support to these brave men and women by collecting cell phones or donating to these worthy organizations that do so much to help our troops."

Did you know that...

--  More than 150,000 men and women are currently serving abroad in the
    U.S. military.
--  Military personnel and family members visited USO centers more than 7
    million times last year.
--  Cell Phones for Soldiers hopes to collect over 50,000 cell phones this
    year to help keep troops connected with their families, and is sending out
    calling cards to soldiers abroad at a rate of 8,200 per week.
    

For more information or to make a donation, please visit: www.uso.org or www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com

About the USO:

The USO (United Service Organizations) lifts the spirits of America's service members and military families. We provide a touch of home to troops wherever they serve through centers at airports and military bases around the world, top quality entertainment and innovative programs and services tailored to meet troop needs. We also provide critical support to those who need us most, including forward-deployed troops and their families, wounded warriors and their families, and the families of the fallen.

The USO is a private, non-profit organization, not a government agency; we rely on the generosity of our donors. In addition to individual donors, the USO is supported by Worldwide Strategic Partners AT&T Inc., BAE Systems, The Boeing Company, Clear Channel Communications, The Coca-Cola Company, Gallery Furniture, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, S & K Sales Co. and TriWest Healthcare Alliance, as well as other corporate donors, including the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-11381). We strive to deliver maximum benefit for troops and their families from every donor dollar. For more information, please visit www.uso.org.

About Cell Phones for Soldiers:

Cell Phones for Soldiers was created by Brittany & Robbie Bergquist of Norwell MA. After reading a story about a soldier who ran up a huge phone bill calling home from Iraq, these two teenagers decided to help out. They started by opening an account with $21.00 of their own money. They are collecting cash donations and old cell phones. The cell phones are recycled for cash and the proceeds are used to buy prepaid calling cards for our soldiers serving in the Middle East. Cell Phones For Soldiers is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Their efforts have motivated people and businesses around the country to donate to this worthy cause. Their goal is to provide every US soldier with a way to call home for free. For more information, please visit www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com

About Sage North America:

Sage North America is part of The Sage Group plc, a leading global supplier of business management software and services. Sage North America employs more than 4,100 people and supports nearly 2.9 million small and medium-size business customers. The Sage Group plc, formed in 1981, was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989 and now employs 14,500 people and supports 5.8 million customers worldwide. For more information, please visit the Web site at www.sagenorthamerica.com.

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