Volunteers at DFW Airport loaded a thousand care packages for troops serving overseas Wednesday. A few dozen volunteers from the airport and Suffolk Construction lined up to stock the packages and sign USO banners.
"I can't tell you what a difference just this little snack pack is going to make," says USO Vice President of Entertainment Jennifer Wahlquist. "When I sit and have lunch with service members, and we talk about what they miss, it's often the food. It's often the Oreo cookies, the M&Ms, but most importantly, we're giving it to them with a hug and a smile."
"I know these little packs we're going to put together today mean an awful lot to the folks who are deployed," a retired Air Force pilot who now works for the USO says.
He volunteers at the USO center in Terminal B. DFW Chief Executive Sean Donohue says the USO's work and the care packages can help troops feel a connection to home, but he hopes people will also remember service members' families around the holidays.
"Families sacrifice a lot as well," he says. "When they have a partner or spouse who is serving, they take on more of a burden. They also deserve our thanks and our recognition. We honor the men and women who are currently serving, but I also want to make sure we don't forget about the families as well and what they do to support their loved ones."
Suffolk Construction first partnered with the USO last year.
"One of our core values is caring," says Suffolk Texas Region President Brad Brown. "One of the things we learned through this event last year is there's a lot of care that goes into this. It's very meaningful for us to be here. Thank you to those who served, for those who have families who served."
More information about the USO's care packages is available at https://www.uso.org/programs/uso-care-package-program.
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