SunLine to honor student art contest winners & unveil 8th generation fuel cell bus

Event to Feature Unveiling of SunLine’s Two New Hydrogen Fuel Cell Buses Wrapped in Winners’ Art

Thousand Palms, CA, June 4, 2014: SunLine Transit Agency, in partnership with Desert Regional Medical Center, will honor Taylor Schlicht of Palm Valley School, and Veida Kirby of Nellie N. Coffman Middle School, as its joint winners of the first annual SunLine Student Art Contest on Monday, June 9, 2014 at 10:00 AM at Desert Regional Medical Center (Main Entrance, 1150 North Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92263). SunLine will unveil the Agency’s two new 8th generation hydrogen fuel cell buses wrapped in the winners’ art at a reception as part of the event.

As the Agency continues to provide “Today’s Transit for Tomorrow’s World”, the delivery of these two brand new state-of-the-art, clean fuel buses presented an ideal opportunity to showcase the Valley’s environmentally friendly transit approach, and also make it possible for the wider community to be involved with promoting the use of sustainable transit.

“This inaugural SunLine Transit Agency Student Art Contest aims to connect SunLine’s environment-focused approach to transit with our most precious resource, the youth of our Valley," said Lauren Skiver, General Manager of SunLine Transit Agency. "We are so proud of the students, educators and parents who contributed to the success of this event and to our partner, Desert Regional Medical Center, for their support.  It is connections such as these that make living, working and raising our families in this Valley such a gift.”

The art contest was held over a period of several weeks and was aimed at students from both elementary and middle schools across the Coachella Valley. Original art work was submitted to SunLine for judging before the buses were slated for delivery so that the winning artwork could be wrapped around these new technologically-advanced and environmentally-friendly vehicles. The funding of the artwork wraps were co-sponsored by SunLine and Desert Regional Medical Center.

“On behalf of the Board of Directors, we are proud of the tremendous response of the children of this Valley as they demonstrated their artistic skills and creativity, partnering with the Agency and Desert Regional Medical Center to promote the theme of the contest - ‘SunLine buses are good for the Coachella Valley and the environment,’ said SunLine Chairman of the Board and Indio Councilmember Glenn Miller.  “As the new fuel cell buses travel throughout the Valley showcasing the art work of the two contest winners, we will be reminded of the commitment of this community to sustain a healthy, clean environment.”

Carolyn Caldwell, President and CEO of Desert Regional Medical Center said, “Desert Regional Medical Center is so pleased to be part of this art contest, which inspires our children to celebrate wellness and a healthy environment. It is wonderful to see the children’s interpretations of the El Mirador Hotel Tower, which still graces the front of our campus, and remains an iconic image of the Palm Springs region. The partnership with SunLine to promote health and wellness among children fits so well with our other community initiatives. We are proud to support this project."

SunLine and its partners continue to help raise awareness around public transit, safe traveling for children, students and adults across the region, as well as the need to “think green” when commuting. The delivery of the new buses, together with the art contest, has really enabled both SunLine and Desert Regional Medical Center to promote healthy travel choices in the Valley.

SunLine’s new buses from Ballard Power Systems, BAE Systems and ElDorado National underscores SunLine’s longstanding tradition as a leader in the deployment of clean transportation technologies in the United States and will bring the total number of Ballard powered fuel cell buses to four at SunLine Transit Agency.

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About SunLine Transit Agency
SunLine Transit Agency is a joint powers authority formed in 1977 to operate the Coachella Valley’s public transportation system. Its fixed route and paratransit vehicles travel more than 4 million miles per year, covering over 550 bus stops located throughout a 1,120 mile-service area, carrying approximately 4.7 million riders. SunLine offers fixed route bus service and curb-to-curb paratransit for the mobility impaired. To learn more, please visit www.sunline.org.

About Desert Regional Medical Center
Desert Regional Medical Center is a comprehensive health care institution that includes a 387-bed hospital and associated outpatient clinics headquartered on its main campus in Palm Springs, California. The medical center is home to the Coachella Valley’s only designated Trauma Center and only Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The medical center is recognized for its Comprehensive Cancer Center, Institute for Clinical Orthopedics and Neurosciences (ICON) and other affiliated outpatient clinics. It has achieved advanced certification as a Primary Stroke Center and has been named a Stroke Receiving Center for the emergency management agencies of both Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Desert Regional is the only Coachella Valley hospital to receive certification in Heart Failure, Hip and Knee Replacement, and Spine Surgery from the Joint Commission, the nation’s foremost hospital accrediting body. Desert Regional is a teaching hospital aligned with the University of California Riverside School of Medicine and will welcome its first class of residents in 2015. It also hosts medical residents in neurosurgery in affiliation with Arrowhead Regional Medical Center. To learn more, please visit www.desertregional.com.