Army Veteran Receives the Millionth Event Ticket Given Away by Vet Tix

PHOENIX, July 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Vet Tix, a national nonprofit foundation that provides free event tickets to currently serving military, veterans and their family members and the immediate families of those killed in action, announces it has given away its one-millionth ticket. The milestone ticket is for tonight's Arizona Diamondbacks-Chicago Cubs baseball game at Chase Field, Phoenix.

Vet Tix supports all branches of the U.S. military community, and since it's founding in 2008 has distributed tickets in all 50 states. In addition to providing free tickets to sporting events, Vet Tix distributes tickets to concerts, performing arts and family activities as well, with the goal of improving mental welfare and enriching the lives of military service members and veterans. 

Vet Tix works with many professional sport teams within the NHL, NFL, NBA, WNBA and MLB, in addition to NASCAR, concert and entertainment promoters. Where there are empty seats, Vet Tix seeks to fill them. Even season ticket holders are encouraged to donate their tickets to Vet Tix for games they can't make, and receive a nonprofit tax write-off. Inclusively, all team sponsors that purchase tickets for the military are provided with a tax write-off.

Army veteran Jason Ohanian, who was based at Fort Hood and served in Kuwait and Afghanistan from 1999 to 2003, is the millionth ticket recipient. "It made my day," Ohanian said, after being notified by Vet Tix that he would receive the ticket which represents the significant efforts of Vet Tix and its donors and partners who supply the tickets to benefit those who have served our country.

Ohanian said, "I got a voicemail from Eddie Rausch, the chairman and chief operating officer at Vet Tix, and the message was, 'Please call about your tickets.'" At first Ohanian thought something might be wrong. He remembered awhile back getting tickets from Vet Tix for a spring training game that he and a friend were unable to attend because he'd been involved in a car wreck.

"But once I spoke to Eddie and got the news about the millionth ticket, I was shocked and honored," Ohanian said.  "So we had missed a spring training game with my home town team, the Rangers, but now we're going to a real game."

Sports fan Ohanian says he's applied for game tickets from Vet Tix three or four times a year since he was made aware of the organization. "I found out about Vet Tix from the Vet Center at Arizona State University when I was getting my MBA." He's now working for American Express and he uses the company's Veteran's Network to tell others about it.

"It's an amazing experience to be at a sporting event, like the Fiesta Bowl, and being surrounded by a couple hundred other people from the military and their families. It's a brotherhood and it's special when we're all together," he added.

"We at Vet Tix are very pleased to be sending U.S. Army veteran Jason Ohanian to a baseball game and, in our sixth year of giving away tickets, are happy to be successfully supporting the military community. We look forward to celebrating our one-millionth ticket giveaway tonight," said Michael Focareto, Vet Tix founder and U.S. Navy veteran.

About Veteran Tickets Foundation

Veteran Tickets Foundation (Vet Tix) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation supporting our military community. Vet Tix provides free event tickets to currently serving military, veterans and family members of those killed in action to sporting events, concerts, performing arts and family activities. Our military and veterans experience many difficult transitions as they reintegrate into their families, communities, and eventually, into civilian life. Attending events improves morale, strengthens family bonds through shared interests and encourages service members to stay engaged with local communities and American life. In gratitude for their service and to support their reintegration, Vet Tix is dedicated to giving back to those who gave us so much. Please visit our web site at www.VetTix.org Follow us on Twitter  and Facebook.

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SOURCE Veteran Tickets Foundation