WASHINGTON -- The Outlook Leadership and its charitable arm, the CARRE (Charitable Alliance of Retail & Restaurant Executives) Foundation, will be raising funds for the USO, which benefits the men and women in the military and their families. Representing CARRE, Southwest Convenience Stores is working to raise awareness of the important efforts of the USO, and during the month of August, a fundraising drive will be held in its stores. Customers can purchase a paper replica of an American flag for $1.
Results of the drive will be announced and funds presented through CARRE at the Outlook [image-nocss] Leadership conference, which will be held at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., September 15-17.
Following is a personal note from John West, Odessa, Texas-based Southwest Convenience Stores LLC's director of sales and marketing, whose son is serving in the military:
When a young person becomes a parent for the first time, many thoughts run through their mind. How will I be as a parent? How can I give our child a better life than I had? How do I protect this child? Protection, safety—words that don 't always mean much except when we become confronted with danger and the fear of the unknown.
As a parent, it became a life changing moment when our son volunteered to join the United States Army. No longer was I protecting the child but rather, the child was preparing to protect us. Life 's lessons are often difficult to understand so it was with pride and yet the fear of the unknown that suddenly confront this Father with the son 's decision to become the protector.
Now our son is in his second tour of duty to a foreign land. Regardless of how I or anyone else feels about our country being in these places, we are there and we are courageously being represented by the volunteer members of our military. Hundreds of thousands of American military personnel are giving themselves every day to protect our country from the dangers of the world and the unknown. They are professional in their career, their duty and in their unselfish desire to serve and protect their families, our country and our way of life and freedoms.
When I asked my son what he needed from us while he was deployed, true to the soldier he is, the response was unselfish. His thoughts were of his family left behind and a request to help take care of them- a common theme among our military members. I did not know until recently how the USO can help with that request.
Imagine yourself as a young child, separated from your parent for months as a time. Fifteen months of deployment is an eternity to a five year old. A parent missing when it is time to take you to Little League games. A deployed parent unable to watch as soccer practice and dance lessons are conducted. PTA conferences, cheerleading tryouts- everyday life with a parent absent. A missing parent at bedtime unable to read books to their kids.
On of the programs the USO sponsors in a reading program, where a military parent is able to read a bedtime story to their children. Through the magic of technology, the service member is sent a book, reads it for taping the bedtime story is sent back home to their child. The deployed parent is now able to be on screen, back home, reading safely to their child at bedtime. Imagine the eyes of that young child seeing their Father or Mother as the story is read. Imagine the Grandparent 's thought about how to best help that deployed child- “just help take care of my family while I am gone”.
Our military members understand the USO is not a government funded program. The programs and services they offer are available only because someone back home cares. Someone has reached into their pocket and provided financial support for the USO and their family support programs. Someone has sent a check to support the reading back home program. A convenience store or restaurant partner has coordinated a fund raising program on behalf of CARRE to let them know all of us truly do care. The USO offers this and many other programs to help with their greatest needs; rest from the challenges they face, support for their family and hope for the future.
The time is now. Help do your part—support the USO in its many programs. Sponsor a fundraising program, support CARRE in its work and above all, support our protectors as they support us. Let them know you care, let the families know you care and raise the funds needed to help these unselfish individuals where they need it most.
The USO and CARRE are there to do this work. These programs allow all of us to support our military members and their families through USO programs. All it takes is a commitment from us as an industry and our fun raising activities to offer our support. Help us make it a success with your pledge of financial support at Outlook Leadership and through the coming year. We all benefit from their work and the freedoms we enjoy as a result. This is the time to demonstrate “What 's Right with America”. Help us support the USO through our efforts with CARRE and thank our military families through your generous fundraising activities and support.
John West
Director of Sales & Marketing
Southwest Convenience Stores
CARRE 's success depends upon conference attendees. Throughout the conference, attendees have an opportunity to participate in a charity drawing. Winners will be chosen at the end of the conference, with a chance to receive high-value items such as cars, trips and tickets to major sporting events. These prizes are provided courtesy of sponsors, attendees and other partners of the conference.
Click herefor details about CARRE.
Andclick here for details about the Outlook Leadership conference.
Southwest Convenience Stores is the largest 7-Eleven licensee in the United States, with more than 200 stores located in West Texas and New Mexico. It is a wholly owned subsidiary ofALON USA, Dallas. Southwest Convenience Stores was formed in 1993 when Permian Basin Investments acquired 152 stores from Southland Corp., now known as 7-Eleven Inc. When ALON Israel Oil Co. Ltd. purchasedthe Big Spring refineryassets in August 2000, ALON USA acquired a 34.4% interest in Southwest Convenience Stores. In May 2001, ALON USA completed the acquisition of the remaining interest.Since its formation, Southwest Convenience Stores has grown tomore than 160stores, and it markets its fuel under the FINA brand.
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