Every year, thousands of people get life-threatening diseases like leukemia and lymphoma that can be treated with cellular therapies such as a marrow transplant. Seventy percent of patients do not have a matched donor in their family so they depend on the life saving action of people who sign up for the National Marrow Registry and it’s as easy as a cotton swab of the cheek and two simple forms.

Driving For Donors exists to draw donors, attention, and funds to this cause. The non profit organization is the brainchild of now 14-year-old Patrick Pedraja who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at age 10. In 2007, at age 11, Patrick and his family started Driving For Donors and traveled around the country in a special “Donormobile” with the mission of signing people up for the National Marrow Registry to help find bone marrow matches for people in need of a transplant. Since then they have added over 22,000 donors to the registry, saved more than 24 people’s lives with matches and helped raise over $100,000 for tissue typing fees and drive expenses by selling advertising on Patrick’s bald head. Patrick has been honored by the United States Congress, CNN Heroes, DoSomething.org and has appeared on numerous television shows to promote this cause.

10% of the cost of each ticket sold is donated to further this cause making each person attending the Take Action Tour an active participant in making the world a better place. In addition Take Action is offering fans an opportunity to personally help save a life with onsite registration for the National
Marrow Registry available at every tour stop. Registration is simple and only requires the donor to be between the ages of 18 and 61, have a desire to help save a life, and have time for a quick cheek swab and simple paperwork. Registering is much easier than most people think and information about the entire process can be found at BeTheMatch.org. Those under 18 will have plenty of ways to support the cause as well and they can learn more at each show or by visiting drivingfordonors.com.

Presenting sponsor Hot Topic has worked with the Take Action Tour since the tour’s inception in 1999 and their commitment to helping make a positive impact continues to be as strong in 2010 as it has ever been. The music lifestyle mall retailer (hottopic.com) is a natural fit as a presenter, because they demonstrate a passion for music in everything they do. Expect to see the bands from the tour making several special appearances at local Hot Topic locations throughout the tour. Also generously supporting the 2010 tour is MySpace Music, Alternative Press Magazine, Absolutepunk.net, Hopeless Records, S-Curve Records, Atlantic Records, and Fueled By Ramen Records.

The tour’s headliners We The Kings, a MySpace Music “Introducing” artist, have been exciting fans everywhere lately with their hit song Heaven Can Wait climbing the top 40 radio chart for several weeks and their sophomore album Smile Kid very recently released on December 8th. The band describes their enthusiasm for the tour, “Not only are we really excited to be on tour with some of our best friends, we also get to support a cause that we feel strongly about. We recently had a conversation with Patrick from Driving for Donors and his enthusiasm and passion for the cause was really contagious. We want to make this year’s Take Action Tour the biggest and best it’s ever been, by making people aware and getting them registered.”

Mayday Parade is currently supporting their October major label debut Anywhere But Here. Derek Sanders, vocalist for the band, says of his band’s involvement with Take Action, “The great thing about the Take Action Tour is that it brings people together for a good cause! We’re happy to be able to use our music in a positive way, and we are excited to tour with a bunch of great bands.”

Drummer Andrew Cook of A Rocket To The Moon, who released their latest album On Your Side in October, notes, “I first discovered the Take Action Tour in the form of the Plea for Peace/Take Action tour in 2002. That night I saw The Lawrence Arms, Common Rider, The International Noise Conspiracy, Shai Hulud, Snapcase, and Thursday. It left an indelible impression on me as a musician and listener. I heard the bands talk about suicide prevention, and how important it was, and I felt like I was a part of something bigger by simply being there, like my dollar was not just going into someone’s pocket who promoted the show. I was inspired to go home and research the cause and the tour itself, and in turn stumbled upon a number of other related issues I cared about.”

Hopeless Records’ own charity-minded band, There For Tomorrow, released their debut album A Little Faster in June of this year. The band says of the tour, “We are always on the lookout for opportunities that involve a cause far outside of ourselves. We’re honored to finally be a part of valiant efforts like
those of the heroic youngin’ Pat Pedraja. There are many organizations that flatter themselves with the title “non-profit”, but it is 100% reassuring and refreshing to see the proof of his work in the 20k+ donors he has gotten to join the ranks in the fight against leukemia. We’re nothing short of ready when it comes to trekking the U.S. another time with this cause behind us. Take Action ‘10 will be a breath of fresh air for the artists/workers involved and the audiences alike. Thanks Hopeless/Sub City and all our homies that will share the stage w/ us. Let’s make a difference!”

