Launches ‘Roo Rides’ as part of campaign to rally support throughout the Southeast.
Kangaroo Express, operated by The Pantry Inc., announced the fourth annual Salute Our Troops campaign, inviting guests in its more than 1,530 Kangaroo Express convenience stores across 13 states to demonstrate united support for military personnel and their families.
From the week before Independence Day through Labor Day, June 25 to Sept. 2, Kangaroo Express will invite store guests to make donations to the campaign at its checkout counters in support of our servicemen and women and their families.
“Considering more than one-third of our employees have a direct connection to the military, supporting our troops means supporting our family,” said Gordon Schmidt, senior vice president of operations, Kangaroo Express. “We are enlisting our team for the fourth consecutive year to show our united appreciation for our nation’s military members and their families, and raise funds to support the organizations dedicated to helping them.”
Donations from the campaign will support the American Red Cross Service to Armed Forces, providing emergency communications, comfort and assistance to military, veterans and their families; Fisher House Foundation, donating “comfort homes” at major military and VA medical centers that enable military families to be close to a loved one during hospitalization; the United States Veterans Corps, a corps of military veterans, spouses, dependents and patriotic citizens performing hands on community service with a mission and deployment attitude, as well as six state-based military support organizations.
For the first time, the summer-long initiative introduces Salute Our Troops ‘ROO Rides,’ motorcycle charity rides that will stop at Kangaroo Express locations, local military support organizations, community parks, memorials, and more to drive hometown support and recognize military heroes and families in local communities along its route.
“The first Salute Our Troops ROO Rides, back in 2011, were organically organized by passionate Kangaroo Express store associates and managers in Rome, Georgia and Sanford, North Carolina,” said Schmidt. “Embracing the overwhelming success of these grassroots events and the passion our team has for supporting our U.S. Armed Forces will make ‘ROO Rides’ an integral part of the fourth year of this worthy campaign.”
Since its commencement in 2011, the Salute Our Troops campaign has raised $8.4 million dollars, breaking fundraising records for many of its beneficiary organizations.