ATLANTA, April 20, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Noah Coughlan is running 3,100 miles from New York to California, and the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) is helping him during his journey.
Coughlan started the Run For Rare movement to raise awareness for more than 7,000 rare diseases after becoming inspired by two childhood friends battling a rare brain disease. He has previously completed two runs for his cause, one in 2011 and one in 2013, both reaching more than 7 million people. Coughlan began this year's run on Feb. 28 in New York City, and he plans to finish on July 4 in San Diego.
Along the way, AAHOA's hotel-owner members are stepping up to donate rooms. AAHOA, the largest hotel owner association in the world, is securing rooms for Coughlan in every city where he stops.
"At AAHOA, we are dedicated to supporting important causes, and Mr. Coughlan's campaign to raise awareness for rare diseases is both inspiring and impressive," AAHOA President Chip Rogers said. "Our members are committed to giving back in any way that they can, and many have enthusiastically offered support for Mr. Coughlan's cause. We are honored to help Mr. Coughlan during his journey."
Over 127 days, Coughlan will travel through 14 states, recording his experiences as he goes. For more on his cause, please visit www.run4rare.org.
Founded in 1989, AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world, with over 14,000 small business owner-members. AAHOA members own more than 20,000 properties amounting to more than 40 percent of all hotels in the United States and employ nearly 600,000 workers, accounting for over $9.4 billion in payroll annually.