TravelCenters employees donate to trucker relief fund

WESTLAKE, Ohio (April 23, 2014) — Employees of TravelCenters of America L.L.C. (TA) have donated $5,260 to the St. Christopher Truckers Development and Relief Fund (SCF).

The donations assist the non-profit organization that provides direct assistance to professional truck drivers whose medical problems have led to financial hardship.

Westlake-based TravelCenters, which operates the TA and Petro Stopping Centers travel center brands, said the donations came from attendees at the TA and Petro booth at the recent Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) in Louisville, Ky., last month. The company's employees also held a corporate event to raise donations for the fund.

“Nearly $5,000 in donations was generated at MATS,” said Tom O'Brien, TravelCenters president and CEO. “That more than doubles any donation amount we've collected at a trade show for the SCF, once again proving the extreme generosity of drivers and their interest in helping each other.”

Each year, TA and Petro locations hold the “Band Together for SCF” fundraising campaign. The winning site for the 2013 campaign was the TA outlet in Harborcreek, Pa., which pulled in nearly $7,500 in donations during the month-long campaign. Team members from the Harborcreek location attended this year's MATS to assist in sharing information about the SCF and collecting donations in the TA/Petro booth at the show.

“I couldn't be more proud of the dedication our Harborcreek store, restaurant and truck service teams have showed in raising money for the SCF,” Mr. O'Brien added. “They have set two winning donation records for the SCF in less than a year.”

TravelCenters began holding annual fundraisers for the SCF in 2010. Each year, according to the company, campaign donations have increased, with 100 percent of all donations collected going to the organization. To date, TravelCenters has helped raise more than $1.1 million for the charity.

SCF Executive Director Dr. Donna Kennedy said she continues “to be amazed by the generosity of all the TA and Petro customers and employees who have made this possible, especially the TA Harborcreek team.

“To date, we have helped nearly 1,000 professional drivers with financial assistance with utility bills, mortgage payments and other monthly bills, paying out nearly $615,000, thanks to these generous donations that make it possible to help those in need.”

TravelCenters operates 249 full-service truck stop locations off interstate highway exits in 43 states and Canada.

The SCF is a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit organization that provides assistance to professional truck drivers whose medical problems have led to financial difficulty. The organization also promotes educational and wellness programs that benefit professional drivers and the trucking industry. More information is available on the SCF website.