MOLINE, Ill. — The American Rental Association is offering monetary incentives for representatives of associate-member businesses who recruit rental companies to join the association.

ARA is offering the incentive to boost attendance at ARA conventions, which in turn will strengthen suppliers' opportunities to market their service and equipment offerings.

Reps and distributors from associate-member companies who call on rental centers will receive a $75 award from ARA for every new member they recruit.

Information on the new program is available at ARA's Web site www.ararental.org.

In other ARA news, the association donated nearly $60,000 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund on behalf of the equipment rental industry. The contributions will benefit the victims of terrorist attacks and their families in New York, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania.

ARA executive vice president Christine Wehrman presented the Rock Island, Ill., Red Cross branch with several hundred checks, totaling $59,428.56. Contributions were made by rental companies and equipment suppliers.

ARA is continuing to receive donations, which it will pass on to the Red Cross.