SUPPORTING SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Commissaries partner with industry to deliver extra savings to patrons, assist worthy cause

FORT LEE, Va. – Nearly 40 commissaries worldwide emerged as grand prize winners in an industry promotion that delivered extra savings to their military communities while also supporting their local Special Olympics chapters.

As part of their Special Olympics promotion, Procter and Gamble (P&G) distributed $157 worth of brandSAVER® coupons per customer on coupons for products sold in commissaries worldwide. Shoppers could also clip $572 in digital coupons on related P&G products to the Commissary Rewards Card program.

The promotion also benefitted Special Olympics as commissaries competed for their slice of $75,000 donated to local chapters. Winning commissaries were determined based on sales of P&G products and merchandising displays during the January promotional periods.

“We routinely partner with our network of manufacturers, vendors and suppliers to help deliver the commissary benefit to our customers worldwide,” said Marine Sgt. Maj. Michael R. Saucedo, senior enlisted advisor to the Defense Commissary Agency director. “Special Olympics is a classic example of how this partnership also supports worthy causes.”

The following commissaries were grand prize winners:

• Alabama – Maxwell Force Base
• Alaska – Anchorage Area at Joint Base Elmendorf – Richardson
• Arizona – Marine Corps Air Station Yuma
• California – Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake and Naval Air Facility El Centro
• District of Columbia – Bolling Field at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling
• Florida – Hurlburt Field
• Georgia – Hunter Army Air Field
• Germany – Baumholder
• Illinois – Naval Station Great Lakes
• Italy – Aviano Air Base and Naval Support Activity Naples
• Japan – Naval Air Facility Atsugi
• Kentucky – Fort Knox
• Korea – Camp Humphreys and Yongsan Air Base
• Louisiana – Barksdale Air Force Base
• Maryland – Naval Air Station Patuxent River
• Mississippi – Columbus Air Force Base and Naval Air Station Meridian,  
• North Carolina – Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point and Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
• Portugal – Lajes Field (The Azores)
• South Carolina – Fort Jackson
• South Dakota – Ellsworth Air Force Base
• Texas – Dyess Air Force Base, Fort Hood I, Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Laughlin Air Force Base and Randolph Air Force Base
• Virginia – Navy Amphibious Base Little Creek and Langley Commissary at Joint Base Langley-Eustis
• Washington – Fairchild Air Force Base, and both McChord Field and Lewis Main commissaries at Joint Base Lewis-McChord
• Wisconsin – Fort McCoy

Janice Coleman, store director at the McChord Commissary, said the Special Olympics promotion is another shining example of commissaries and industry partnering for a worthy cause.

“Sherry James with P&G created a fabulous display for the Special Olympics after

consulting with the McChord Team on product quantities and movement,” Coleman said. “She embraced the project creating an attractive, shoppable display inviting commissary patrons to support the Special Olympics effort. Coupons were available for added patron savings and four shopping sprees were raffled off to the lucky winners.” 

            At Naval Support Activity Naples, store director Dennis Holm also cited teamwork as his team strived to create an eye-catching display for the promotion.

“Not only did the display catch our patrons’ attention, but it supported such a worthy

cause,” Holm said. “Francesco Furino, the OSCWebco merchandiser worked on this display

with passion and it showed. He was assisted by our grocery manager, Hugo Zapata, and his grocery team as they worked hard to accomplish this display.

“Knowing that this teamwork contributed to such an achievement, instills a great sense of pride in what we do for our community and this agency.”

P&G presented $24,000 worth of Commissary Gift Cards to DeCA for its grand prize winners.

Since 1980, Procter & Gamble’s brandSAVER® coupon program has raised over $40 million for Special Olympics, with 2 cents from every coupon redeemed going to the cause, said Michael Bender, P&G’s DeCA military sales leader.

“For 42 years P&G has been thrilled to partner with the commissary system to support Special Olympics chapters while offering extra savings to their military communities,” Bender said. “P&G is thrilled to partner with the Defense Commissary Agency to support our Special Olympic chapters and our military families.”

-DeCA-

About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Commissaries provide a military benefit, saving authorized patrons thousands of dollars annually on their purchases compared to similar products at commercial retailers. The discounted prices include a 5-percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. A core military family support element, and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America’s military and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.