Tennis Thanks the Troops 2013

 

 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 17, 2013

A Win for Military Families as ThanksUSA and U.S. Professional Tennis Association Partner to Provide Scholarships

Champions Lisa Raymond and Bob and Mike Bryan Join the Team

McLean, VA, 17 May 2013 – ThanksUSA and the U.S. Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) are gearing up for their second annual Tennis Thanks the Troops fundraising campaign to support scholarships for the children and spouses of U.S. service men and women. With May recognized nationally as Military Appreciation Month, the two organizations will be recruiting the country’s USPTA Professionals, clubs, players and tennis fans in organizing tournaments and other special events to raise funds throughout Memorial Day weekend.

Tennis stars Lisa Raymond and Mike and Bob Bryan have returned for a second year to support the effort by participating in public service announcements promoting Tennis Thanks the Troops.

“Global combat operations are ending but the mission of our troops – to protect our nation and our freedoms – persists. As does our responsibility to continue supporting them,”said Bob Okun, chairman and CEO of ThanksUSA. “We are proud to thank our armed forces and their families for their daily sacrifices through the gift of education.”

ThanksUSA provides need-based, post-secondary scholarships to the children and spouses of active-duty personnel across all the Armed Forces, the National Guard and Reserves, as well as families of the fallen and wounded.

“Clubs with USPTA pros are developing creative events that will help ThanksUSA award 500 scholarships worth $1.5 million this year, helping make U.S. military families the real winners,” said Michele Stork, executive director of ThanksUSA.

Throughout Memorial Day weekend, May 25-27, participating USPTA Professionals at various facilities will collect a minimum voluntary donation of $5 from tennis players, professionals, members, guests and fans to support ThanksUSA. Facilities will have flexibility on their donation-collection options, including choosing among tournaments/contests, lessons and silent auctions, and can also hold fundraising events on other weekends throughout the year.

“There’s certainly a lot of attention on supporting those initiatives that help our troops of late and rightfully so,” said USPTA CEO John Embree. “As an association, we intend to do our part using pros who are community-minded and want to show their dedication to the military by making a valuable contribution to those efforts.”

Leading the charge are the San Diego District Tennis Association through its annual Tennis Fest and the Berkeley Hills Country Club in Duluth, Ga., with a Tennis Thanks the Troops Memorial Day Mixer. All participating facilities will be competing to raise the most money for the campaign, with the winner able to send their pro and one guest to the US Open in New York on Aug. 30.

For more information on the Tennis Thanks the Troops campaign, visit the Tennis Thanks the Troops webpage. Join the team and show your gratitude to our military men and women and their families!

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About the USPTA: Founded in 1927, USPTA strives to raise the standards of the tennis profession while promoting greater awareness of the sport. USPTA offers nearly 70 professional benefits to its more than 15,000 members worldwide, including certification and professional development. With more than 300 days of educational opportunities throughout the year, USPTA offers the most comprehensive continuing education program in the tennis industry. For more information, call 800-877-8248 or visit www.uspta.com.

About ThanksUSA: ThanksUSA is a non-partisan, charitable effort to mobilize Americans of all ages to “thank” the men and women of the United States armed forces. The organization provides college, technical and vocational school scholarships for the children and spouses of active-duty status military personnel. For more information, visit www.thanksusa.org.

CONTACT:
Poornima Rimm, Director of Public Relations
USPTA
713-978-7782, ext. 125
Poornima.Rimm@USPTA.org

Michele Stork, Executive Director
ThanksUSA
703-855-4108
MicheleStork@ThanksUSA.org

26TH ANNUAL SEA SERVICE LEADERSHIP ASSOCIATION’S JOINT WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SYMPOSIUM

Military women from each of the five service branches are encouraged to register for the Sea Service Leadership Association’s Joint Women’s Leadership Symposium, which has been rescheduled for June 6-7, 2013. For the past 26 years, the symposium has focused on service readiness and remains dedicated to networking, education and professional development for Armed Forces service members. To learn more and register, go to: www.sealeader.org

Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Accepting Internship Applications

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation is currently accepting internship applications for the Fall 2013 session. Interested students can follow the links below for program details and online application:

CBCF Emerging Leaders Internship Program
CBCF Communications Internship Program

American Airlines/ThanksUSA Scholarship Recipient Eric Pierre Allen

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ThanksUSA is currently accepting scholarship applications for the 2013-2014 academic year. Over the past seven years, ThanksUSA has awarded over 2,800 scholarships (worth nearly $8.5 million) to deserving military spouses and dependent children. $3,000 American Airlines/ThanksUSA Scholarship recipient Eric Pierre Allen is an excellent representation of these scholars. The Army dependent’s unique combination of majors, combined with his giving spirit and drive to succeed, really make him stand out.

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Eric’s father, First Sergeant Norman Allen, U.S. Army, has been serving our great nation for over twenty five years. Knowing life only as a military child, Eric travelled often and was exposed to a variety of cultures.

As a teen, Eric found himself enthralled with the vibrant graphics of Japanese animation. Though he enjoyed the visual styles of anime, he couldn’t fully understand the symbolism and cultural references. Soon, his quest to grasp the intricacies of anime led to a fascination with Japanese history and culture.

In high school, Eric had the opportunity to focus on his Japanese interests as a student of the Internal Baccalaureate Program. He explains, “I did my senior thesis paper on the Samurai Code of Bushido and how it affected the mentality of the Kamikaze pilots. This is when I gained a great passion for Japanese culture and language.”

