With two weeks to go before Veterans Day, registration for this year’s Grace for Vets carwash promotion had reached 425 participating carwash companies representing 1,243 locations by this afternoon. The facilities are located in 47 states and Washington, D.C, according to Bob Ruhe, the campaign’s project manager.
Organizers this year have set a goal of providing 100,000 free carwashes to military veterans and active service personnel on Veterans Day with participation from at least one carwash in all 50 states. Currently, Grace for Vets has not received registration from carwashes in Alaska, Hawaii or North Dakota.
None of those states has had a carwash formally participate in the program since Grace for Vets started in 2004. Mississippi, West Virginia and Wyoming will have participating carwashes for the first time this year.
“Getting registrations in all 50 states is still a challenge,” Ruhe said. “It would be awesome to finish this year with 1,000 locations, 100,000 free washes and participation from all 50 states. What a statement of thanks to our vets that would be on behalf of the carwash industry.”
“Grace for Vets is a great organization that is doing great work for our military veterans and service personnel, and we are extremely honored to lend our support to the cause,” said Ken Dollhopf, PDQ Manufacturing’s vice president of marketing and new business development. “With that in mind, we urge all carwash operators to consider participation in this worthwhile program as a small way of letting our military personnel, both active and retired, know that they are in our thoughts and to thank them for their service.”
The Grace for Vets program honors military veterans with free carwashes across the nation every Nov. 11. In order to receive a free carwash at a participating location, veterans only have to verbally tell a carwash attendant that they are a retired veteran or active in the armed forces. No proof is required because program officials want the event to run under one of the military’s guiding principles — honor.
Carwash companies that register for Grace for Vets through the program’s Web site receive tips on how to get started and have access to promotional materials, including letterhead, logos, program documents and sample signs, handouts and advertisements.
Grace for Vets was founded by Mike Mountz, president of Cloister Wash & Lube. Mountz was inducted into the Car Wash Hall of Fame this year by the International Carwash Association.
A list of this year's registered participants can be viewed here.