It’s happening at noon Wednesday: Edmonds is challenging all cities in the nation to follow the lead of local businesses in honoring our veterans and service members with a year-long discount.
Called the Military Veterans Promotions network — or MVP — it will launch during a special ceremony on Leap Day, Feb. 29, at noon in the Brackett Room, third floor of City Hall, 121 5th Ave. N. The effort is coordinated by Edmonds-based Operation Military Family, the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Edmonds Merchants Association and City of Edmonds Mayor Dave Earling. Participating merchants can register online at https://vapp2.com/signup?merchant=true. There, merchants will find a printable flier to be placed in their store windows to indicate their business offers special military discounts as a member of the MVP network. Each merchant determines their own discount or promotion to be offered to their veteran customers.
“As an organization dedicated to better supporting our military families, we are proud to be part of a city that’s so dedicated to its veterans,” says Operation Military Family founder (and My Edmonds News columnist) Michael Schindler. “And we’re grateful to the Edmonds merchants who are helping our military families stretch their dollars a little further at a time when unemployment rates among Veterans are often more than double those of the civilian community.”
By registering for the MVP network online, merchants allow service members to see participating MVP members before they travel to Edmonds, and the MVP sign in store windows offers an easy way for window shoppers to recognize participating merchants.
“We want our veterans to know Edmonds is here for you – every day of the year,” says Executive Director of the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce Jan Vance. “We hope our MVP network will demonstrate our gratitude for their service and our desire to support our military families as best we can.”
My Edmonds News is participating with a discount on display advertising for businesses owned by veterans and active service members.
Mayor Dave Earling has invited mayors from other cities in Washington to take on this challenge, and Marysville has already stepped up and will be offering discounts as well.
Thanks so very much for extending these discounts to such special families. Acts like these build stronger communities.
Gina – we are in total agreement with you. This is one way we are helping bring America and its businesses to our veterans and their families. Thank you for your support.