Casey’s General Stores presented a $1.1 million check to Hope for the Warriors at the Casey’s in Siloam Springs on Feb. 26.
The national check presentation took place in Siloam Springs because the local store raised $4,450, the highest amount of any of the more than 2,000 Casey’s stores in the country, according to a press release sent by Erin McCloskey, media consultant for Hope for the Warriors. The campaign in Casey’s stores ran from Nov. 1 through Nov. 15, said Robin Kelleher, cofounder and president of Hope for the Warriors.
"It feels great," Randie Toto, general manager for the Siloam Springs store said. "We're number one. We've been number one three years in a row."
The event was attended by Kelleher; Lt. Col. Jay Soupene, board member for Hope for the Warriors and senior vice president of store operations for Casey's; Chris Boling, vice president of store operations for Casey's; and John Langford, senior director of Strategic Partnerships for Hope for the Warriors, according to Kelleher and Toto.
Toto said three associates raised the largest amounts -- Robert Brown, Jackie Davis and Rebecca Lamb each raised $1,000 during the 15-day campaign. Toto kept associates motivated by having mini-contests such as offering a free large pizza to whoever raised the most during their shift.
Toto said when customers came into the store, the associates asked them if they would want to round up their purchase to the next dollar amount and give their change as a donation to Hope for the Warriors. If a customer's total was an even number such as $10 or $20, the cashier would ask if they wanted to donate a dollar to Hope for the Warriors.
Toto thanked the community for their generosity during the campaign. She said there aren't any veterans working in the Siloam Springs store, but many of the customers are veterans.
Hope for the Warriors is a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring a sense of self, family and hope for post-9/11 veterans, service members and military families, Kelleher said. Since 2006, the non-profit has served over 30,000 through the various support programs the organization runs, Kelleher said.
General News on 03/25/2020