Gene Simmons’ CNY appearance raises over $3,000 for local veteran organization

By Lauren Young

Staff writer

After legendary KISS musician Gene Simmons’ appearance at the Tops in Fayetteville Towne Center last fall netted over 100 fans, Tops Friendly Markets recently presented a donation check raised from that event totaling $3,774.75 to Honor Flight of Syracuse.

The Tops in North Syracuse on Brewerton Road presented the check on Friday, Nov. 30, after the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee visited Fayetteville last September to take photos with fans and sign bottles of his newest business venture — MoneyBag Sodas, a premium soda line. (Click here for previous story)

Gene Simmons, of KISS, meets fans at the Tops in Fayetteville on Friday. He was there promoting his premium soda line called MoneyBag Sodas. (photo by Lauren Young)

Simmons donated the event’s proceeds to Honor Flight of Syracuse, a military organization that flies veterans to Washington D.C. to visit and reflect on their memorials, because he “believes in honoring the men and women who protect and serve our country,” according to a Tops press release.

In May 2012, Syracuse became an official hub in the Honor Flight Network and continues to fly at least two missions each year to serve veterans from the greater Syracuse area.