The Chicago Automobile Trade Association (CATA) spent the month of October conducting its annual USO Barbecue for the Troops fundraising campaign.
Aimed at raising funds and awareness for the USO of Illinois, this year’s month-long event was moved from July due to the COVID-19 pandemic and featured local new-car dealers hosting socially distant outings and encouraging online donations.
In all, approximately 60 CATA dealerships were active in supporting the cause, which has now been in operation since 2013. Over that time, local new-car dealers have collected upwards of $950,000 and held at least 630 unique fundraisers in support of more than 350,000 service members and their families on an annual basis.
"While this year is certainly unique, not even a global pandemic could stand in the way of local new-car dealers' drive to give back to those in need, right within their local communities," CATA Chairman Kevin Keefe told PR Newswire. "Furthermore, we found that people really rallied around the cause because it directly impacts local military who have been serving on the homefront in the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as around the world."
As part of this year’s festivities, the CATA and USO of Illinois solicited nominations for its $150 Real Urban Barbecue catered meal and at-home grilling essentials grand prize. The prize also included a signed hockey puck from hometown hero Chicago Blackhawks' Patrick Kane for contest winners Joy and Dan Symonds, a husband and wife team from Elgin who founded Operation LOVE (acronym for "Love Our Veterans Elgin") Our Veterans.
Operation LOVE centers on honoring "unclaimed" veterans at their funerals, connecting volunteers with local veterans in need of assistance and building up existing local veterans' service organizations by promoting their events, volunteer opportunities and fundraisers.
"We are so thankful to the local dealerships and the USO of Illinois for this great recognition of Operation LOVE," Joy Symonds told PR Newswire. "We're blessed to have a strong community committed to serving and honoring our country's true heroes, our veterans."
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