Long Beach, Calif.: When, last October, the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) joined the United Service Organizations (USO) to sponsor ‘101,000 Room Nights for America,’ to honor U.S. servicemen and women, then in Afghanistan and later in Iraq, little did they realize how popular this program would be with Indian-American hoteliers.

AAHOA overshot its pledge and donated some $7 million worth of room nights to returning troops.

The program established by AAHOA collected donations from member-hotel owners across the U.S. in the form of vouchers for a complimentary night stay in one of their lodging properties. These properties span the spectrum of the hospitality industry and the nation, from franchised to independent properties, and from Atlanta to San Francisco.

The 3,700 AAHOA members at the Long Beach convention heard appreciation from USO as well as individual troops who lauded the program and were enjoying its benefits.

“We appreciate AAHOA’s support of the USO,” said Edward A. Powell, president and chief executive officer of USO.

“Contributions from organizations like AAHOA show our servicemen and women that we support them and appreciate their sacrifices for our country.”

“More than one million Americans are talking about AAHOA and Americans of Indian descent,” said one participant at the convention.

“Immediately after the Sept. 11 attacks, AAHOA and its members responded, donating both time and money to relief efforts,” said Mike Amin, outgoing chairman of AAHOA. “However, we felt that we could do more. Dan Patel (ex-officio, AAHOA), Vijay Sethi (former regional director, AAHOA) and C.K. Patel (director at large, AAHOA) put their heads together and came up with ‘101,000 Room Nights,’ and the membership responded enthusiastically. We’re thrilled to be able to give something back to the servicemen and women who give so much of themselves.”