Announcing Cigars Stars And Stripes.Com

SOUTH SALEM, N.Y., Nov. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Stan Pottinger, founder of www.CigarsStarsAndStripes.com, got the idea of sending cigars to the troops while talking on the telephone to his son, a Marine in Iraq. "I said, "What do you need?'" Pottinger says, "and he said, 'I could use a few cigars.' When I asked him why-he wasn't a big smoker-he said they were a good way to relax and good barter with civilian contractors for stuff they couldn't get at the PX. But the most unusual thing he said was they were a diplomatic ice- breakers with sheiks, local officials, and Iraqi soldiers.'"

Since then, Pottinger has spoken with servicemen and women who have had the same experience as his son. "Everyone considers cigars a unique moment of enjoyment in the midst of war," Pottinger says. "One guy said the smell of a cigar took him home quicker than photographs. For me, that alone was a reason to launch this Web site."

The Web site's biggest product is gift certificates. You can buy one for someone you know, or you can buy one for a Stars & Stripes Warrior you don't know. In both cases, it lets the troops choose the cigars and accessories they want.

In addition to 800 brands of cigars, the website offers AT&T calling cards, lighters, cutters, cigar cases, and a Tupperware(R) Limited Edition Humidor not available on the commercial market. It's the perfect way for the troops to stow their cigars and it travels better than any humidor you can find. For those who don't smoke, the Web site offers bubblegum cigars and Tootsie Rolls which stand up to the desert heat.

"We've gotten the Web site on line just in time for the holidays," Pottinger said. "We're already getting terrific stories from Iraq about how much the troops appreciate a cigar. I assumed they'd be enjoyable, but I had no idea how much. As a tension-breaker, there's nothing like them." A portion of the Web site's revenues will be donated to support agencies such as the Wounded Warriors Project, Fisher Houses, and others.

Contact: Stan Pottinger 914 977 3508

                Katie Pottinger 609 466 1729
                CigarsStars@aol.com