Merchants Auto

For more information, please contact:
Shannon K. Sullivan- Director, Marketing & Communications
603.625.6939, ext. 19
shannon.sullivan@heritageunitedway.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 3, 2008

HERITAGE UNITED WAY TO HOLD CAMPAIGN CELEBRATION

(Manchester)- Heritage United Way will hold their Celebration Event on Wednesday evening, March 5, 2008 at the Center of NH/Radisson Hotel.  At the event, the results of the 2007 annual campaign will be announced by the campaign Chair, Pamela Diamantis; and those volunteers, companies and donors who helped to make the campaign an overwhelming success will be recognized.  

Speakers and invited guests include The Honorable Governor of the State of New Hampshire, John Lynch, and The Honorable Mayor of the City of Manchester, Frank Guinta.  The event will be emceed by Kevin Skarupa, meteorologist at WMUR-TV 9, and will feature a performance by the Southern New Hampshire University Chorus with special guest Michelle Strout.

Merchants Automotive Group, a valued and long-time supporter of Heritage United Way, has once again donated the 2007 campaign incentive Grand Prize.  Donors who pledged $156 or more per year will have the opportunity to win a FREE six-month lease on a 2007 Mustang GT Convertible with the winner to be selected at the Celebration Event.  Merchants also donated a FREE six-month lease on a SUV that was given away at the Campaign Kick-off Event in September.  

Donors who pledged $52 or more per year will have the chance to win the second of two half-season ticket packages courtesy of the NH Fisher Cats with the winner also selected at the Celebration event.

Hooksett, NH – Merchants Automotive Group recently received notification that the company will receive a “Best of Business” award form the New Hampshire Business Review in both the Auto Fleet and Auto Dealership categories.

The award will be presented to Merchants during the first annual New Hampshire Business Review Best of Business (BOB) Awards on March 19 at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord, NH from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

“This award notification is spectacular! Not only because of it’s ‘best of’ accolade, but because our company was selected by our peers and loyal customers through a readership poll. Our dealership prides itself on being the best we can be, the Singer Family would have it no other way,” commented Stephen Singer, President of Merchants Automotive Group. “Thank you to all who cast their vote in our favor and for the overall support in this new competition.”

In partnership with Quirk Automotive Group, the New Hampshire Business Review BOB Award recipients are named by a readers’ poll. NH Business Review readers, selecting those they believe are the best companies to do business with in the Granite State, cast over 1,000 ballots in the poll’s inaugural year.

For information about the event, or to purchase tickets, please contact Trisha Baker Schmitt at 624-1442, extension 125. Tickets are $10.

Headquartered at 1278 Hooksett Road in Hooksett, Merchants Automotive Group is a Singer family company including Merchants Auto, Merchants Leasing, Merchants Van & Truck, as well as Merchants Service and CARQUEST Parts. For more information about Merchants, or the Singer Family’s companywide community service efforts, please visit merchantsauto.com or call 1-800-AUTO-999.

August 30, 2007

For Release: Immediate
Contact: Jennifer Ramsell, 627-9600

24th Annual Gail Singer Memorial Blood Drive Major Success
Over 900 pints of blood collected!

Manchester, NH – Official tallies from the 24th Annual Gail Singer Memorial Blood Drive are in. After registering 1020 potential donors, 904 pints of blood were successfully collected far surpassing the regional record of 671 pints last December.

The drive, held Tuesday, August 28 and Wednesday, August 29 at the Radisson Inn in Manchester, officially became the largest drive in the state and is believed to be one of the largest in the region.

“Community support in recent years has been so overwhelming and donors were spending far too much time being processed. In order to alleviate this problem, we made a number of changes to ensure that our new model was much more efficient,” commented Stephen Singer, President of Merchants Automotive Group and Chairman of the Gail Singer Memorial Blood Drive Committee.

In addition to adding a separate day for the Corporate Challenge donors (organized teams of 5 or more donors), appointments were also taken in advance for the Tuesday public drive and the Wednesday Corporate Challenge drive. “Tuesday we registered 613 donors and processed 550 pints. Wednesday, we registered an additional 407 people and collected 354 pints,” Singer added.

“We have so many people to thank, I don’t know where to begin. The many sponsors who donate goods and services to the drive and the generous citizens, businesses and organizations who donate blood are outstanding partners. Because of their generosity w have helped to save many lives,” said Singer.

Sponsors for this year’s drive included Merchants Automotive Group, WZID 95.7, the Manchester Monarchs, NH Fisher Cats, Manchester Wolves, the SEE Science Center, the Fight to Educate, Swan Chocolates, Edible Arrangements, Hannafords, Stop-n-Shop, Shaws, Applebee’s, Pappy’s Pizza, the Hippo Press, the NH Business Review, the Union Leader and many more.

For more information about Merchants Automotive Group and the Singer Family Community Service Team’s public service efforts, please visit www.merchantsauto.com.
-end-

giving matters... Make your pledge today, help your community tomorrow.

Hooksett, NH – Stephen Singer, President of Merchants Automotive Group and Chairman of the Singer Family Community Service Team, is pleased to announce that the company will again support the Heritage United Way’s annual fundraising campaign. This year Merchants will donate two 6-month leases to be raffled off at two points in the campaign.

