USO South Carolina Recognizes its 125 Volunteers during National Volunteer Week and Gives Community a Chance to Help Make a Difference

Volunteers make it possible for USO South Carolina to serve more than 100,000 troops and families each year

COLUMBIA, SC – As people across the country take this week to recognize those who do extraordinary things through service, USO South Carolina is paying tribute to its more than 125 volunteers who consistently give back to the men and women who give so much for our country.

The USO center in the Columbia Metropolitan Airport is open seven days a week and 365 days a year to ensure a “home away from home” is there for our service members and their families. Volunteers ensure the center is stocked with goodies, beverages, resources, and friendly faces. Volunteers give freely and tirelessly of their time to provide programs and services throughout the state, including United through Reading and the Sesame Street/ USO Experience Tour.

“USO South Carolina volunteers make Every Moment Count for the troops and their families we serve!  Our volunteers show their love for service members and country by sharing their time and talent with us. Our volunteers make a difference!” said Joanie Thresher, Director of USO South Carolina.

This week, the staff members are taking advantage of the opportunity to recognize their volunteers a little more with various fun things. An extra special event is planned for later in the year.

“I am so very proud of the volunteers that freely give the gift of their time to make our military members and their families feel at home when traveling through Columbia Metropolitan Airport, “ Dan Mann, Executive Director of the Columbia Metropolitan Airport and Chairman of the USO South Carolina Advisory Council.

To become a volunteer with the USO South Carolina, people can visit www.usovolunteer.org.

Every day of the year the USO strives to lift the spirits of America’s troops and their families, through its locations, programs and services. The USO is the only organization committed to helping members of the U.S. Military from the moment they join, through their deployments and as they transition back into civilian life. In 2014 alone, the USO South Carolina’s more than 125 volunteers gave over 12,740 hours of their time. They continue to be the backbone of the organization and the reason the USO is able to fulfill our mission. From helping troops read a bedtime story to their children thousands of miles away, to providing the Army’s newest soldiers with a place to relax, volunteers make it possible for the USO to make every moment count for our men and women in uniform. They are deserving of our recognition this week and every day of the year.

About the USO

The USO lifts the spirits of America’s troops and their families millions of times each year at hundreds of places worldwide. We provide a touch of home through centers at airports and military bases in the U.S. and abroad, top quality entertainment and innovative programs and services. We also provide critical support to those who need us most, including forward-deployed troops, military families, wounded warriors, troops in transition and families of the fallen. The USO is a private, non-profit organization, not a government agency. Our programs and services are made possible by the American people, support of our corporate partners and the dedication of our volunteers and staff.

In addition to individual donors and corporate sponsors, the USO is supported by President’s Circle Partners: American Airlines, AT&T, BNSF Railway, Clark Construction Group, LLC, The Coca-Cola Company, JCPenney, Jeep, Johnson& Johnson, Kroger, Northrop Grumman Corporation and TriWest Healthcare Alliance and Worldwide Strategic Partners: BAE Systems, BIC, The Boeing Company, ConAgra Foods, FedEx, GEICO, Harris Teeter, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft Corporation, Procter & Gamble, TKS Telepost Kabel-Service Kaiserslautern GmbH & Co. KG and Wawa Inc. We are also supported through the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-11381). To join us in this important mission, and to learn more about the USO, please visit uso.org.