Started in 1996, the program has enabled more than 4 million free phone calls. This month’s free call days are Nov. 11, Veterans Day, and Nov. 25, Thanksgiving.
It’s a far cry from when local Sport Clips franchise owner Tim Schofield called home from Korea in 1978.
“There was a radio operator somewhere in the world,” Schofield said. “We would get on the phone and call the radio operator, for example if I was calling my parents, I’d go, ‘Hey Mom, I love you. Over,’ and at the word over, the radio operater would switch it so Mom could talk to me and when she was done she’d say, ‘Over.’ ”
This is the fourth year Sport Clips is involved in the “Help a Hero” campaign and hopes to generate $300,000 from its 700 stores nationwide. Area Sport Clips include 6004 Wilmington Pike in Bellbrook, 2331 Miamisburg-Centerville Road near the Dayton Mall and 2260 N. Fairfield Road in Beavercreek.
Schofield said being near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base helped the Beavercreek store raise about $1,000 last year, so he’s glad he was able to connect service members with people back home: “I know what it’s like to be away from family and loved ones for an extended period of time.”
Local VFW District Three Commander Bob Critell said that on Saturday, the VFW will have representatives at each location to provide information. “This fits into a primary VFW core goal of helping families,” he said. “Many local people have benefited greatly from this.”
Sport Clips’ founder and CEO Gordon Logan is a VFW member who did some flight training at WPAFB.
Corporations or individuals interested in donating to the program or sponsoring a Free Call Day are encouraged to contact Linda Ferguson of VFW National Military Services at (816) 968-1102 or lferguson@vfw.org.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-6951 or mgokavi@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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