When he entered the University of Texas at Austin to study accounting, Eric knew that he also wanted to continue his Japanese studies. During his freshman year, Eric attended a fair to learn about various campus student groups. Interested in joining an organization that would complement his business studies, Eric stopped by a particular group’s table only to find it unoccupied. The neighboring table happened to be hosted by the Asian Business Students Association. Eric struck up a conversation with ABSA’s Internal Vice President and accepted her enthusiastic invitation to join.

Now, nearly three years later, Eric is pursuing his Masters in Professional Accounting and B.A. in Japanese Language and Culture. He has become involved in many campus organizations including Student Government, Liberal Arts Council, Japanese Association, and Black Business Students Association. He is also a DJ and show host for the campus’s Chop Suey Radio and he has continued his involvement in the ABSA. In fact, Eric currently serves as the ABSA’s Internal Vice President – the same position of the officer who invited him to join during his freshman year.

Eric believes that all college students should seek out campus organizations and activities in order to make the most of their educational experience. He adds, ”Through all of the organizations I have been involved with, I have gained valuable connections with people that will transcend college.”

As his junior year at UT Austin concludes, Eric is preparing for what may be his most memorable year yet. During the 2013-2014 academic year, Eric’s collegiate majors will culminate into an immersive learning experience with studies abroad in Osaka and Tokyo.

After completing his undergraduate degrees and earning his CPA, Eric plans to gain practical experience in the United States before pursuing an international career. Eventually, he hopes to earn his PhD in Japanese history and become a college professor.

Considering his academic achievements thus far, I’m sure Eric will accomplish every goal he sets for himself. As the 2012-2013 academic year concludes, I hope to bring you more highlights from our deserving scholars. Some may be wrapping up their first year of college, while others are graduating. If you find any of these ThanksUSA scholarship recipients as inspiring as I do, I encourage you to make your tax deductible donation today.

“All of my accomplishments so far have been because of generous people like you. Thank you again for your donation.” – Army dependent Eric Allen

Military Appreciation Monday to benefit ThanksUSA

MILITARY APPRECIATION MONDAYS

Supports ThanksUSA

A great group of Virginian business owners hosts a monthly dinner to raise funds for organizations that support our beloved military. This month, ThanksUSA is honored to be the chosen organization for May’s Military Appreciation Monday.

Make your reservations now for dinner on Monday, May 13th, at The Old Brogue in Great Falls. Seatings will be at 5:30 and 7:30, and no donations is necessary…just enjoy a delicious dinner while supporting ThanksUSA’s mission!

Bob Nelson of Keller Williams Realty in Great Falls speaks about this wonderful fundraising effort:

“We have been doing monthly dinners at the Old Brogue in Great Falls, Va. for the past five years. These started out as small events with 10-15 of our friends and have now grown to attracting anywhere from 80-140 people. About 80 percent of attendees are our regulars while the other 20 percent are first time attendees. Most of the money raised is through our regular cosponsor donations. Myself and these cosponsors each make a ten percent donation based on what you spend for dinner. We also conduct a door prize drawing. Our typical match comes in at between 150-200 percent of the total dinner tab.”

So don’t delay – call The Old Brogue at (703) 759-3309 to make your dinner reservation and print out this flyer to share with your neighbors and coworkers:

Our sincerest appreciation to Bob Nelson and these generous business sponsors:

The Old Brogue

Gary Kaihara, DDS

Double Eagle Title

Blue River IT

Al’s Towing and Storage

Taylor Allgyer – First Savings Mortgage

James Gaudiosi – Atlantic Coast Mortgage

Raise a Racquet in Support of ThanksUSA!

San Diego Tennis Fest

To help ThanksUSA and the USPTA kick off “Tennis Thanks the Troops,” the San Diego District Tennis Association (SDDTA) will hold it’s annual Tennis Fest on Sunday, May 5th.

Holly & SGT Lam Le, USMC

In 2012, USPTA clubs around the country hosted events and collected donations for ThanksUSA scholarships during Tennis Thanks the Troops. Since SDDTA raised the most ($3,350), they were awarded two tickets to the U.S. Open. Always supportive of our military heroes, SDDTA presented the tickets to Wounded Warrior U.S. Marine Corps SGT Lam Le and his wife, Holly.

If you’re in the San Diego area, you can help SDDTA compete for those 2013 U.S. Open tickets! The first 800 pre-registered participants will receive a 2013 Tennis Fest T-shirt and a welcome bag, so register today at www.sandiegotennis.com and help SDDTA win those Tennis Thanks the Troops U.S. Open tickets! Click the flyer below for more info:

Now Accepting Scholarship Applications

ThanksUSA is now accepting scholarship applications for the 2013-2014 academic year. Completing a scholarship application may seem like a daunting task, but it’s really just a matter of providing the requested information. A complete overview of this year’s scholarship program can be found here, but the following can help get you started:

Tips For Completing The ThanksUSA Scholarship Application

• Carefully read through the entire application. Be sure to fill it out completely and accurately. Proofread your application and verify that all supporting documents are attached before submitting.
• When stating your educational and career objectives, be concrete. Tell us what you are studying and why. Even if you’re undecided about your major, relay what you wish to accomplish with your education.
• Demonstrate that you’re a well-rounded individual. List all of you activities and be sure to include any recognition you have received for them. You may immediately think of academics or sports, but what about your community involvement? Are you involved with a religious organization? Have you participated in charitable drives? Do you have a hobby? Are you employed? Do you mentor or tutor? Don’t sell yourself short!
• If you don’t understand a portion of the application, don’t be afraid to ask for assistance: thanksusa@scholarshipamerica.org

The ThanksUSA team encourages you to share ThanksUSA’s mission with your family and friends – Just click on one of the social links below. Don’t forget to support our mission by making your tax-deductible donation today!