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Wednesday, September 14 - Friday, September 16, 2005

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National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA)

ENDOWING THE FUTURE CAMPAIGN:
Watch the Mail to Learn More About How You Can Help This Important Industry Initiative

CHICAGO, IL - Members of the National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA) should be sure to watch the mail for a special packet of information outlining how they can support the industry's Endowing the Future campaign, NAMA President and CEO Richard M. Geerdes announced today. Endowing the Future is initially funding the industry's Balanced for Life campaign, but will also be used for other projects designed to help push the industry forward, including research programs, expanded educational initiatives and scholarships.

In discussing the membership-wide appeal Geerdes said, “This is one of the most important projects underway at NAMA because it will help protect the future of us all. When the packet arrives, we hope members will keep in mind that in order to be successful we're going to need industry wide support. The question should not be whether to participate or not, but instead, at what level you can participate to help us protect the future for us all.”

One of the first programs to be funded by the campaign is the organization's Balanced for Life educational initiative designed to correct misperceptions that vending is the cause behind obesity, and instead communicate messages about the importance of a balanced diet and being physically active. One key aspect of the program is its partnership arrangement with non-profit America Scores, an after school literacy and physical activity program that operates in 13 inner cities across America. Through America Scores, Balanced for Life sponsored soccer and poetry festivals in four cities across the country in May that generated articles from coast-to-coast about the vending industry's work to help fight childhood obesity.

In addition to the Balanced for Life campaign, other NAMA initiatives to be supported by the Endowing the Future Campaign include:

• Fully fund an endowment for scholarships for advanced education for dependents of members at meaningful national levels, much higher than the organization's current levels;
• Continue the effort to raise student awareness at universities for intern programs and to create and maintain the talent pool of tomorrow for our industry;
• Expand the Executive Development Program and provide more scholarships for members to attend;
• Grant additional funding to enhance the existing State Council student scholarship programs or create them where they are needed;
• Focus on the effort to expand State Council Educational programs to bring what our members need, where and when they need it.

Added Geerdes, “Our goal is to raise $5 million dollars, and we are well on our way with $3.25 million raised to date. We certainly thank those generous donors who have contributed so generously and now ask all of our members to do their part as well.”

Some of the top donors to the campaign to date include Coke, Masterfoods, MEI and Flavia, Hershey Foods, Compass Group Vending Services Division, Crane Merchandising Systems, Dixie-Narco, Inc., ARAMARK Corporation, Kellogg/Keebler, The Standard Companies, All Seasons Services, Inc., Continental Vending, Inc., Vistar/VSA, Arnold Vending Company, Pierre Foods, A.H. Management Group, Biscomerica, Prestige Services, Inc., A.H. Management Group, Inc., Evergreen Food Services, Sodexho Vending, Automatic Merchandiser, and Vending Times. State Councils that have donated to the campaign include Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Illinois, Maryland/DC, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Northwest Automatic Vending Association, Intermountain Vending Council, and the Automatic Merchandising Association of Florida. Individual donors who have recently made significant donations include Charles & June Bertsch and Gene Monnin.

In addition to the contribution information included in the special packet, contributions can also be made on-line at:  http://www.vending.org/capitalcampaign/donor. For more information about how to donate to the campaign contact Scott Ball at sball@vending.org. For more information about Balanced for Life contact Jackie Clark at jclark26@juno.com

Concluded Geerdes, “Thanks to our industry's most prominent members, the campaign is really gaining momentum. Now we hope members all across the industry will step up to the plate to show their support as well.”

NAMA is the national trade association of the food and refreshment vending, coffee service and foodservice management industries including on-site, commissary, catering, & mobile. Its membership is comprised of service companies, equipment manufacturers and suppliers of products and services to operating service companies. The basic mission of the association, to collectively advance and promote the automatic merchandising and coffee service industries, still guides NAMA today as it did in 1936, the year of the organization's founding.

September 14 - September 16, 2005



September 14 - September 16, 2005



October 27 - 29, 2005