Huntsville businessman Tarek Maalouf has displayed his dedication to the American effort through the creation and selling of T-shirts, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the Red Cross. The idea to sell T-shirts, bumper stickers and other USA paraphernalia in order to assist the Red Cross came to Maalouf the morning of Sept. 11, after hearing of the terrorists attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. This event spawned the creation of the Support the USA Web site, http://www.supporttheusa.com, which in turn has birthed the grand opening of a store by the same name. Grand opening for the store will be Friday at 1300 Sam Houston Ave. Maaloufs patriotism has been sparked by his exposure to the depleted and negative environments that exist in other countries. You appreciate the huge difference, he said.The 26-year-old is a Woodlands resident and owner of two, soon to be three, businesses. Maalouf dropped out of high school, later received a GED and attended SHSU for a year. He decided to start his computer company, called Quatrec Computers, out of his apartment four years ago after leaving SHSU. He also owns Notrend Communications, an Internet company. I like Sam Houston, Maalouf said. SHSU students are a large part of my customer base and I think it would be good to promote the university along with these efforts.Maalouf said he would love for more students to become involved with the efforts of the business. Volunteers make the T-shirt-making process and workload easier.Those who are interested in helping can call or visit Quatrec Computers, next to the Movie Gallery on Sam Houston Avenue.The Support the USA store will be an all-around outlet for American paraphernalia to be bought for the support of certain civic organizations. All proceeds from the store will continue to go to charitable and non-profit organizations. Maalouf explains that if another tragedy or human crisis were to occur the store would manufacture T-shirts and other items in the name of those events. The front of the shirt would remain the same, reading http://www.supporttheusa.com with the back changing depending on the situation at hand, he said.Maalouf cannot even count the number of shirts he has sold so far. All I know is that I pressed 400 shirts in one day, he said.Shirts can be ordered over the Internet or in the store after Fridays opening. Cash, check, money orders and major credit cards will be accepted with all proceeds immediately being mailed to the Red Cross.
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