Association of Progressive Rental Organizations

RTO Companies Give Thanks Via Giveaways

The crew at Cleek’s Home Furnishings in Fulton, Missouri, prepares Thanksgiving meals to give away to local families in need – (L to R) Billy Avery, Ron Rothove, and John Nissen.

‘Tis the season for giving – and it all begins with Thanksgiving, when many rent-to-own dealers give back to the communities they call home. Here are just a few examples of APRO members who contributed to their communities with turkey (and more!) giveaways:

Bolin Rental Purchase, with three locations in Tennessee and Kentucky, has sponsored a Thanksgiving-week turkey giveaway for about 20 years. This year was no exception, with many gobblers given to some of the company’s most valued customers.

Missouri-based Cleek’s Home Furnishings/Rentals & Sales began providing a Thanksgiving meal to customers who need a little help about six years ago. This year, Cleek’s five stores gave away a total of 36 meals, with company President John Cleek, Jr., personally delivering some meals in Fulton, Missouri.

“We don’t do this to try to get extra business or anything,” said Cleek. “We just believe in giving back to our communities and the people who support us. Huge thanks to all Cleek’s team members for their hard work and for getting these meals to our deserving customer families.”

Countryside Rentals Inc. dba Rent-2-Own in Ohio gave away more than 40 turkeys this year, and did a “Freezer Full of Food” promotion during the month of November. Customers guessed the cost of the food in a freezer, and the person with the closest guess (without going over) won both the freezer and the food.

And in Florida, CPL Group Inc. dba Rent King contributed more than 80 turkeys to customers across its 19 locations this year, lending a hand to those who could use a little extra support this holiday season – that’s a plethora of poultry!

Upcoming Events




Mike Tissot

Countryside Rentals Inc., dba Rent-2-Own

Mike grew up in the rent-to-own industry under the guidance of his father, former APRO President and RTO legend Darrell Tissot. For nearly 25 years, Mike’s innovative leadership has helped expand the family business to more than 40 stores across Ohio and Kentucky while also shaping the industry as a whole.

He has served as President of the Ohio Rental Dealers Association, an APRO board member and Treasurer, and President and Treasurer of the TRIB Group. His contributions have earned him the APRO President’s Award of Excellence and the title of APRO Rental Dealer of the Year.

Outside of RTO, Mike enjoys time at the lake house or in Orange Beach, Alabama, with his girlfriend, Angela Strong McCool. A passionate Cincinnati Reds fan, he rarely misses a game, whether watching or listening alongside his parents. He also takes every opportunity to visit Arizona, where his daughter is currently attending Arizona State University.