Truckers for Troops
Posted on Mon, Dec 12, 2011 @ 11:00 AM
Monday December 5th marked the start of the Fifth Annual Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) Truckers for Troops campaign. Over 37% of OOIDA members have served in the military. The organization continues to remember and send care packages to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since it started as a telethon in 2007, the annual event has raised close to $230,000. The money goes toward care packages for soldiers. Over the 5 years, about 1,900 of the 50-pound packages have been made and sent to soldiers. The boxes are packed with enough essentials and reminders of home for 12 service members bringing the total troops cared for to 22,000 over the 5 years.
The OOIDA uses truckers’ donations to fund the care packages for the troops. Between 2008 and 2009, there was about $100,000 raised despite the recession and escalated fuel costs. The ultimate goal of the fundraiser is to give the troops a sense of home and remind them that they are in our hearts and thoughts.
There are several ways to be a part of this great new tradition:
- Stop by headquarters during the week
- Call 800-444-5791 and tell the operators you are calling in for Truckers for Troops
- Campaign lasts from December 5- December 12, during normal work hours and up until 7:30 p.m. CST
- Telethon broadcasts held on “Land Line Now” each evening during the campaign from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. CST on Sirius XM Channel 106
Contact Information
- OOIDA Truckers for Troops, PO Box 1000, Grain Valley, MO, 64029, c/o Nikki Johnson
- E-mail: troops@ooida.com