Pay It Forward
One of the things I admire most about Coach is his generosity. YTB has teamed up with the Urban League of Northwest Indiana, and the Chicago Metropolitan area called Feed The Future to provide a meaningful day that honors those children who may otherwise be forgotten during the holiday season. Something YTB has supported since 2004.
That wouldn’t happen if it weren’t for Coach. It’s a program he’s very proud of. To reach some 20,000 children every year to make a difference is just the tip of the iceburg in what YTB and Coach have done for communities.
Another example of Coach’s generosity was demonstrated in today’s article. Back on Super Bowl Sunday two years ago, Coach gave a gift of $1.8 Million to his church to pay of its mortgage, and then some.
Growing up in the church, as my father is a retired Minister, I know how a gift like this can make a huge impact on what a ministry can do. To have a mortgage like this paid off enables the church to give of it’s time and money in other areas, which I can only assume based on my experience, encompasses many outreach programs locally and abroad.
What’s most impressive to me is how he mentors us to do the same. By making as many of us financially free as possible, we get this crazy idea that we could do the same. What’s most impressive is how it’s already happened. I met a Director who used every penny of his YTB earnings to completely furnish a brand new Day Care Center at his church.
Remember the movie “Pay It Forward”? Read this and see if you don’t want to do the same thing….
Businessman pays off church’s mortgage
An Alton church is debt-free thanks to a local businessman’s generous donation on Sunday."
It’s Superbowl Sunday, and it’s going to be a Superbowl service for us today," Pastor Daren Carstens told the congregation.
J. Lloyd "Coach" Tomer scored a touchdown with his congregation at New Testament Fellowship Church, 3303 Homer Adams Parkway, after he gave more than $1.8 million in stock that will be used to pay off the church’s mortgage.
"Isn’t it great to be part of a church doing all these great things?" Tomer said.Standing before parishioners, Tomer told everyone that Sunday would be a day they would remember forever, not because it was Superbowl Sunday, but because of what happened in church.
"You’ll remember this service," he said. "I’m excited."Tomer, chief executive officer of YTB International in Wood River, presented Carstens with a stock certificate worth more than $1.86 million.
Tomer, his son, Scott Tomer, and colleague, J. Kim Sorensen, started the company nearly six years ago in Downtown Alton. They moved the company to Edwardsville to accommodate the growing business and in December 2006 moved into a newly renovated facility in the former K-Mart building in Wood River.
The company operates three divisions -- yourTravelBiz.com, REZconnect Technologies Inc. and YTB Travel Network and is publicly traded under the name YTBL.PK. On Friday the stock closed at $11.69 a share.
The company is an Internet-based travel business. It runs a booking engine and develops, sells and supports the online Web sites of referring travel agents.
Tomer said he made a promise to the church several years ago that if the company’s stock ever reached more than $10 a share, he would pay off the mortgage.
"This is one of the greatest days of my life," Tomer said.Tomer received a standing ovation from the congregation."You know it didn’t come easy," he said.
Tomer shared the joys and sorrows of starting a new business. He said to make it work he and his wife, Christine, sold their dream home, the River House, built in Fairmont Estates in Godfrey in 1927 by John Olin.
"It was our dream house before we were married and even when we were broke," he said.He said they purchased the home back again last fall.
Tomer said after he and his family moved into the house, they began to search for a place to worship."We were looking for something very spiritual," he said.
He said they found it at New Testament."We could go to church, then to the (St. Louis Rams) football game," Tomer said jokingly.
He said he and his family fell in love with the church. Tomer served as pastor of The First Church of God in Benton, Ill., during the 1970s.
Tomer said he encountered many roadblocks along the way to success.
"It wasn’t always easy," he said.He said the one thing he never gave up was his faith and his love for God."Over the last few years God has blessed me," Tomer said.
Carstens thanked Tomer."Oh my goodness!" Carstens shouted. "Is it OK that I jump?
"Carstens said the church has seen many ups and downs, but with Tomer’s gift it will be able to give more to others. The donation will pay off a $1.7 million mortgage and the remaining funds will be used to pay for other debts, audio-visual equipment, programs and charities.
Debbie Butler said Tomer’s gift was wonderful. "It’s very exciting," Butler said.
Butler, who works as Carstens’ personal assistant, said a few members of the congregation knew about Tomer’s plan to donate stock to pay off the church’s debt, but few knew that it would take place Sunday.
"He really is a wonderful man," she said. "This will be a day everyone remembers."
PS - If you’d like to keep up to date with all the latest news, acquisitions, and developments with YTB feel free to sign up for my FREE Newsletter. Just like here, it’s loaded with food, water and sunshine to grow your YTB business.
Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812
Learn How To Become A Travel Agent
Book Your Travel & Vacations With
Travel Reservations: 1.800.243.4450
RTA #24635
That wouldn’t happen if it weren’t for Coach. It’s a program he’s very proud of. To reach some 20,000 children every year to make a difference is just the tip of the iceburg in what YTB and Coach have done for communities.
Another example of Coach’s generosity was demonstrated in today’s article. Back on Super Bowl Sunday two years ago, Coach gave a gift of $1.8 Million to his church to pay of its mortgage, and then some.
Growing up in the church, as my father is a retired Minister, I know how a gift like this can make a huge impact on what a ministry can do. To have a mortgage like this paid off enables the church to give of it’s time and money in other areas, which I can only assume based on my experience, encompasses many outreach programs locally and abroad.
What’s most impressive to me is how he mentors us to do the same. By making as many of us financially free as possible, we get this crazy idea that we could do the same. What’s most impressive is how it’s already happened. I met a Director who used every penny of his YTB earnings to completely furnish a brand new Day Care Center at his church.Remember the movie “Pay It Forward”? Read this and see if you don’t want to do the same thing….
Businessman pays off church’s mortgage
An Alton church is debt-free thanks to a local businessman’s generous donation on Sunday."
It’s Superbowl Sunday, and it’s going to be a Superbowl service for us today," Pastor Daren Carstens told the congregation.
J. Lloyd "Coach" Tomer scored a touchdown with his congregation at New Testament Fellowship Church, 3303 Homer Adams Parkway, after he gave more than $1.8 million in stock that will be used to pay off the church’s mortgage.
"Isn’t it great to be part of a church doing all these great things?" Tomer said.Standing before parishioners, Tomer told everyone that Sunday would be a day they would remember forever, not because it was Superbowl Sunday, but because of what happened in church.
"You’ll remember this service," he said. "I’m excited."Tomer, chief executive officer of YTB International in Wood River, presented Carstens with a stock certificate worth more than $1.86 million.
Tomer, his son, Scott Tomer, and colleague, J. Kim Sorensen, started the company nearly six years ago in Downtown Alton. They moved the company to Edwardsville to accommodate the growing business and in December 2006 moved into a newly renovated facility in the former K-Mart building in Wood River.
The company operates three divisions -- yourTravelBiz.com, REZconnect Technologies Inc. and YTB Travel Network and is publicly traded under the name YTBL.PK. On Friday the stock closed at $11.69 a share.
The company is an Internet-based travel business. It runs a booking engine and develops, sells and supports the online Web sites of referring travel agents.
Tomer said he made a promise to the church several years ago that if the company’s stock ever reached more than $10 a share, he would pay off the mortgage.
"This is one of the greatest days of my life," Tomer said.Tomer received a standing ovation from the congregation."You know it didn’t come easy," he said.
Tomer shared the joys and sorrows of starting a new business. He said to make it work he and his wife, Christine, sold their dream home, the River House, built in Fairmont Estates in Godfrey in 1927 by John Olin.
"It was our dream house before we were married and even when we were broke," he said.He said they purchased the home back again last fall.
Tomer said after he and his family moved into the house, they began to search for a place to worship."We were looking for something very spiritual," he said.
He said they found it at New Testament."We could go to church, then to the (St. Louis Rams) football game," Tomer said jokingly.
He said he and his family fell in love with the church. Tomer served as pastor of The First Church of God in Benton, Ill., during the 1970s.
Tomer said he encountered many roadblocks along the way to success.
"It wasn’t always easy," he said.He said the one thing he never gave up was his faith and his love for God."Over the last few years God has blessed me," Tomer said.
Carstens thanked Tomer."Oh my goodness!" Carstens shouted. "Is it OK that I jump?
"Carstens said the church has seen many ups and downs, but with Tomer’s gift it will be able to give more to others. The donation will pay off a $1.7 million mortgage and the remaining funds will be used to pay for other debts, audio-visual equipment, programs and charities.
Debbie Butler said Tomer’s gift was wonderful. "It’s very exciting," Butler said.
Butler, who works as Carstens’ personal assistant, said a few members of the congregation knew about Tomer’s plan to donate stock to pay off the church’s debt, but few knew that it would take place Sunday.
"He really is a wonderful man," she said. "This will be a day everyone remembers."
PS - If you’d like to keep up to date with all the latest news, acquisitions, and developments with YTB feel free to sign up for my FREE Newsletter. Just like here, it’s loaded with food, water and sunshine to grow your YTB business.
Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812
Learn How To Become A Travel Agent
Book Your Travel & Vacations With
Travel Reservations: 1.800.243.4450
RTA #24635
Labels: Coach, Feed The Future, Pay It Forward, YTB International
