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Jersey Mike's Donates More Than $218,000 to Wreaths Across America

By: Jersey Mike's Subs |  6 Shares     103 Reads

Third Annual “Christmas in July” Campaign Helps WAA Place Wreaths On Headstonesat Arlington National Cemetery on December 15th

October 19, 2012 // Franchising.com // COLUMBIA FALLS, Maine - Jersey Mike’s founder & CEO Peter Cancro and Retired Air Force Master Sergeant and North Carolina franchise owner Joseph Minyon prepared to place wreaths on the Tomb of the Unknowns as part of the ceremony.

COLUMBIA FALLS, Maine — Wreaths Across America (WAA), a nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, today announced that Jersey Mike’s, a nationwide sub sandwich franchise, has donated $218,282 to support its mission to Remember the fallen, Honor those who serve and their families, and Teach our children the value of freedom.

From June 30 through July 29, Jersey Mike’s celebrated its third annual “Christmas in July” with a nationwide fundraising and awareness campaign to benefit WAA. Every Jersey Mike’s location participated in the campaign, collecting donations from friends, family, customers and community members. Customers helped raise approximately $100,000, which Jersey Mike’s matched. In addition, the company donated $1 for every “like” its fundraising efforts inspired on Facebook to raise and additional $18,282.

The money raised will help WAAlay more than 225,000 wreaths— one for every fallen hero’s headstone — at Arlington National Cemetery on National Wreaths Across America Day, scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012.

Along with recognizing the sacrifices of the past and present, WAA counts educating children as one of the chief missions of its campaign. Each year many students make the annual trip to Arlington National Cemetery to participate in the wreath-laying ceremonies.

“We can’t thank Jersey Mike’s enough for this remarkable donation and for its continued support of our mission,” said Karen Worcester, executive director, Wreaths Across America. “We are committed to teaching our nation’s children about the sacrifices that have been made for our freedom. It’s our belief that they make the connection in a significant way when they place a wreath on the headstone of someone who gave his or her life for us.”

Last year, with the help of its customers, Jersey Mike’s raised $100,000 which helped WAA place 90,000 wreaths at Arlington on National Wreaths Across America Day.

“A big ‘thank you’ to our customers and employees who helped us exceed our goal of raising $200,000 for Wreaths Across America during this year’s Christmas in July initiative,” said Peter Cancro, Jersey Mike’s founder and CEO.“In addition to honoring the memory of the fallen, our youth need to understand the value of freedom in this country and that is part of Wreaths Across America’s mission that really strikes a chord with me.We’re proud to be playing a part in making that happen because at Jersey Mike’s our mission is to ‘make a difference in someone’s life.’It’s something we’ve prided ourselves on since the beginning of the company in 1956.”

In past years, Cancro and other Jersey Mike’s executives have participated in the day’s ceremoniesand franchise owners from across the nation have attended. The events begin with a week-long annual pilgrimage from Harrington, Maine, to Arlington National Cemetery to deliver the wreaths. Known as the world’s largest veterans parade, the Wreaths Across America convoy stops at schools, monuments, veterans’ homes and communities each year. The goal is to remind people of the organization’s mission to teach younger generations about the value of their freedom and the importance of honoring those who sacrificed their lives to protect those freedoms.

During the month-long Christmas in Julypromotion, Jersey Mike’s showed a video in all its restaurants of a special concert organized by Jersey Mike’s to raise awareness for Wreaths Across America. Held in June aboard the historic Battleship New Jersey in Camden, N.J., the concert featured performances by country singer Corey Wagar, Broadway star Mary D’Arcy, the Liberty Bells and the 63rd Army Band, Holiday Express, a group of professional musician volunteers, also performed. This 10-minute video included a personal appeal from Cancro asking customers to support the cause.

About Wreaths Across America

Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman, Morrill Worcester, in 1992. The organization’s mission, Remember, Honor, Teach, is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath laying ceremonies each December at Arlington, as well as hundreds of veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond. For more information, to donate or to sign up to volunteer, please visit www.WreathsAcrossAmerica.org.

About Jersey Mike’s

Jersey Mike’s, a sub sandwich franchise with more than 750 stores open and under development nationwide, has a long history of community involvement and support. Started at the Jersey Shore in 1956, Jersey Mike’s serves authentic East Coast-style subs on fresh baked bread – the same recipe it started with over 56 years ago. The company’s mission is to bring its customers the highest quality, freshest made sub in the industry and give back to the communities in which it operates. A store locator and franchise information for Jersey Mike’s can be found at www.jerseymikes.com.

SOURCE Wreaths Accross America

 

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