Christmas comes early for San Antonio families

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Lana Mills
  • Air Force Print News
SAN ANTONIO (AFPN) --  The holiday season can be a time of cheer, but often is tough for many military families. Operation Homefront, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing emergency assistance to military members and their families, along with Wal-Mart, Sam's Club and America Supports You, joined forces to make the season special for some servicemembers and their loved ones.

The result was Operation Christmas. Members of the Operation Homefront program visited the Texas National Guard Armory Dec. 13. This was one of several stops for them.

"It's a time when we can come together to celebrate the season, to thank you in person for the sacrifices you, your military spouses overseas and your children make every day of the year," said Amy Palmer from Operation Homefront.

Satellite and Web links were available so family members could talk with their deployed loved ones. San Antonio Spurs legend George "Ice Man" Gervin signed basketballs for children. Santa and Cookie Monster were among their list of guests. Wal-Mart donated nearly $500,000 to the Operation Christmas program so each participating military family could leave with toys and gift cards.

"It's amazing," said Tammie Goetsch, a military spouse. "I can't believe how much Wal-Mart really cares about the military. So this has just been, wow, I feel like a kid in a candy store."

Her daughter Kali had the same kind of feeling about Operation Christmas.

"It makes me feel very glad that they did all this stuff for us and that they care and I can't really say enough because it really makes me feel good," Kali said.

Operation Christmas has been traveling to military bases around the United States since late November and will be at Fort Stewart in Savannah, Ga., on Dec. 20.

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