NAPLES, Fla. (Sept. 6, 2002) - The International Operators Council (IOC), the Choice Hotels International Foundation and franchisee owners of Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Clarion, Quality, Sleep Inn and MainStay Suites brand hotels throughout the United States recently donated a total of $56,268 - the proceeds of a post 9-11 fundraising drive - to three non-profit agencies that provide financial assistance to families of Navy, Army, Marine and Air Force personnel.
The drive, which ran from October until December 31, 2001, was spearheaded by the IOC, the association representing owners of brands franchised by Choice Hotels International (NYSE:CHH) to demonstrate support for the Armed Forces.
Owners of Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Clarion, Quality, Sleep Inn and MainStay Suites brand hotels throughout the United States donated $1 per room night sold or made a lump sum donation to the drive in addition to making American flag decals available at front desks for $1. The IOC and the Choice Hotels International Foundation each donated an additional $5,000.
Funds raised through the drive were presented to representatives of the Army Emergency Relief, the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society and the Air Force Aid Society at the IOC meeting held at the Comfort Inn Airport in Baltimore, Md. on August 13.*
“Franchisees of Choice Hotels are grateful for the sacrifices of the brave men and women of the Armed Forces,” said Mike Akers, president of the IOC. “We hope that these funds will help support their families while they are risking their lives to defend freedom.”
The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, the Army Emergency Relief and the Air Force Aid Society are independent agencies created to deliver aid to individual service member families in the form of loans and grants for emergency travel and assistance with rent, food and utilities should emergency needs arise. The agencies receive no funding from the federal government.
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