For Immediate Release

Anthony M Falbo, Jr.
Friday – October 11, 2019

(716)361-1031

MADE IN AMERICA STORE HOSTS HONOR FLIGHT MEET & GREET FOR WWII, KOREA, VIETNAM & COLD WAR VETERANS ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12

“Flag Retirement Ceremony & Luncheon Highlight Community Event for 150+ veterans, guardians, sponsors & volunteers”

Elma, NY.Mark Andol, Founder & CEO of Made in America Store -- headquartered at 1000 W. Maple Court in Elma, NY -- will be joined by Tom Petrie, President of Buffalo Niagara Honor Flight, to kick-off a weekend of celebration and remembrance honoring the service and sacrifice of the veterans embarking on Mission 9 of our community’s Honor Flight Hub.The Meet & Greet begins at 12 noon and runs until 2:30 p.m.

A total of 57 veterans – 17 WWII, 30 Korea, 7 Vietnam, 1 Cuban Missile Crisis and 2 Cold War –will be accompanied by their guardians. Approximately 40 Honor Flight volunteers will assist with the Meet & Greet event, as well as more than 10 TOPS employees volunteering that day.Seven of the veterans to be honored are from Warren County, PA or Jamestown, NY -- both are communities whose veterans are served by Buffalo’ Niagara’s hub.

National Fuel is the primary financial sponsor of the flight, which departs Buffalo Niagara Airport this Sunday, Oct. 13.Karen Merkle, Director of Corporate Communications, will represent National Fuel. The public is invited to participate in the community send-off ceremony at the Airport at 7:00 a.m. Sunday.

TOPS Supermarkets is a supporting sponsor of this flight, providing both in-kind and financial donations.John Persons, President & COO, will represent TOPS.

In addition to a chicken BBQ for the veterans prepared and donated by TOPS, the final phase of TOPS’ “Stars for Our Troops” initiative will be conducted – a flag retirement ceremony complete with the presence of an Honor Guard from East Aurora American Legion Post. No.362.

Colvin Cleaners donated the cleaning of the flags, and People, Inc. assisted with the final preparation of the flags for the ceremony.Together with volunteers from Honor Flight, TOPS employees volunteered many hours to help prepare the flags – a total of 80 persons from both organizations.

Mark Andol donates office, meeting and storage space in the Made in America Store’s World Distribution Center in Elma to serve as Buffalo Niagara Honor Flight’s brick & mortar headquarters.An All American Cruise Night – 6 in total – are scheduled at Made in America’s flagship store in Elma the last Friday of the month from April-September annually to raise money for Honor Flight.