Additional Companies Honor Military on Veterans Day

NATIONAL REPORT — Additional convenience store industry retailers and suppliers are honoring those who served through donations and other special offers ahead of Veterans Day.

Army & Airforce Exchange Service

The Army & Airforce Exchange Service (AAFES) is commemorating Veterans Day by giving away more than $8,000 in tactical gear prizes to military shoppers.

From Nov. 10 through Dec. 15, AAFES shoppers aged 18 and up can visit ShopMyExchange.com/Sweepstakes for a chance to win one of 128 prizes, such as boots, gloves, duffel bags and more from top tactical brands.

"The Exchange is honored to present another exciting sweepstakes in observance of Veterans Day," said Chief Master Sgt. Kevin Osby, AAFES senior enlisted advisor. "We give thanks for every one of our Nation's service members for all they have done and continue to do for our country."

[C-store Retailers Honor Service Members With Veterans Day Promotions]

Specific prizes include:

• Condor Colossus duffel bag (five winners)
• Condor Centurion duffel bag (five winners)
• SAGE Tactical Gear security badge holder (30 winners)
• Revision Eyewear Hellfly photochromic lenses (10 winners)
• Mechanix Coldwork base layer (10 winners)
• Otis 9mm ripcord (15 winners)
• Rocky light-weight boots (five winners)
• Rite in the Rain clamp desk (three winners)
• Outdoor Research suppressor gloves (10 winners)
• Nite Ize headlamp (15 winners)
• Military Products RZR Cobra rigger belt (five winners)
• Flying Circle Gear Rolling Buffalo duffel (five winners)
• Flying Circle Gear Brazos tactical backpack (10 winners)

No purchase is necessary to win. Drawings for winners will take place on or around Dec. 22. Department of Defense and Coast Guard civilians and retirees and honorably discharged Veterans who have confirmed their eligibility to shop online may also enter.

Unique Snacks

Unique Snacks, a sixth-generation, 102-year-old family owned and operated business and snack industry innovator, is increasing its support for national nonprofit Folders of Honor, whose mission is to provide educational scholarships to the spouses and children of fallen or disabled military and first responders. The company has supported Folds of Honor since 2018.

In 2022, Unique Snacks sold 251,796 specially branded Folds of Honor packages of Original Splits through participating retailers, resulting in a $12,500 donation to the organization. Additionally, since the inception of Unique Snacks' annual Folds of Honor campaign, which runs from May through August, the company has raised nearly $50,000 for the national nonprofit.

Unique Snacks announced that it will replace all Original Splits packages — its top-selling product — with the specially branded Folds of Honor packages for the upcoming campaign, making it easier for additional retail partners to participate in the program. Through this change, Unique Snacks expects to increase its annual donation from $10,000 to approximately $50,000 without accounting for any sales growth.

"The spouses and dependents of our military members and first responders are often forgotten when a parent or guardian has made the ultimate sacrifice or been severely disabled in the line of duty," said Justin Spannuth, chief operating officer at Unique Snacks. "It is our responsibility as positive members of the community to extend a hand to them and provide them support when they have suffered and lost so much."

To achieve the goal of doubling the support for Folds of Honor, Unique Snacks will conduct special promotions, social media contests and giveaways throughout the program.

"Folds of Honor is proud to align with Unique Snacks," said Lt. Col. Dan Rooney, an F-16 fighter pilot and founder and CEO of Folds of Honor. "We believe the partnership will continue to be a force multiplier to our mission, raise awareness for Folds of Honor, and increase funding for educational scholarships to the families of American service members and first responders. Together we will meet sacrifice with hope."

Yesway

As part of its steadfast commitment to the U.S. military and first responders, Yesway donated $50,000 to Operation Homefront. This donation supports the organization in meeting the needs of current and former members of the military and their families.

"At Yesway, we feel it is important to make meaningful contributions to the communities we serve," said Tom Trkla, chairman and CEO of Yesway. "We are proud to make this donation in support of all that Operation Homefront does for the brave Americans who have served in our armed forces, many of whom we find among the customers visiting our Yesway and Allsup's locations every day, as well as our retail and corporate employee teams. We celebrate these heroic women and men, and thank them for their service."

Operation Homefront has been proudly serving America's military families since 2002 by providing relief and recurring family support programs and services throughout the year to help them overcome short-term difficulties so that they do not become long-term hardships.

Operation Homefront has consistently earned high ratings from leading charity rating services, including Charity Navigator, which gave Operation Homefront 4 Stars for 11 consecutive years for superior service and accountability, the organization said. At Operation Homefront, 85 percent of expenditures go directly toward delivering programs and services to the military families who need it most.