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| Image: ABA |
The American Bus Association (ABA) and its charitable arm, the ABA Foundation (ABAF) today announced a joint donation of $25,000 to help disaster relief in Haiti as a result of the recent earthquake that has devastated the Caribbean nation. The funds will be dispersed through the American Red Cross.
“We have an opportunity to truly show our leadership as an industry and an organization of community-minded individuals,” said ABA Board member & Secretary & Treasurer Frank Henry. “We put people before profits.”
The decision to help Haiti came during the annual meeting of the ABA Board of Directors on the opening day of the organization’s motorcoach and group travel trade show event, the 29th annual Marketplace.
“I am proud that we as an association were so committed to putting aside our business agendas to focus on the humanitarian need far more important right now than anything else,” continued Henry, who also serves on the ABA Board of Directors. “We hope other bus, tour and travel groups join the relief effort by matching ABA’s commitment to helping Haiti recover.”
The premier event in the group travel industry, which for the fourth consecutive year has more than 3,200 registered attendees who began arriving Thursday, runs through the evening of Tuesday, January 19.
“We have an ABA Foundation arm that provides scholarships to deserving students, and relief support in Haiti is an obvious need for the country immediately,” said ABA Chairman of the Board Jim Jalbert. “We hope the travel community unites to show the humanitarian spirit of the industry as a whole.”
