A RECOGNITION OF MILITARY FAMILIES AT 2007 HOME GAMES
The Green Bay Packers and Festival Foods this season will recognize a military family separated by active duty at each home game with a new program, 'Operation Fan Mail.'
The program is designed specifically to recognize families separated by a member who is on active duty away from his or her family. The Packers and Festival Foods will host a family at each 2007 home game and recognize them on the field during pregame activities.
"We're excited to partner with Festival Foods to recognize military families this way at Lambeau Field this season," said Packers Chairman Bob Harlan. "Military families make many sacrifices on behalf of our country and we're looking forward to recognizing them with our extended family at Lambeau Field on game days. Not only will this be a salute to the specific family at the stadium, but the spirit of the salute will go out to all those families who sacrifice for their military duties."
"Festival Foods is proud to work with the Packers in honoring military families on game days at Lambeau Field," said Mark Skogen, owner and CEO of Festival Foods. "So many of us know families with members that serve in the military. As we get together to support our favorite team, the Packers, we'll be able to let military families know that we support their team, too."
To choose families, the Packers and Festival Foods are asking interested families, or friends of eligible families, to submit an essay, 500 words or less, on why a particular family should be saluted. Essays can be sent to: Operation Fan Mail, P.O. Box 10628, Green Bay, WI, 54307-0628. Beginning Friday, July 27, essays also can be submitted online at www.packers.com.
Families intended for recognition are those that have a member serving on active duty away from home. The family member can be a mother, father, son, daughter or sibling.
In addition to being recognized on-field prior to the game, selected families will receive four tickets to the game, a $100 gift certificate to Festival Foods and the family member on active duty will receive a care package from the Packers and Festival Foods.
Another feature of the program will invite the public to write letters of the support to the troops. The letters can be dropped off at any Festival Foods location and then will be sent to members of the military on active duty.