Stereo Skyline will join the tour on February 12th and are currently in Los Angeles recording material for the band’s upcoming record.

The Take Action Tour is always comprised of the brightest up-and-coming stars of tomorrow. Previous acts involved include: The Plain White T’s, All Time Low, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Paramore, Every Time I Die, Jimmy Eat World, Avenged Sevenfold, Hawthorne Heights, Chiodos, Thrice, Anti-Flag, Silverstein, Dillinger Escape Plan, and many more.
About Hopeless Records and Sub City: Founded in 1993, Hopeless Records is a Southern California independent record label home to breakout artists All Time Low, There For Tomorrow, Anarbor, We Are The In Crowd, and many more. Throughout its 15-year history, Hopeless Records has released more than 100 albums and launched the careers of Avenged Sevenfold, Thrice, and Melee. In 1999 Hopeless Records formally started supporting non-profit organizations under the Sub City banner with charitable albums, tours, and events. Now itself a registered 501c3 non-profit organization, Sub City continues this mission of raising funds and awareness for worthy causes, and to date has raised nearly $2 million dollars for over 50 non-profit organizations.

About Hot Topic: Hot Topic, Inc. is a mall and web based specialty retailer operating the Hot Topic concept, as well as the e-space music discovery concept, ShockHound. Hot Topic offers music/pop culture-licensed and music/pop culture-influenced apparel, accessories, music and gift items for young men and women principally between the ages of 12 and 22. ShockHound (www.shockhound.com) is a one-stop, genre-spanning music website where people of all ages can purchase MP3s and music merchandise, share their music interests, and read music news and editorial content. As of December 10, 2009, the company operated 681 Hot Topic stores in all 50 states and Puerto Rico and Internet stores www.hottopic.com and www.shockhound.com.

More information for the 2010 Take Action Tour will be announced shortly along with information about the annual Take Action Compilation.

2010 Take Action Tour Dates
1/25 Masquerade – Atlanta, GA
1/26 Rocketown – Nashville, TN
1/27 Bogart’s – Cincinnati, OH
1/28 House of Blues – Chicago, IL
1/29 Station 4 – St. Paul, MN
1/30 The Rave II – Milwaukee, WI
1/31 The Crofoot Ballroom – Pontiac, MI
2/1 House of Blues – Cleveland, OH
2/2 Phoenix Concert Hall – Toronto, ON
2/4 Starland Ballroom – Sayreville, NJ
2/5 Webster Theatre – Hartford, CT
2/6 The Chance – Poughkeepsie, NY
2/8 Highline Ballroom – New York, NY
2/9 Bourbon St Ballroom – Baltimore, MD
2/11 House of Blues – Orlando, FL
2/12 State Theatre – St. Petersburg, FL
2/13 Floyds Music Store – Tallahassee, FL
2/15 House of Blues – Houston, TX
2/16 Las Palmas Event Center – McAllen, TX
2/17 Emo’s – Austin, TX
2/19 The Rock- Tucson, AZ
2/20 House of Blues – Anaheim, CA
2/21 House of Blues – Hollywood, CA
2/22 Regency Ballroom – San Francisco, CA
2/23 Wonder Ballroom – Portland, OR
2/24 El Corazon – Seattle, WA
2/26 Murray Theater – Salt Lake City, UT
2/27 Gothic Theatre – Englewood, CO
2/28 Sunshine Theatre – Albuquerque, NM
3/1 Diamond Ballroom – Oklahoma City, OK
3/2 The Door – Dallas, TX

TakeActionTour.com
MySpace.com/takeactiontour
Drivingfordonors.com
MySpace.com/wethekings
MySpace.com/maydayparade
MySpace.com/arockettothemoon
MySpace.com/therefortomorrow
MySpace.com/stereoskyline