Mission: Military Appreciation
Truckers For Troops will recognize National Military Appreciation Month during the two weeks leading up to Armed Forces Day on Saturday, May 18.
The campaign is slated for May 6-19. Truckers can join or renew for $35, with 10% of that money going toward Truckers For Troops, which provides care packages and support to veterans.
OOIDA then will match that 10% dollar for dollar. The $35 one-year membership is a savings of $10 off the regular $45 yearly dues.
Over the past 17 years, OOIDA’s Truckers For Troops campaign has raised more than $800,000 for care packages for active military personnel and veterans projects, like the Veterans Community Project.
“While our annual Truckers For Troops campaign has always been near and dear to our hearts, we realized the appreciation truckers have for active and retired service members isn’t a once-a-year feel-good mission,” said Norita Taylor, OOIDA director of public relations. “It just made sense to celebrate Military Appreciation Month to say ‘thank you’ from truckers once again. That said, if you know someone serving overseas who would like a care package, please let us know. Family or friends of U.S. military members can send package addresses to Troops@OOIDA.com.”
The care packages, a cornerstone of the original campaign, aren’t a shoebox stuffed with a few goodies like one might imagine. Rather, they are typically 18-by-16-by-14 inches in size and weigh about 70 pounds. They are packed tightly with enough to serve an entire unit, their items ranging from the practical, like socks, to fun stuff like squirt guns and silly string.
It’s important to note that 100% of the money raised for Truckers For Troops goes toward these care packages and VCP. All of the packing, mailing, etc., is done by OOIDA volunteer employees to stretch every dollar raised to the max. The same will happen with Mission: Military Appreciation.
To participate, simply call OOIDA at 816-229-5791 between May 6 and the start of business May 20. Truckers also can participate by visiting OOIDA.com to join or renew membership during that timeframe. LL