Los Angeles, California, Dec. 04, 2020 (GLOBE
NEWSWIRE) -- Award-winning actor and humanitarian Gary Sinise and his
foundation today announced the kickoff of their annual Snowball Express event that serves
and honors the families of fallen military heroes, taking place this Friday,
December 4th – Sunday, December 6th, 2020. Snowball Express is a year-long
initiative of the Gary Sinise Foundation that provides support, healing, and a
community to the children of fallen military heroes and their surviving parents
and guardians, typically culminating with a five-day trip to the Walt Disney
World® Resort in
“With the support of our partners and
sponsors, the Gary Sinise Foundation Snowball Express has been able to carry on
a message of gratitude, remembrance, and appreciation for these incredibly
deserving families. Our Snowball Express initiative provides an important space
for these families to meet each other, connect, and through this network of
support, they come to know they are not alone,” said actor/humanitarian Gary
Sinise, the foundation’s Founder and Chairman. “We want to create moments of
joy and new, happy memories for these families before the holidays, which is a
very difficult time for a child who has lost a parent - and through this
important GSF initiative we let them know that their loved ones - a mom or dad
or a spouse who died in military service – will never be forgotten.”
No matter where these families may be in
their grieving process, Snowball Express aims to provide a
memorable experience where Gold Star families can access support, create new
bonds, make positive memories, and build a community with the only people who
can truly understand their loss: each other.
The virtual
celebration recreates two of the most moving and poignant moments of the
in-person event, both of which serve as a tribute to the fallen heroes: the Remembrance Garden and the Walk
of Gratitude. This year, the Gary Sinise Foundation created an interactive virtual walk-through of the Remembrance
Garden with a flag representing the fallen hero from each
of the 2,000+ Gold Star families in the program, providing an opportunity for
the families to search and directly find the flag and placard honoring their
loved one. The Walk of Gratitude is a ceremony led by Gary Sinise from Los
Angeles and Mickey Mouse from the Walt Disney World® Resort in
Orlando,
Florida, where families write a personal
message to their fallen hero on a scroll, and the children then ring bells to
send the messages, with the help of a little Disney® magic, to
the moms and dads they lost.
In addition to surprise celebrity appearances and family fun such as virtual
dance parties and karaoke, the Snowball Express virtual celebration also
provides comprehensive and meaningful support to the families including
peer-to-peer support groups, counseling services, application support for
educational scholarships, financial counseling and assistance, and more.
Snowball Express began in 2006, with a letter
written by a fallen soldier to his wife, only to be opened should he perish in
battle. While the letter expressed many things, one wish was that they visit
Snowball Express is made possible by the Gary
Sinise Foundation’s generous donors and corporate partners including American
Airlines, WoodmenLife, Aerotek, Lowe’s, and many other key partners.
ABOUT THE
The Gary Sinise Foundation was established under the philanthropic direction of
award-winning actor and humanitarian Gary Sinise, who has been an advocate of
our nation’s defenders for nearly forty years. The Foundation’s mission is to
serve our nation by honoring our defenders, veterans, first responders, their
families, and those in need. Its programs—designed to entertain, educate,
inspire, strengthen, and build communities—serve
Marielle Gilbert
Gary Sinise Foundation
2038167734
mgilbert@garysinisefoundation.
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