Allentown, PA – January 23, 2006 – The Uso’s Foundation, Inc., is proud to announce that founder Afa “The Wild Samoan” Anoa’i was honored this morning by the Volunteer Center of the Lehigh Valley with their Someone Special Volunteer Award. The award was given to the WWE Legend and CEO of World X-treme Wrestling and the Wild Samoan Training Center for his generous outpouring of time, money and his dedication in helping at-risk children in the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania.

The Uso’s Foundation was founded by Afa Anoa’i, better known to the world as World Wrestling Entertainment’s legendary superstar “Afa the Wild Samoan” and his wife, Lynn Anoa’i. Uso is a Samoan word, meaning "Brotherly love" or "We are all brothers", and the foundation seeks to promote that spirit of Brotherhood while offering students the opportunity to improve themselves scholastically and athletically.

The foundation provides scholarships to select individuals, allowing them to attend Anoa’i’s Wild Samoan Training Center at no charge. Through the popularity and drawing power of professional wrestling, Anoa’i is able to reach these kids and make indelible marks on their lives. In addition to the after-school wrestling training, the Uso’s Foundation offers the young men and women a number of marketable skills, to help them achieve their full potential.

In a professional school environment, students are taught the basics of good nutrition, the value of sustained exercise, and the importance of maintaining good health (i.e., drug free, smoke free, free of substance abuse). The school also emphasizes the importance of a good academic education.

Students learn writing, promotion, photography, computer and management skills: tools that will not only help them in professional wrestling, but in the business world as well. Good grades and scholastic improvement are required of all students receiving scholarship assistance.

After his many years in professional wrestling and his tremendous success as a 22-time champion, Afa could comfortably retire and never have to work again. However, he chooses to dedicate his life to his students, helping them achieve the same success that he has. Instead of retirement, he often works a 10-12 hour day and in the six years since the Foundation’s inception, many lives have been changed because of his and his wife Lynn’s dedication

The “Someone Special Volunteer Award” is presented to individuals who have given of themselves time and time again to improve the quality of life for others in the community. It is presented by The Volunteer Center of the Lehigh Valley, in combination with WAEB radio station and Gebhardt’s Trophies.