An American Hero meets their Idol
Veteran Tickets Foundation to lead local singing contest

May 26, 2009 (PHOENIX, Ariz.) – Are you a budding country singer with just the right “twang” in your voice?  Do you know every Toby Keith song and want a chance to meet him?  Are you currently Active Duty or a Veteran of the U.S. Military?  If you answered yes to these questions, your dreams might just come true as Veteran Tickets Foundation partners with the new Toby Keith’s I Love this Bar and Grill for VetTix “American Soldier Idol.”

Toby Keith’s I love this Bar and Grill, located at Mesa Riverview, 1065 N. Dobson Rd, Mesa AZ 85201, will open on June 3 with a special “invite only” party.  Prior to the event, Veteran Tickets Foundation will be hosting a singing contest, with the grand prize of an all access VIP package, including a meet & greet with Toby Keith.

“We really want our service men and women to know that this is a place they are always welcome,” said Frank Capri,” I Love this Bar and Grill Owner.  “We look forward to hosting our military members not only at our grand opening, but long into the future.”

Active duty or retired military members possessing a “powerful set of pipes” are asked to submit a maximum 60 second video of themselves singing the popular Toby Keith song, “I Love this Bar” via email  no later than 11:59 P.M. Thursday, May 28. 

The top five entries will be posted by 5 P.M. Friday, May 29 on www.VetTix.org for public voting.  Votes will be accepted through 11:59 P.M. on Sunday, May 31 with the winner being announced on Monday, June 1 at 10 A.M. on the Website. 

The winner of “American Soldier Idol” and three of his or her friends will receive a VIP experience including:

·         One room, one night accommodation at the Scottsdale Hyatt Place Hotel

·         Limo transportation to and from Toby Keith’s I Love this Bar and Grill provided by Lexani Limo

·         Four all access VIP passes for the grand opening party at Toby Keith’s I love this Bar and Grill beginning at 4 P.M. with media press conference

·         $50 restaurant credit

·         Private meet & greet with Toby Keith

“VetTix is honored to have been asked to participate in this a once in a lifetime event,” said VetTix President & CEO Michael Focareto.  “It’s well known that Toby Keith is a champion for the military, and our cause fits hand in hand.” 

Additionally, “I Love this Bar & Grill” has donated 100 passes to Veteran Tickets Foundation to distribute to the Grand Opening as a way of saying thank you to military members and Veterans.

Media contact: Heather Gray, VP Public Relations at 602-703-4729.

 

About VTF

Veterans Tickets Foundation is a national non-profit, non-governmental 501c (3) tax-exempt organization whose mission is simple: Give something to those who gave. The group gives without prejudice free tickets to all Veterans, Active Duty Service Members and their families as a way of saying “thank you.” All contributions made to the organization are deductible under section 170 of the IRS Code. To learn more about the Veteran Tickets Foundation, please visit www.VetTix.org.

 

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Arizona Guard, Vets Treated to D-backs Military Appreciation Day
Actor D. B. Sweeney to Touch Base with Service Members and their Families

Veteran Tickets Foundation partners with Chicago Slaughter to honor USMC

May 13, 2009 (Chicago, Il)

Phoenix based non-profit, Veteran Tickets Foundation (VTF)  has teamed up with Arena Football team, the Chicago Slaughter to give away 200 tickets to this Saturday night's game against the Wisconsin Wolfpack.  The game will honor the United States Marine Corps with a special tribute on the heels of Chicago Marine week.

"Anytime VTF can be involved with an organization that honors our military we're excited to play a role," said Michael Focareto, Veteran Tickets Foundation CEO.  "Although VTF is physically distributing the tickets, the Chicago Slaughter is offering us an opportunity to begin national outreach."

Veteran Tickets Foundation is a national non-profit, non-governmental 501c(3) tax-exempt organization whose mission is simple: Give something to those who gave.   The group gives without prejudice free tickets to all Veterans, Active Duty Service Members and their families as a way of saying "thank you."

 All contributions made to the organization are deductible under section 170 of the IRS Code. But most importantly, they are a dedicated group of successful business people who are also Veterans.  "We know what it means to serve," said Focareto. "And now it's our privilege to serve Veterans and to provide an opportunity for the rest of America to express its thanks and gratitude."

In one-year alone, VTF has given away nearly 12,000 tickets to games, concerts and events such as Saturday night's game at a value over $1 Million.  "It is an honor to work with an organization like Veteran Tickets Foundation as they reach out to our large military community, and we hope to continue a this strong partnership as both the Chicago Slaughter and VTF grow as household names," said Gerry Clarke, Team President.

In addition to the USMC Appreciation game, Veteran Tickets Foundation will also be distributing tickets to the Navy tribute game in June.

March 31, 2009

If you don’t want to leave town but would enjoy a night out, check out the Veteran Tickets Foundation, a nonprofit that distributes free event tickets to current and former troops.

