FAIRBORN — The Holiday Inn Dayton-Fairborn continues its support of the local military community by presenting the USO of Central and Southern Ohio with a large contribution that resulted from its Military Reunion Donation Program in 2017. Accepting the check at a ceremony at the hotel scheduled for Jan. 26 will be Ret. Gen. CD Moore.
The funds were made available through a new philanthropic endeavor conceived and launched by Holiday Inn sales manager, Kalyn Leeper.
“We started by offering our Military Reunions the opportunity to donate to the USO by adding one additional dollar per headcount for their group meals,” said Kalyn. “Then, the hotel agreed to match the final donation. Thereafter, groups also passed around a bowl during their reunions to make their donation even more lucrative. It’s a very simple partnership, but it’s going to make a huge impact!”
Since its introduction this August the Military Reunion Donation Program has taken on a life of its own. “My Military Reunions absolutely loved giving back to an organization that had helped them back in the day,” said Kalyn, who will join hotel management and key partners in presenting the USO with a check for $3,000 on Jan. 26.
The genesis of the Military Reunion Donation Program started when Leeper met USO Community Center Manager Mia Walthers at a networking event and set up a tour of the Wright-Patterson AFB USO Center. After seeing firsthand, the level of care and compassion that goes into the work they do for military, she felt motivated to find a way to give back to the non-profit organization.
“The amount of work that the USO and their volunteers put into providing all they can for the young men and women serving our country is truly remarkable,” added Kalyn. “It feels so good to support their incredible mission.”
The Holiday Inn Dayton-Fairborn is planning to continue its Military Reunion Donation Program in 2018, with hopes of increasing its donation amount. For more information on the program call 937-431-4678.
