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Business & Tech

Family Video Sponsors Project to Benefit Troops

Project is garnering local, national attention.

Six area stores, including the two , are sponsoring a grassroots fundraiser during the month of March to support the men and women serving in the military.

March for the Troops is an initiative started by Akron metro-area district manager Blaise Denious and his staff.

“We wanted to give back a little bit and right away [thought of] the troops,” he explained. “We decided to [ask our customers] to donate movies and we’ll send them overseas to the troops.”

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Denious has lowered the price of select for-purchase movies in all six of his stores in hopes that customers would participate in the effort. He and his staff set a goal to collect 3,000 movies by the month’s end, and he has no doubt they will reach—if not exceed—that goal.

“Our pitch is-- 'Would you like to send a movie to the troops overseas for $2?' And we are hearing yes a lot! It has taken off like crazy. Customers are bringing in pictures of their family members and we are putting up collages in the stores. People are really in to it.”

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As of March 18, 1,600 movies had been donated.

Community service and grass roots efforts like this are part of the Family Video game plan. The largest privately owned movie and game retailer in the country, Denious said Family Video has always focused on giving back to the communities they serve. Annually, the company donates turkeys and hams to local families in need during the holidays and sponsors free, family-friendly events during the spring and summer months.

March for the Troops is also receiving some national attention. “It’s all over Twitter, and not because of anything we’re doing,” Denious said. “And I don’t want to jinx us, but we’ve been recognized for an opportunity to win a Freedom Award and a Patriot Award.

“How cool is that? We just wanted to do a good thing and it looks like it is coming back to reward us.”

The Family Video locations accepting donations for March for the Troops are:

  • Cuyahoga Falls: 2967 State Rd. (at the corner of State Rd. and Graham Rd.)
  • Cuyahoga Falls: 1250 Northmoreland Blvd. (at the corner of Bailey Rd. and Northmoreland Blvd.)
  • Akron: 3710 Manchester Rd., Coventry
  • Akron: 2130 Eastwood Ave., Tallmadge
  • Akron: 1117 S. Arlington St.  
  • Massillon: 3610 Lincoln Way
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