USO Invites Americans to Break the Guinness World Record and Create the World’s Largest Thank You For Troops and their Families by Signing the Every Moment Counts Flag
Arlington, VA (PRWEB) May 01, 2014 -- The USO is continuing the momentum of their national Every Moment Counts campaign, by rallying Americans to show support for troops and their families through the simple act of giving a signature. Beginning today, in celebration of Military Appreciation Month in May, the USO is inviting the American people to show their gratitude for men and women in uniform by joining them in attempting to set a Guinness World Record for “most signatures on a flag.” Throughout May, Americans will be able join in creating real, everyday moments for troops and their families by signing a one-of-a-kind, large-scale Every Moment Counts flag on USOmoments.org or in-person or digitally at events around the globe.
“Our men and women in uniform and their families work tirelessly to protect the freedoms we enjoy daily,” says Brigadier General (Ret.) John Pray, USO President and CEO. “Each signature on the Every Moment Counts flag is a visible statement of our collective gratitude for all they do for all of us. Helping the USO set a new Guinness World Record will be a very special “thank you” moment for these very special people.”
To break the Guinness World Record, the USO will need to capture more than 33,274 signatures on the Every Moment Counts flag by May 31, 2014. To date, the Every Moment Counts flag has gathered thousands of signatures by making stops at some of the USO’s more than 160 locations including Afghanistan, Germany, Okinawa and dozens of locations in the US. With the potential to hold 201,600 signatures, Americans are being asked to join in by signing the larger than life flag digitally at USOmoments.org or in-person at USO centers and local events throughout the month including select Major League Baseball games on Armed Forces Day, May 17, 2014.
To honor Memorial Day, on May 25, 2014 the USO will partner with Coca-Cola at the Coca-Cola 600 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway to unfurl for the first time the center portion of the Every Moment Counts flag during a special pre-race presentation. In addition, individual panels from the Every Moment Counts flag will be available to sign by race attendees and NASCAR drivers alike to help the USO break the world record.
"As a long-term partner of the USO, Coca-Cola has been dedicated to honoring our brave service members and their families for more than 70 years," said Quinton Martin, vice president, Community Marketing, Coca-Cola North America. “Every Moment Counts is a wonderful campaign and a true reflection of the special moments and memories the USO makes possible. We’re looking forward to the pre-race celebration at the Coca-Cola 600 and helping our great partner to break the Guinness World Record."
At the close of the eligible signing period, signatures will be tallied and the 80 foot by 120 foot Every Moment Counts flag will be assembled by Colonial Flag in Sandy, Utah, throughout the month of June. The final flag, which proudly adorns the Every Moment Counts center insignia, will be revealed in Summer 2014.
In addition, USO tour veteran and actor Dennis Haysbert has lent his support and iconic voice to the Every Moment Counts video documenting the flags journey which can be viewed here.
“As so many servicemen and women return home and begin their journey to reintegrate with family, friends and communities, we must all do our part to say ‘thank you’,” said Haysbert. “As a long time USO volunteer, I am honored to be lending not only my support to such a important campaign but also my voice and signature to the Every Moment Counts flag to help the USO break a Guinness World Record and continue their extraordinary work. I encourage everyone to join me in honoring our nation’s troops and military families.”
Along with Coca-Cola, the USO is proud to be supported by a variety of corporate partners including Build-A-Bear Workshop®.
Throughout May and June, Build-A-Bear Workshop will team up with the USO Every Moment Counts campaign to create moments that matter for our troops and their families through in-store and social media donation activations. For each share of a special hashtag, #babwUSOthanks, Build-A-Bear Workshop will donate one dollar to the USO (up to $50,000 total). Guests can make a monetary donation to support the USO at Build-A-Bear Workshop stores nationwide when they checkout through June 30.
Additionally, Build-A-Bear Workshop will also host “Celebrating Heroes” events in New York City, Chicago, St. Louis, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. for special military families. Guests will be invited to sign Every Moment Counts flag panels in select Build-A-Bear Workshop stores to help the USO break the Guinness World Record.
For more information on Every Moment Counts, how supporters can lend their signature to the flag, or more details on local opportunities to view and sign the flag panels please visit USOmoments.org or join the conversation on Facebook or Twitter using #USOMoments. To obtain USO photos, video and logo please visit: uso.box.com/EMC.
About Every Moment Counts
Every Moment Counts is a national campaign to rally Americans to honor and create moments that matter for our troops and their families. By clearly communicating the significance of these moments, and humanizing their impact on families, the USO can help shift the civilian perspective on military service and inspire Americans to help show their gratitude to our troops and their families. The campaign invites Americans to join the USO in honoring and creating moments that count by visiting USOmoments.org and allowing them to pledge and give their gratitude for our troops.
About the USO
The USO lifts the spirits of America’s troops and their families millions of times each year at hundreds of places worldwide. We provide a touch of home through centers at airports and military bases in the U.S. and abroad, top quality entertainment and innovative programs and services. We also provide critical support to those who need us most, including forward-deployed troops, military families, wounded warriors, troops in transition and families of the fallen. The USO is a private, non-profit organization, not a government agency. Our programs and services are made possible by the American people, support of our corporate partners and the dedication of our volunteers and staff.
In addition to individual donors and corporate sponsors, the USO is supported by President’s Circle Partners: American Airlines, AT&T, BNSF Railway, The Coca-Cola Company, Grand Canyon University, JCPenney, Jeep, Johnson & Johnson, Kroger, Northrop Grumman Corporation and TriWest Healthcare Alliance and Worldwide Strategic Partners: BAE Systems, BIC, The Boeing Company, ConAgra Foods, FedEx, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft Corporation, Procter & Gamble, TKS Telepost Kabel-Service Kaiserslautern GmbH & Co. KG and Wawa Inc. We are also supported through the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-11381). To join us in this patriotic mission, and to learn more about the USO, please visit uso.org.
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world's most valuable and recognizable brands, our Company's portfolio features 17 billion-dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices and juice drinks. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a rate of 1.9 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world's top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at http://www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at http://www.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.
About Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.
Founded in St. Louis in 1997, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. is the only global company that offers an interactive make-your-own stuffed animal retail-entertainment experience. There are approximately 400 Build-A-Bear Workshop stores worldwide, including company-owned stores in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland, and franchise stores in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, the Middle East, and Mexico. The company was named to the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® list for the sixth year in a row in 2014. Build-A-Bear Workshop posted total revenue of $379.1 million in fiscal 2013. For more information, call 888.560.BEAR (2327) or visit the Investor Relations section of its award-winning website at buildabear.com®.
Gayle Fishel, USO, http://www.uso.org, +1 (703) 908-6433, [email protected]
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