Rent-to-own News - NYSRDA presents $26,000 to Special Olympics

NYSRDA President Dave Edwards, NY Assemblywoman RoAnn Destito (4th from left), NYSRDA Treasurer Greg Heck, RAC Regional Director Cathy Skula and Susan MacBryde of SONY join Special Olympic athletes at check presentation.

The New York State Rental Dealers Association members beat their own best estimate Thursday, turning over a fundraising check to Special Olympics of New York for $1,000 more than they had originally promised.

NYSRDA President Dave Edwards said the presentation of $26,000 in fundraising proceeds was the highlight of a highly successful meeting that drew some 58 dealers, vendors and special olympics officials and included a visit from New York Assemblywoman RoAnn Destito.

"We had a very good turnout," Edwards said. "The group just gets more and more cohesive as time goes on."

Destito, who represents New York's 116th Assembly District, was instrumental in keeping a rent-to-own price control bill from coming to an Assembly floor vote this June. Destito addressed association members and reaffirmed her support for small business.  She also took questions at the meeting at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona.

In addition to financial, membership and lobbyist updates, vendor and safety presentations, the association presented a check for  $25,000 Special Olympics of New York for the association's fall "Sponsor and Athlete" program in which customers were encouraged to make donations at the store level. At the meeting a member dealer also brought in an additional $1,000, to donate to the organization, pushing NYSRDA's total contribution to $26,000.

Over 220 member stores participated in the program and the joint effort was a home run for the newly reorganized NYSRDA, according to association president Dave Edwards. 

Edwards said a particular focus of the meeting was to encourage participation in the upcoming 2009 APRO Legislative Conference April 21-23. More regional dealer representation at the conference is key to earning more co-sponsorship of pending rent-to-own legislation from New York Congressmembers, he said.

"We want to have a much stronger presence at the APRO Legislative Conference from New York dealers this year from a regional perspective," Edwards said. "These are dealers and business owners whose livelihoods are tied to those communities and those districts. These are the people our legislators want to hear from."
 

mevans@rtohq.org