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USO Care Package Tour to 70 Cities Across the U.S. Exceeds Expectations -- Waddell & Reed Drives One of the Largest Fundraisers for the USO in 2007
USO Care Package Tour to 70 Cities Across the U.S. Exceeds Expectations -- Waddell & Reed Drives One of the Largest Fundraisers for the USO in 2007
Published 12-03-07
Submitted by Waddell & Reed
"BIG RIG" Completes 70-City Goodwill Tour, Cause Marketing Effort Exceeds Expectations
Company Exceeds Goals: Visits More Than 70 Cities; Raises 16,000 USO Care Packages; Hosts 25,000 Visitors; and Garners More Than 1,000 Local & Regional News Stories
KANSAS CITY, MO - December 3, 2007 "“ One of the country's oldest mutual fund companies. An 18-wheeler truck. USO Care Packages. This unexpected combination made for a surprising amount of charitable and marketing success in 2007.
When Waddell & Reed set out in January 2007 on its mission of thanks and celebration, no one could envision the number of people and places that would be impacted. The company's intention was to celebrate 70 strong years by saying thank you to those who defend our nation and, in doing so, raise awareness of Operation USO Care Package - a program that enables the public to express their support of our men and women in uniform.
To make this 70th anniversary celebration come to life, Waddell & Reed outfitted an 18-wheeler truck (The "RIG") as a mobile public relations and fundraising vehicle for the United Service Organization (USO). The company's goal was to visit 70 cities and raise 10,000 USO Care Packages through local community grassroots events held by their local offices. In each community, people from the general public were invited to the RIG to purchase a $25 tax-deductible USO Care Package, the only care package sanctioned by the Department of Defense, for military personnel serving overseas.
The commitment to take an 18-wheeler to 70 cities and hold local, grassroots USO Care Package fundraisers in each was no small feat. So, the company was delighted when, at the first stops in Los Angeles, the public came out in force, entire military bases came out to support their colleagues fighting overseas, and the news media flocked. A range of powerful news stories ran - everything from coverage about the contents of a USO Care Package, to what USO Care Packages mean to military deployed overseas, to interviews with veterans.
And this type of positive reaction continued. In more than 70 cities around the U.S., local Waddell & Reed financial advisors and managers worked with the local USO and other military organizations to hold grassroots events tailored to their respective city. Local events varied greatly, but many were held near local ballparks or during local festivals, many had military equipment on display and veterans were often present to talk about "days gone by." There were also mobile blood units, live concerts, bounce houses, face painting, free food, and an Apache Helicopter even landed at one event.
In summary, the Waddell & Reed 70th Anniversary Goodwill Tour served to benefit far more than was expected. Following is a summary of the successes of the cause marketing campaign in 2007:
"The tour has exceeded expectations in so many ways," says Henry Herrmann, CEO of Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. (NYSE: WDR). "The enthusiasm demonstrated by our advisors, our clients, and by the public was more than encouraging. We are pleased to be able to give back to communities and a country that has been so good to us."
"The USO is an integral part of our country's relationship with our service men and women, and it has been gratifying to see Waddell & Reed's energy and commitment to expressing their support for our armed forces," said Edward A. Powell, president and CEO of USO World Headquarters.
Purchasing a USO Care Package
USO Care Packages may be purchased anytime for $25 by going to www.waddell.com/70tour. Each care package contains $50 to $75 worth of merchandise (as much of the content is donated) - items such as phone cards, disposable cameras, toiletries, snacks, etc., along with items tailored to the climate of where it is being sent. These are the only care packages sanctioned by the Department of Defense. USO Care Packages may be sent with a personalized message, in honor or in memory of a military person, or anonymously. Purchases of USO Care Packages are tax-deductible.
About the United Service Organization (USO)
For more than 65 years, the USO (United Service Organizations) has been providing morale, welfare and recreational services to U.S. military personnel and their families. The USO is a nonprofit, charitable organization, relying on the generosity of the American people to support its programs and services. Other corporate donors, including the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-0600), have joined thousands of individual donors to support the USO. For more information on the USO, please visit our Web site at www.uso.org.
About Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc.
Through its subsidiaries, Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. (formed in 1981) provides investment management and financial planning services to clients throughout the United States. Waddell & Reed, Inc. (created in 1937) serves as principal underwriter and distributor to the Waddell & Reed Advisors Group of Mutual Funds, W&R Target Funds, Inc. and Waddell & Reed InvestEd Portfolios, Inc., while Ivy Funds Distributor, Inc. (organized in 1993) serves as principal underwriter and distributor to the Ivy Funds. Please remember that, as with any mutual fund, investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate, and shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost.
Waddell & Reed
Waddell & Reed
Across seven decades, Waddell & Reed has sold its mutual funds to individual investors primarily through financial advisors. A respect for the importance of professional financial advice and guidance is central to our investment culture. Your financial advisor, Waddell & Reed and our fund families provide a powerful three-legged stool on which to build your financial future. Successfully cultivating these investment results across many market cycles, Waddell & Reed's investment management team has consistently achieved highly competitive performance within its peer groups. Our investment philosophy, which has served as the cornerstone of our stability, emphasizes long-term investing. Waddell & Reed has succeeded by believing in fundamentals over fads, and extending this belief to the benefit of our investors.
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