AFTA-Cincinnati

Ticket Donation Service Shows Appreciation and Support for Active Military and Families

CINCINNATI (March 21, 2008) – On Thursday, March 27, leaders from Cincinnati’s arts, entertainment, sports and military communities will join together to celebrate the official launch of a new nonprofit organization that has developed a ticket donation service specifically for active military and their families: the Armed Forces Tickets Association (AFTA) – Cincinnati.

Created as a way to say “thank you” to the region’s active military, the volunteer organization provides them and their families free or discounted tickets to arts, sports and entertainment events in Greater Cincinnati. Founder and arts patron Joyce Elkus got the idea for the program last summer, when she noticed empty seats at one of the events she was attending. Having watched the daily news reports on the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, she wondered if maybe those unsold seats could be filled by members of the active military and their families.

“Some sacrifices the men and women of our military make are obvious, like the danger and risk of harm,” said Elkus. “Others are less obvious, but are just as real – the stress of separation from family, the uncertainty, the missing parent at home. My hope was that making these events available at little or no cost would give these folks some brief moments of peace and enjoyment, a break away from the daily stresses of life in a military family during a time of war.”

Moving from idea to inception in just nine months, Elkus has brought together more than 30 partner organizations offering tickets to local attractions, museums, and a variety of arts, sports, entertainment and civic events.

“It’s amazing how quickly the good news spread and how many organizations were eager to get involved,” said Elkus. “When we first started talking about the program, we had just a few arts organizations on board. Now we have everything from the Cincinnati Ballet to the Kentucky Speedway to the Great Wolf Lodge.”

The service is easy to use. Active military and their families can visit the AFTA-Cincinnati Web site (www.afta-cincinnati.org) and click on the “Partners” tab to find out what events and discounts are currently available. Then they simply call the box office for tickets, show up with their military ID and enjoy the event.

“My daughter was begging me to take her to see High School Musical on tour; but as with most concerts and shows, the tickets were rather pricey,” said Beth Kordenbrock, whose husband Sgt. Ryan Kordenbrock is serving his second tour of duty in Iraq with the U.S. Army Reserve’s 478th Engineer Battalion from Ft. Thomas, Ky. “I had heard about AFTA – Cincinnati from a fellow army wife, so I reached out to them to see if they might be able to help me find some discounted tickets to the show. To my surprise, they were able to get me three tickets, absolutely free!

“But it’s not as much about the discounts or freebies as it is trying to make each day that goes by a little more bearable while our loved ones are gone. AFTA – Cincinnati, is such an amazing organization, and I’m very excited for more military families to learn about it. It’s a wonderful way to help pass the time without being consumed by the constant stress and anxiety of the thought of war.”

The March 27 kickoff event, hosted by Joyce Elkus and Dr. Stanley M. Kaplan, will take place at the Montgomery Inn Boathouse from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Jim Scott will serve as master of ceremonies, and guest speakers will include: Cincinnati Vice Mayor David Crowley; U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. David Morgan; and Summer Crenshaw, wife of John Crenshaw, combat engineer in the U.S. Army Reserve’s 478th Engineer Battalion, Ft. Thomas, Ky. The event is sponsored by the Gregory Family, owners of the Montgomery Inn restaurants.

For more information, visit www.afta-cincinnati.org or contact Joyce Elkus, AFTA – Cincinnati director, at (513) 841-2382 or joyce.elkus@afta-cincinnati.org.

The Armed Forces Tickets Association – Cincinnati is a volunteer nonprofit organization created to help provide free or deeply discounted arts, sports and entertainment tickets to the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families by partnering with such venues and organizations in Cincinnati and the surrounding areas.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 21, 2008
Contact: Kate Wiseman kwiseman@fuse.net
859-816-7378