7-Eleven® Stores’ Operation Chill® is Back
(Mesa, AZ) (May 15, 2018) – This summer, local law enforcement officers will be dispensing well-deserved Slurpee® justice to good kids in Mesa. For the 23rd year, 7-Eleven® is working with local police and sheriff’s departments to distribute free Slurpee® drink coupons to children and youth through its popular Operation Chill® community-service program.
During 2018, 7-Eleven will issue up to 1.4 million Slurpee coupons to almost 1,100 law enforcement agencies; 1,100 of those will be distributed in Mesa, most during the summer months and back-to-school season.
The coupons are great for officers who are on patrol in the community and may act as an icebreaker to encourage dialogue in a non-threatening, non-law enforcement situation between officers and youth. We are always looking for ways to build strong relationships in the community and Operation Chill makes it easy to interact with kids in a positive way.
Big-city departments and small-town forces alike use the Slurpee coupons to enhance relationships with the young people of their cities by rewarding them for good deeds, constructive activities and acts of kindness. Appropriate “offenses” might include helping another person, deterring crime or participating in a community- or police-sponsored event. Although the reasons for being “ticketed” are varied, the end result is the same for every youngster: a free Slurpee drink and a smile for being a good kid. Each coupon can be redeemed for a small Slurpee drink at participating 7-Eleven stores.
Begun in Philadelphia to give law enforcement officers a positive reason to interact with children and teens, Operation Chill has expanded to cities across the country. Since the program’s inception in 1995, almost 21 million Operation Chill coupons have been distributed to hundreds of law enforcement agencies across the country in areas where 7-Eleven operates stores.
“Year after year, Operation Chill is our most popular community service program,” said Mark Stinde, vice president of asset protection for 7-Eleven. “Kids love Slurpee drinks, and police officers love having a reason to approach kids and surprise them with a Slurpee coupon as a reward for doing something good. And we, at 7-Eleven, love helping them make those important connections in the community.”
7-Eleven’s proprietary Slurpee semi-frozen carbonated beverage has generational appeal with slurpers both young and old. More than a half-million Slurpee drinks are purchased each day during the summer at 7-Eleven stores across the country.
