Jiffy Lube regional franchise owner and treasurer of the Automotive Oil Change Association, Bob Falter and seven of his Jiffy Lube stores in Delaware didn’t slow down when raising money for U.S. military and their families during November and December 2014.
Falter, whose father was a World War II veteran, lead seven of his Jiffy Lube stores in a key fob promotion to raise money for USO Delaware, a civilian non-profit organization dedicated to supporting U.S. military and their families. Falter matched the funds raised for a total donation amount of more than $19,000.
“Obviously, receiving a check for that amount is not a daily occurrence. We were completely blown away by the success of the campaign,” said Joan Cote, director for USO Delaware. “None of [USO Delaware’s] important programs could be achieved without the financial support that comes from the generosity of individuals, organizations and companies like Jiffy Lube.”
The campaign was a fantastic collaboration for the customers and participating Jiffy Lube locations too.
“For a $3 donation, customers received a key fob — similar to one you’d get for the gym or grocery store — good for $8 off any services at any Jiffy Lube in Delaware for the next 2 years. The best part is, it’s reusable,” Cote said.
Falter hosted special campaign launch nights at a pizza joint for his Jiffy Lube employees to learn more about USO Delaware and its mission.
“I think that evening was important to the success of the campaign because it allowed everyone involved to connect with the cause, tell their own personal stories of why it meant something to them and really understand what USO Delaware does to support and come alongside our U.S. military and their families,” Cote said.
To further motivate employees and get the promotion going, Mike Tatoian, USO Delaware council chair and the president of Dover Motorsports, Inc., gave participating Jiffy Lube locations an incentive of NASCAR-sized proportion. The store that sold the most key fobs would be invited to attend an upcoming NASCAR race at Dover International Speedway with him.
With Falter at the wheel, his team made sure to contact as many customers as possible through direct mail and radio ads during the key fob promotion.
“It was a wonderful promotion and I’d like to say it was truly a team effort to raise this amount of money,” Falter said.
A common desire to do something special in the local community turned into a hugely successful campaign that could only be achieved through the collaboration and hard work of everyone involved — a worthwhile and small price to pay to be able to give back to those who protect and serve our country daily.
“The many gestures of appreciation and support that USO Delaware delivers on behalf of a grateful community make a tremendous impact on the morale of our military personnel and their families,” Cote said.
