Sport Clips to Help Troops Call Home This Holiday With Largest Gift to Date to VFW's Operation Uplink™

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Dec. 13, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- A gift of $400,000 to the Veterans of Foreign Wars' Operation Uplink™ program by Texas-based Sport Clips Haircuts is expected to connect more than 350,000 service members with their families this holiday season. The franchise's donation will provide an estimated six million minutes of free "talk time" via satellite phone for deployed and hospitalized military personnel. Sport Clips' donation is the single largest corporate gift to the program to date and will make available "Free Call Days" to American military once a month in 2011, including Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day and Veterans Day.

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Sport Clips Founder/CEO and lifetime VFW Member Gordon Logan presented a check today to the VFW's Commander-in-Chief, Richard Eubank, at the VFW national headquarters. The donation exceeded Sport Clips' goal by $100,000 and represents funds raised by company team members and clients from the franchise's 740 locations across the country.

"This is our fourth year to support Operation Uplink, and we remain strong in our commitment to the men and women who are serving our country as well as their family and friends. We appreciate all those who worked to make this landmark donation possible," Logan said. "The memory of wanting to call home during my days overseas is one that stays with me. It makes me even more grateful for those who are willing to join us in backing our men and women in uniform, especially during the time they spend away from home and loved ones."

Logan added, "We had the largest response ever of locally owned stores in our system reaching out in their communities to support our Help a Hero efforts through cut-a-thons we held on Veterans' Day, where $1 for every haircut went to support the program. A special thanks goes to our clients who showed support for our troops with additional donations."

In 2007, Sport Clips kicked off its first Operation Uplink effort with a goal of $30,000 and raised $87,000. In 2008, the sports-themed haircutter raised more than $120,000 for the VFW program. And, in 2009, Sport Clips donated $250,000 for military phone calls home.

Sport Clips has been named one of the top 100 franchises in America and one of the top 50 fastest growing franchises by Entrepreneur magazine. It is also the "Official Haircutter" of the VFW. The franchise supports the military with special store ownership options through the International Franchise Association's VetFran program. To learn about franchise opportunities click here, and for locations throughout the United States, visit SportClips.com. For media information visit SportClipsMedia.com.

SOURCE Sport Clips