Hospitality suite fundraiser for NRA PAC successful

A new venture to raise funds for the National Restaurant Association Political Action Committee (NRA PAC) in 2012 proved to be a good idea. Former dinners and brunches to raise funds for political advocacy at the federal level had been done several years in a row. This year, several key members of the Louisiana Restaurant Association (LRA) leadership decided it was time for a change. Thus, PAC the Bus was born.

“We wanted to do something other than a dinner this year to meet Louisiana’s fundraising goal for the NRA PAC,” said NRA Board Member Dickie Brennan. “PAC the Bus was developed to be a benefit for those attending the EXPO who wanted to support the advocacy of our industry in Washington and take a reprieve from the bustling activities of the EXPO Show Floor.”

PAC the Bus, a fundraiser for the NRA PAC, generated 103 percent of the LRA’s fundraising goal for 2012. During the three days of the Louisiana Foodservice and Hospitality EXPO, members were invited to enjoy, in exchange for their contribution, a hospitality suite with a twist—on a luxury Prevost tour bus, parked right on the show floor. Located between the LRA booth and the Great American Seafood Cook-Off, contributors enjoyed libations, cuisine courtesy of Centerplate and chair massages.

“The PAC the Bus idea was so fun and innovative,” said Caitlin Donahue, Director of the NRA PAC. “I attend fundraisers all over the country and this was one of the best I’ve seen. I really liked the fact that it was right there on the show floor so everyone potentially had the chance to participate.”

A special thank you goes to those Host Committee members who made PAC the Bus a success: Past NRA Chairman Ralph Brennan, NRA Emertis Board Member Greg Hamer, Brennan, and NRA Board Member Tommy Cvitanovich and 2012 LRA Chairman Melvin Rodrigue.

Sponsors of PAC the Bus included: Tony Abadie, Rob Antoon, Bruce Attinger, Jim Besselman, Katy Casbarian, Phil Faul, Stan Harris, Octavio Mantilla, Greg Reggio, Paul Rotner, Rob King, Randy Stein, Tina and Ernest Palmisano and Jim Urdiales.

 

The NRA PAC is a voluntary, non-partisan political action committee formed in 1977 to support and elect pro-industry and pro-business congressional candidates for federal office.