ALEXANDRIA, Va. – As many around the world mourn Jerry Lewis, a defining figure of American entertainment in the 20th century, NACS is particularly saddened because of a close tie to the comedian and filmmaker. Lewis died on Sunday morning at his home in Las Vegas at the age of 91.
In the early 1980s, NACS was a national sponsor of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. And at the 1982 MDA Labor Day Telethon, Lewis was joined onstage by two NACS CEOs: Harry Hunter (1961-1983) and Kerley LeBoeuf (1983-2005). Labor Day weekend has historically gone hand-in-hand with the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon, an annual event held each Labor Day in the United States to raise money for the MDA.
The show was founded by Lewis, who hosted the broadcast from its 1966 inception until 2010. As convenience stores are rooted in the communities they serve, giving back through various local and national charities, campaigns and organizations is second nature.
Lewis is credited with the idea of the point-of-sale canister and taking it to 7-Eleven in 1976 on behalf of the MDA. For several years, 7-Eleven continued to sponsor the program until, in 1979, it asked NACS to take on the lead role; and the association accepted. Although NACS ended its corporate sponsorship of the MDA Telethon in the 1980s, the industry’s charitable contributions have never wavered.
Convenience stores today contribute or collect nearly $100 million a year for charities. From local and national efforts to youth sports teams and food drives, convenience stores continue to strengthen the communities they serve. And it does not go unnoticed. Consumers agree that convenience stores represent the community’s values, with more than two in three Americans (69%) agreeing that convenience stores share their values and do business the right way.
Click here to see a video of NACS at the MDA Telethon in Las Vegas with Ed McMahon. Learn more about the convenience and fuel retailing industry’s community support and charitable contributions at nacsonline.com/reFresh.