Michael Focareto, a disabled Navy veteran, was inspired to start the foundation after attending the 2008 Super Bowl in Phoenix.

He was angry to see empty seats at the game, given that the troops who participated in the pre-game ceremony had to leave the stadium after their performance because they didn’t have tickets. So he decided to set up an organization that could get empty seats to service members.

Since its founding last summer, VTF has given out about 8,000 tickets with a value of $800,000, Focareto said.

Sports teams, theaters and other venues donate empty seats, which can be requested through the foundation’s Web site, www.vettix.org.

Active-duty, Guard and reserve members are eligible, as well as surviving spouses of those killed on active duty, and retirees, veterans and their spouses.

The foundation also operates a for-profit arm as part of a network with access to a separate inventory of discounted tickets for a variety of events at www.vettix.com.

Just remember: The free tickets are at www.vettix.org.

March 16, 2009 (PHOENIX, Ariz.) – Through the Generosity of the Phoenix International Raceway(PIR), 1000 military members and Veterans will be able to attend the Subway Fresh 500 NASCAR event on April 18, 2009 though a partnership with Veteran Tickets Foundation. Because this yearly event sells out very quickly, 1000 tickets means a great deal to a community who might not have otherwise been able to attend.

 Insight Donates 790 Insight Bowl Tickets to Military Veterans

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NASDAQ: NSIT

Tempe, Ariz. – December 29, 2008 – Insight Enterprises, Inc. has donated 790 Insight Bowl and Insight Fiesta Bowl Block Party tickets to the Veteran Tickets Foundation, which will distribute the tickets to U.S. veterans and active military personnel across the United States. Insight’s contribution is the largest yet to the 10-month-old Veteran Tickets Foundation. “We are pleased to provide these tickets to the Veteran Tickets Foundation to show our appreciation for the brave men and women who serve our country,” said Rich Fennessy, president and CEO of Insight.

“Veteran Tickets Foundation believes that tickets are an important expression of gratitude to honor the service of our soldiers. We’re excited to have a globally-recognized, Fortune 500 company like Insight making such a large donation to our organization,” said Veteran Tickets Foundation CEO Michael Focareto, a disabled veteran who served in the first Gulf War.

"Insight has been very generous to the 8,000 Soldiers and Airmen of the Arizona National Guard. Our Guard members, and their families, feel especially appreciated when organizations such as Veteran Tickets Foundation provide these types of opportunities as a way to say thanks for their service," said Brigadier General Hugo E. Salazar, Adjutant General, Arizona National Guard.

Kickoff for the 20th Annual Insight Bowl is at 4 p.m. on Dec. 31 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz. This year’s matchup features the University of Kansas Jayhawks vs. the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. To purchase tickets for the Insight Bowl, which is predicted to draw a record crowd of more than 55,000 fans this year, or for the Insight Fiesta Bowl Block Party, visit www.insightbowl.org.

About Insight
Insight Enterprises, Inc. is a leading provider of brand-name information technology (“IT”) hardware, software and services to large enterprises, small- to medium-sized businesses and public sector institutions in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific. The Company has more than 5,000 teammates worldwide and generated sales of $4.8 billion for its Insight Donates Insight Bowl Tickets

Insight Enterprises, Inc. 1305 W. Auto Drive Tempe, Arizona 85284 480-902-1001 FAX 480-350-1141 most recent fiscal year, which ended December 31, 2007. Insight is ranked number 477 on Fortune magazine’s 2008 ‘Fortune 500’ list. For more information, please call (480) 333-3167 in the United States or visit www.insight.com.

Contact:
Shana Diana
Sr. Manager, Creative Services
shana.diana@insight.com
(480) 333-3167

About Veteran Tickets Foundation
Veteran Tickets Foundation is a national, nonprofit organization committed to acknowledging the extraordinary service of all veterans by providing free and discounted event tickets to the more than 26 million veterans and more than 1.3 million active duty service members. visit www.vettix.org

Contact:
Michael A. Focareto (DAV)
CEO, Director & Founder
mfocareto@VetTix.org
(602) 314-8414

Veteran Tickets Foundation in October 2008 edition of POST magazine

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Phoenix, AZ, October 4, 2008: 

The online version of the magazine and article "Making a Difference" can be seen at the following web location: http://www.postphx.com/ebook/oct08/flash.html 

Press Release

Veteran Tickets Foundation gives 250 seats to Veterans for D-backs game on September 12th.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Phoenix, AZ, September 9, 2008: The Veteran Tickets Foundation celebrates their first Awareness game by donating 250 free tickets to Veterans and their families for the Diamondbacks vs. Cincinnati Reds game on September 12th. All festivities will take place in the Miller Lite Diamond Club at Chase Field.

“I’m very excited about our partnerships with the Diamondbacks and VetTix.com,” said Mike Focareto, President and Founder of Veteran Tickets Foundation. “Besides remembering all of those that lost their lives on September 11th and the conflict since, we’re also celebrating the official launch of the Veteran Tickets Foundation.”

