U.S. Navy Petty Officer Third Class (E-4) Kristoffer Carlson will be recognized by the Green Bay Packers and WPS Health Insurance at Thursday night's game vs. the Indianapolis Colts for 'Operation Fan Mail.'
Carlson, an intelligence specialist from Maquoketa, Iowa, has been in the Navy for two years and has been stationed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for the last 14 months. After his leave, which includes attendance at the game, he will be transferred to the USS George Washington in Yokosuka, Japan, for two years. He'll be at the game with his father, Bryon, a retired Navy veteran, mother, Mila, and sister, Vanessa.
Operation Fan Mail, which debuted in 2007, is designed to recognize families with a member who is on active duty. The Packers and WPS Health Insurance will host a family at each 2010 home game and recognize them on the field during pregame activities. A total of 30 families have been recognized during the past three seasons.
To choose families, the Packers and WPS Health Insurance 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. Essays also can be submitted online at http://nfl.packers.com/gameday/gamedaypromotions/operationfanmail/
Families intended for recognition are those that have a member serving on active duty. 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 and a care package from WPS.
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Also taking place at the annual Bishop's Charities Game is the pregame recognition of last year's game MVP, Aaron Rodgers. Bishop David Ricken also will be throwing out the ceremonial first football to wide receiver Donald Driver just after the coin toss. Earlier in the day, Bishop Ricken will be joined by Packers alumsJim Temp, Bob Skoronski, and Gary Knafelc from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. for autographs and photos in the fan walkway outside the Tundra Tailgate Zone on the east side of the stadium.
Recognition of "USA Football Month" continues Thursday night as the Green Bay Westside Wolverines' seventh- and eighth-grade football teams will be on Lambeau Field in the north end zone during the national anthem and then will have the opportunity to scrimmage each other at halftime, with the seventh-graders on the north end of the field and the eighth-graders on the south. USA Football logos will be on the playing field and on banners in the stadium.
The Aug. 14 Packers-Browns game featured a similar visit from four youth teams out of the Journey House Football League of Milwaukee.
The national anthem will be performed by Tara Greene, wife of Packers outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene. Alarge American flag will be held on the field during the anthem by members of the Wisconsin Army National Guard and their families. Aflyover of two Navy jets will conclude the anthem.
Members of Ride 2 Recovery, an organization that works to make a difference in the lives of injured veterans through cycling,will be recognized on-field as they participate in the ambassador line during pregame introductions. The group is making a stop in Green Bay during their Great Lakes Challenge, a ride from Edina, Minn., to Milwaukee. Prior to the game, the group will be introduced in the TTZ at 5 p.m.
A full rundown of all Lambeau Field gameday information is available online at www.packers.com/gameday/gameday-information.html
