thedrifter
04-23-08, 07:24 PM
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Country music singer, songwriter performs for Quantico Marines
By Lance Cpl. Jimmy Serena Jr.
Combat Correspondent
More than 150 volunteers assembled 10,000 care packages during the United Service Organizations’ and Jack Daniel’s Distillery third annual stuffing party April 19. The event was followed by a free barbecue for all volunteers and a free concert performed by Craig Morgan open to all who had access to the base.
Morgan a 10-year Army veteran, loves the military.
‘‘I am excited to come out and perform for the Marines,” Morgan said. ‘‘Today is more about those troops deployed. The USO’s work will benefit a lot of them.”
For over 66 years, the USO has been providing moral, welfare and recreational service to military members and their families. According to the USO Web site, the USO is a non-profit charitable organization running mostly off of donations made by individuals or organizations.
Through ‘‘Toast to the Troops,” Jack Daniel’s is collecting personal messages of support, or ‘‘toasts,” to include in USO care packages for servicemen and women.
Since the program began in 2005, the distillery has hosted stuffing parties at six other military installations across the country and has sent lots of care packages and toasts to deployed troops.
‘‘These events boost the morale of not only our servicemen and women, but also their families. The USO is deeply in their debt,” said Ronald Wise, director of the USO Care Package Program.
‘‘Since the USO relies on lots of volunteer work, celebrity-hosted events such as this one help volunteers turn out,” said Amy Salazar, a volunteer from the USO.
Morgan has performed at every Jack Daniel’s⁄USO ‘‘Toast to the Troops” event and has entertained troops in Iraq on the USO’s Sergeant of the Army holiday tour. The veteran is also a recipient of the USO Merit Award, presented by the USO of Metropolitan Washington, an honor shared by the late Bob Hope, according to the USO Web site.
‘‘I know first-hand how much care packages and messages from home mean to our soldiers overseas,” Morgan said. ‘‘When Jack Daniel’s asked me to join up with them for ‘Toast to the Troops’ two years ago, I knew immediately that this was something I wanted to be a part of. Working so closely with the troops’ families is great, and getting to be with the soldiers when the packages arrive has been unbelievably rewarding.”
The ‘‘Toast to the Troops” event reached its goal of 10,000 care packages that will be sent to the troops in the up coming month.
‘‘The event was a success, the volunteers did a great job and lots of troops overseas will benefit from the work that we have done here today,” Salazar said.
Ellie
Country music singer, songwriter performs for Quantico Marines
By Lance Cpl. Jimmy Serena Jr.
Combat Correspondent
More than 150 volunteers assembled 10,000 care packages during the United Service Organizations’ and Jack Daniel’s Distillery third annual stuffing party April 19. The event was followed by a free barbecue for all volunteers and a free concert performed by Craig Morgan open to all who had access to the base.
Morgan a 10-year Army veteran, loves the military.
‘‘I am excited to come out and perform for the Marines,” Morgan said. ‘‘Today is more about those troops deployed. The USO’s work will benefit a lot of them.”
For over 66 years, the USO has been providing moral, welfare and recreational service to military members and their families. According to the USO Web site, the USO is a non-profit charitable organization running mostly off of donations made by individuals or organizations.
Through ‘‘Toast to the Troops,” Jack Daniel’s is collecting personal messages of support, or ‘‘toasts,” to include in USO care packages for servicemen and women.
Since the program began in 2005, the distillery has hosted stuffing parties at six other military installations across the country and has sent lots of care packages and toasts to deployed troops.
‘‘These events boost the morale of not only our servicemen and women, but also their families. The USO is deeply in their debt,” said Ronald Wise, director of the USO Care Package Program.
‘‘Since the USO relies on lots of volunteer work, celebrity-hosted events such as this one help volunteers turn out,” said Amy Salazar, a volunteer from the USO.
Morgan has performed at every Jack Daniel’s⁄USO ‘‘Toast to the Troops” event and has entertained troops in Iraq on the USO’s Sergeant of the Army holiday tour. The veteran is also a recipient of the USO Merit Award, presented by the USO of Metropolitan Washington, an honor shared by the late Bob Hope, according to the USO Web site.
‘‘I know first-hand how much care packages and messages from home mean to our soldiers overseas,” Morgan said. ‘‘When Jack Daniel’s asked me to join up with them for ‘Toast to the Troops’ two years ago, I knew immediately that this was something I wanted to be a part of. Working so closely with the troops’ families is great, and getting to be with the soldiers when the packages arrive has been unbelievably rewarding.”
The ‘‘Toast to the Troops” event reached its goal of 10,000 care packages that will be sent to the troops in the up coming month.
‘‘The event was a success, the volunteers did a great job and lots of troops overseas will benefit from the work that we have done here today,” Salazar said.
Ellie