Salina, Kan., (March 22, 2011) – The Salina Military Affairs Council will hold a kickoff party for the Patriot Business Program April 14 from 4 to 6 p.m., at Legends Sports Bar and Grill, located at 2110 W. Crawford in Salina.
The Patriot Business Program offers businesses a way to market directly to the military while offering servicemembers and their families an easy way to identify those businesses that support them.
“When I was in the Marine Corps, the weekend after we got our paychecks we’d drive hours out of town to shop at businesses we knew offered a military discount,” explained MAC Public Relations Chair Melissa McCoy. “This program is simply a way to make identifying those businesses easier and more uniform.”
To become a member of the Patriot Business Program, businesses sign an agreement with the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce to honor a 10 percent or more discount off the total ticket price of goods and services to current military identification card holders. This includes active duty, Guard and Reserve, retirees and their dependants.
In exchange, the business will be provided with a Patriot Business logo to proudly display at the entrance of their establishment and cash registers, as well as a digital logo to display on their website and to use on any marketing materials. The business will be listed in a directory distributed to based and visiting military members. Each week after the kickoff one Patriot Business will be spotlighted on the website.
“I am so excited to be a part of this program,” said Salina Area Chamber of Commerce Director of Communications and Military Affairs Rachel Hinde. “It’s a win-win for Salina businesses and the military.”
Everyone is invited to attend to learn more about the Patriot Business Program and the MAC. Businesses can sign up to become a Patriot Business at the party, but attendance is not required.
Volunteers to recruit Patriot Businesses are also needed and can sign up at the party as well. A month-long contest will begin for all recruitment volunteers that awards the top three people who sign up the most new businesses. First place is round-trip tickets for two on SeaPort Airlines to Kansas City, hotel and rental car courtesy of Salina Airport Authority, second place is $200 in Smoky Hill Silver, and third place is $100 in Smoky Hill Silver.
Post by Melissa McCoy