Verizon Wireless How Sweet The Sound Competition Names Southern Baptist Church Praise and Worship Center Washington, D.C.-Area's Best Church Choir

Verizon Wireless How Sweet The Sound Competition Names Southern Baptist Church Praise and Worship Center Washington, D.C.-Area's Best Church Choir

Choir to Compete for National Title in Atlanta

Hosts and Judges Include Award-Winning Gospel Artists -- Donald Lawrence, Marvin Sapp and Hezekiah Walker

WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern Baptist Church Praise and Worship Center was named overall best church choir in Washington, D.C., during the regional competition of Verizon Wireless' How Sweet The Sound(SM) tour, held on Sept. 26 at the Verizon Center. Southern Baptist Church Praise and Worship Center will advance to perform in the grand finale on Nov. 8 in Atlanta to compete for a cash prize of up to $30,000 and the title of best church choir in America.

   (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080929/NY35638 )    The Washington, D.C.-area semi-finalist winners include:   --  V CAST People's Choice Award: Southern Baptist Church Praise and       Worship Center   --  Small Category Winner: Southern Baptist Church Praise and Worship       Center   --  Large Category Winner: Redeemed Christian Church of God, Jesus House       D.C.   

Washington, D.C., is the fifth stop along the How Sweet The Sound tour. At the grand finale event in Atlanta, the overall semi-finalist winners from 11 cities will compete for the grand prize. GRAMMY(R)-winning songwriter, producer, arranger and music director, Donald Lawrence, serves as tour emcee and, at the finale, he will be joined by Marvin Sapp, Hezekiah Walker and other guest celebrity judges.

Verizon Wireless' How Sweet The Sound tour continues in the following U.S. cities:

   --  September 29: Chicago (United Center)   --  October 2: Memphis, Tenn. (FedExForum)   --  October 6: Houston (Toyota Center)   --  October 10: Oakland, Calif. (ORACLE Arena)   --  October 13: Los Angeles (LA Memorial Sports Arena)   --  November 8: How Sweet The Sound Finale Concert in Atlanta (Philips       Arena)    

Music fans planning to watch their favorite choirs compete during this event are encouraged to bring their no-longer-used wireless phones and donate them to the Verizon Wireless HopeLine(R) program. Phones will be collected at booths set up at different locations throughout the concert venues.

HopeLine is Verizon Wireless' exclusive phone recycling and reuse program that collects no-longer-used wireless phones, batteries and accessories in any condition from any wireless service provider to benefit victims of domestic violence. Proceeds from the HopeLine program are used to provide wireless phones and cash grants to local shelters and non-profit organizations that focus on domestic violence prevention and awareness. Since 2001, HopeLine has collected more than 5 million phones and awarded more than $5 million in cash grants to domestic violence agencies and organizations throughout the country.

Those who cannot make it to the show can drop off their used wireless phones, batteries and accessories at any Verizon Wireless Communications Store at any time of the year.

For more information about Verizon Wireless and the HopeLine program, visit www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline. For more information about How Sweet The Sound, visit www.howsweetthesound.com.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 68.7 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 70,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, go to: www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

EDITORS NOTE: Broadcast-quality B-Roll featuring 2008 How Sweet The
Sound coverage is available online. Log on to Verizon Wireless' Multimedia
Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia to preview and request video
segments, which can be received in newsrooms digitally or by tape.
First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080929/NY35638
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN12
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: Verizon Wireless

CONTACT: Sherri Cunningham, +1-202-364-5856, Scunningham@starpower.net,
or Samantha Kane, +1-212-373-6110, Samantha.Kane@pmkhbh.com, both for Verizon
Wireless

Web Site: http://www.howsweetthesound.com/
http://www.verizonwireless.com/
http://www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline
http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia

Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/094251.html

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Profile: International Entertainment