[gallery type=“slideshow” ids=“12544,12543,12542”]

Less than a month into 2015, Bob Falter and his Jiffy Lube team have already helped make a huge difference for the USO.

Under the leadership of Falter, a Jiffy Lube Regional franchise owner, locations across Delaware last fall sold key fobs to raise money for the organization. In addition to spearheading the key fob promotion, Falter, whose father served in World War II, agreed to match the fundraising efforts dollar for dollar, resulting in a $19,000 check that was presented to USO Delaware Director Joan Cote on Jan. 15.

“Obviously receiving a check for that amount is not a daily occurrence, so we were completely blown away by the success of the campaign,” Cote said. “None of [USO Delaware’s] important programs could be achieved without the financial support that comes from the generosity of individuals, organizations and companies like Jiffy Lube.”

Falter and his team reached out to customers through direct mail and radio ads and hosted special promotion launch nights at Grotto Pizza to educate Jiffy Lube employees about the USO’s mission.

“It was a wonderful promotion and I’d like to say that I was part of it, but it was truly a team effort to raise this amount of money,” Falter said.

To help motivate Jiffy Lube franchises during the promotion, Mike Tatoian, a USO Delaware council chair and the president of Dover Motorsports, Inc., gave the participating Jiffy Lube locations an added incentive. The location that sold the most key fobs would be his personal guests for an upcoming NASCAR race at Dover International Speedway.

With support from Falter, his Jiffy Lube team and their generous customers, the USO is able to deliver on it’s mission to lift the spirits of America’s troops and their families.

“The many gestures of appreciation and support that the USO delivers on behalf of a grateful community […] make a tremendous impact on the morale of our military personnel and their families,” Cote said.