“Every donor who pledges $3/week, or $156 to our fundraising campaign will be entered into the drawing to win a 6-months car lease from Merchants Automotive Group in Hooksett,” said Patrick Tufts, President and CEO of the Heritage United Way. “Over the years Merchants has helped us secure new donors with the opportunity to receive something big from the dealership,” he added.

“The Heritage United Way is an organization that lends a tremendous amount of support to our community; Merchants is always pleased to be involved in the annual campaign to raise capital to support their efforts,” commented Stephen Singer. “When you contribute to the United Way, you know your dollars are put toward much needed programs and resources.”

Donors who contribute $156 or more a year to the campaign will be eligible to receive (selected at random via a raffle) a 6-month convertible or SUV lease. The SUV lease will be raffled off September 12 at Merchantsauto.com Stadium and the convertible on March 5, 2008 at the Radisson Hotel. Those who donate $52 or more per year will be eligible to win a half-season ticket package to the NH Fisher Cats.

An official campaign kickoff is planned for September 12 at Merchantsauto.com Stadium, followed by the Heritage United Way’s Annual Day of Caring. In 2006 over 660 volunteers participated in the Day of Caring in more than 100 community projects throughout Southern New Hampshire. For more details about fundraising, the Annual Day of Caring or the Heritage United Way, please visit heritageunitedway.org today.

Enter to win a FREE 6-month lease from Merchants Automotive Group!
Pledge $156 or more per year and you're eligible to win a 6-month lease of a SUV or a convertible!*
Pledge $52 or more per year and you could win a half season ticket package for the NH Fisher Cats!
One Grand Prize winner will be selected at random on September 12, 2007 at Merchantsauto.com Stadium and on March 5, 2008 at the Radission Hotel (Center of NH).
When you give to Heritage United Way, you're already a winner...
*vehicles pictured are not the actual vehicles.

	24th Annual Gail Singer Memorial Blood Drive Radisson Hotel Tuesday, August 28th, 2007 10 AM - 6 PM
	In order to help perpetuate the loving memory of Gail Singer, the American Red Cross, in conjunction with the Singer Family, WZID, The Manchester Monarchs, The NH Fisher Cats, The Manchester Wolves, The Fight to Educate and the SEE Science Center, has coordinated the 24th Annual Gail Singer Memorial Blood Drive. This year we are proud to announce that the blood drive will be held on Tuesday, August 28th, 2007 at the Raddison Hotel-Expo Center located on Elm Street in downtown Manchester. In order to better accommodate our donors, we have initiated online registration at www.bloodpartners.org/singermemorial, which will help us process donors in a more timely fashion. As an additional bonus there will be free parking in the hotel garage. The doors will be open from 10am until 6pm.
	As a small token of our gratitude for your donation and to help ensure that the Lone Ranger has plenty of partners in his pursuit of making the world a better place, every donor will receive a free “Passport to Manchester” package that includes: two free tickets to the Manchester Monarchs two free tickets to the NH Fisher Cats two free tickets to the ManchesterWolves two free tickets the Fight to Educate event two free tickets to the SEE Science Center
	As an added bonus, there will be a very special door prize of a 2 day romantic autumn getaway at the fabulous Harbor Breeze Inn on Cape Cod! Other fantastic incentives include the balloon art of Mo the Clown, caricature artists, tons of food and of course a customized Lone Ranger tee shirt. In more ways than one, donating blood this year will be a very rewarding experience! Please note that if you have given blood on or before July 5, 2007, you are eligible for this blood drive.
	On behalf of the entire Singer Family, The American Red Cross, WZID, The Manchester Monarchs, The NH Fisher Cats, The Manchester Wolves, The Fight to Educate, SEE Science Center and our other sponsors, we would like to thank you for your anticipated donation, which will help save lives in our community. Your participation will make you a true American Hero!

Manchester, NH - Monday, December 18, 2006 the Merchantsauto.com Stadium sign was lifted to its 44-foot high location in Manchester, overlooking Interstate 293 and the Fisher Cats’ home field. The newest addition to Manchester’s skyline, the sign is one of the largest in New Hampshire weighing almost three tons and measuring 67 feet at its widest point.
“It’s very exciting to share this day in Manchester’s history with the community,” said Stephen Singer, president of Merchants Automotive Group. “My family and I have watched this city grow over the years, and we’re delighted to be part of the newest development. I see the sign and the ballpark as a symbol of the city’s progress through the years.” Merchants Automotive Group, who partnered with the Fisher Cats in early 2006, aligned with Hooksett-based company, Sign Gallery, who designed, constructed and installed the Merchantsauto.com Stadium sign. Other local professionals were called upon to assist with special engineering considerations. After traveling from Hooksett on a 98 foot-long truck in a police-escorted motorcade, the sign now sits in one of the most visible locations in the city. “We are happy to put the finishing touches on Merchantsauto.com Stadium, the home of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats,” said Fisher Cats owner, Art Solomon. “This sign signifies the great partnership the Fisher Cats have established with Merchants Automotive Group. We look forward to Opening Day 2007; this sign is just one of the many highlights our fans will see at the ballpark this coming season.” New Hampshire Fisher Cats 2007 Season Tickets and Mini-Plans are on sale now. For information, visit www.nhfishercats.com or call (603) 641-2005. The 2007 season opens on Thursday, April 5 when the Fisher Cats host the New Britain Rock Cats at MerchantsAuto.com Stadium.