On June 27, participating CountryMark fuel stations raised $60,001 for the United Service Organization (USO) and local National Guard Soldier and Family Readiness Groups (SFRG) during CountryMark’s military giveback fundraiser, Fueling Freedom. Between noon and 5 p.m., CountryMark and its branded dealers donated 50 cents for every gallon of fuel purchased from 42 CountryMark fuel stations throughout Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois.
In just five hours, customers showed up to support Fueling Freedom and purchased over 86,400 gallons of Indiana-refined CountryMark fuels. In addition to the funds raised from fuel purchases, customers generously donated more than $15,900 in cash and supported Fueling Freedom digitally with $860 raised through online donations. Online donations were made directly to the USO in support of Fueling Freedom.
“CountryMark is thankful to the customers for showing up once again, supporting this worthwhile cause and making Fueling Freedom a success,” said Matt Makinson, VP of Supply & Marketing at CountryMark. “We extend our thanks to our branded dealers, station staff, and service members for making this day a great experience.”
Out of the 42 participating CountryMark fuel stations, the CountryMark Busler station in Evansville, Indiana led in station sales with 7,883 gallons of fuel sold during their Fueling Freedom event. The CountryMark Busler station also collected over $1,000 in cash donations.
The second highest performing Fueling Freedom location was the CountryMark Station in Rensselaer, Indiana with 5,078 gallons sold. Coming in third place was the CountryMark Heartland Truck Stop in Logansport, Indiana with 4,926 gallons of fuel sold!
The CountryMark QuickPix Station located on South 8th Street in Richmond, Indiana led in collecting cash donations at the fundraiser, donating over $1,200.
CountryMark branded dealers who participated in the Fueling Freedom fundraisers include Ag Plus, AgBest, Keystone Cooperative, Herdrich Petroleum Corporation, Laughery Valley Ag, Premier Companies, Superior Ag, Starke County Co-op, and SynEnergy Partners.
From the Fueling Freedom events, 100 percent of the proceeds will go directly to the USO and 13 local SFRG groups. SFRG groups are dedicated to strengthening the well-being of the people serving America’s military and help build strong bridges between families and their units. SFRGs provide crucial support to military families as they navigate the unique challenges of military life. Donations from the Fueling Freedom events will go towards organizing family dinners, planning family activities, or offering essential support services.
“The continued support from hometown communities through the Fueling Freedom initiative has enabled the USO to make a meaningful impact on the lives of tens of thousands of service members and their families each year,” said Christopher Schmidt, Executive Director at the USO. “Events like Fueling Freedom are a powerful example of neighbors coming together to support those who have raised their hand in service to our Nation
The USO uses donations to provide support to service members here at home and wherever their service takes them in the world, as well as their families back home. This includes delivering care packages and entertainment to deployed troops, as well as providing spouse and youth programs for military families. The USO is proud to support and partner with National Guard programs and local SFRG initiatives, ultimately strengthening the well-being of the military community. Visit USO.org for more information.
“On behalf of the USO and the military service members we proudly support, we extend our sincere thanks to CountryMark, this year’s participating locations, and the generous communities behind them,” Schmidt added.
If you represent a Solider and Family National Guard Readiness Group and would like to participate in future Fueling Freedom events, please contact info@CountryMark.com.