Veteran Tickets Foundation is a national, nonprofit organization committed to acknowledging the extraordinary service of all Veterans by providing free and discounted event tickets to the more than 26 million Veterans and more than 1.3 million active duty service members. The organization was founded and is run by Veterans. Focareto himself is a disabled Veteran and served in the first Gulf War and now works as a design engineer.

“This year, I was at the Super Bowl with my good friend Chris Blindheim who is a former Marine (and now a director in the Foundation),” said Focareto. “We were totally enjoying the game, and I looked over and saw this empty seat. An empty seat—at the Super Bowl! The idea hit me right between the eyes. Wouldn’t it be great if someone would have given that seat away to another Veteran—and written it off as a donation? That’s where the inspiration for Veteran Tickets Foundation came from. And now, little more than six months later, we’re part of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Major League Baseball’s Awareness Series.”

Focareto is quick to add that giving free and discounted tickets away isn’t a “handout”. Veteran Tickets believes that tickets are an important expression of gratitude and that we honor the service of our soldiers now and long after their tour of duty has passed—tickets are a token of our appreciation. The Veteran Tickets Foundation teams up with major sports teams, leagues, promoters, organizations, venues, and everyday ticket holders to get Veterans to every event throughout the country.

While many Veterans’ groups stress a certain branch of the military or represent a class of Veteran, such as Vets with Disabilities, Veteran Tickets makes no such distinction. Focareto is fond of the saying, “If you served, you deserve. Whether you’re a Green Beret who loaded machine guns or a support person who loaded vending machines, you’re a Veteran. You served. You deserve a ticket.”

All the tickets to the Sept. 12 Diamondbacks-Reds Veteran Appreciation Night have been distributed to the Arizona National Guard, Veterans and their families. The Diamondbacks are partnering with Veteran Tickets Foundation to raise funds and awareness for the Foundation. When purchasing tickets, a portion of the proceeds will be donated back to the Veteran Tickets Foundation. First pitch is at 6:40pm with post-game fireworks.

Press Release

Veteran Tickets Foundation gives 250 seats to Veterans for D-backs game on Independence Day.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Phoenix, AZ, June 27, 2008: The Veteran Tickets Foundation celebrates Independence Day by donating 250 free tickets to Veterans and their families for the D-backs vs. San Diego Padres game on July 4th. All festivities will take place in the Miller Lite Diamond Club at Chase Field.

"I'm very excited about our partnership with the D-backs," said Mike Focareto, President and Founder of Veteran Tickets Foundation. "Besides celebrating Independence Day, we are also celebrating the official launch of the Veteran Tickets Foundation."

Veteran Tickets Foundation is a national, nonprofit organization committed to acknowledging the extraordinary service of all Veterans by providing free and discounted event tickets to the more than 26 million Veterans and more than 1.3 million active duty service members. The organization was founded and is run by Veterans. Focareto himself was disabled Veteran and served in the first Gulf War and now works as a design engineer.

"This year, I was at the Super Bowl with my good friend Chris Blindheim who is a former Marine (and now a director in the Foundation)," said Focareto. "We were totally enjoying the game, and I looked over and saw this empty seat. An empty seat at the Super Bowl! The idea hit me right between the eyes. Wouldn't it be great if someone would have given that seat away to another Veteran and written it off as a donation? That's where the inspiration for Veteran Tickets Foundation came from. And now, less than six months later, we are throwing out the first pitch on July 4th at a D-backs game."

Representing Veteran Tickets in throwing out the first pitch will be a soldier who was deployed in Iraq, and after a few short months back home, his wife was then sent to Iraq. "There is going to be a huge surprise. I can't tell you more than that, but I promise there won't be a dry eye in the house."

Focareto is quick to add that giving free and discounted tickets away is not a "handout". Veteran Tickets believes that tickets are an important expression of gratitude and that we honor the service of our soldiers now and long after their tour of duty has passed, tickets are a token of our appreciation. The Veteran Tickets Foundation teams up with major sports teams, leagues, promoters, organizations, venues, and everyday ticket holders to get Veterans to every event throughout the country.

While many Veterans' groups stress a certain branch of the military or represent a class of Veteran, such as Vets with Disabilities, Veteran Tickets makes no such distinction. Focareto is fond of the saying, "If you served, you deserve. Whether you're a Green Beret who loaded machine guns or a support person who loaded vending machines, you're a Veteran. You served. You deserve a ticket."

All the tickets to the July 4 D-backs - Padres game have been distributed to Veterans and their families. On Sept. 12, 2008, the D-backs will again partner with Veteran Tickets Foundation to raise funds and awareness for the Foundation. When purchasing tickets, a portion of the proceeds will be donated back to the Veteran Tickets Foundation.

Veteran Appreciation Night is on Friday, Sept. 12, when the D-Backs take on the Cincinnati Reds at 6:40 p.m. with post-game fireworks.