Fayetteville Today

(Fayetteville, N.C.) – The Gary Sinise Foundation Snowball Express will depart from Fayetteville on Dec. 2, flying over 100 family members of fallen soldiers in the Fayetteville area to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida to enjoy an all-expense paid vacation. 

These Gold Star families will fly out of the Fayetteville Regional Airport as part of a nonprofit organization with the goal of “Serving the Children of Our Fallen Military Heroes.” Snowball Express brings hope and new happy memories to children of military heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice while on active duty since Sept. 11, 2001. 

The welcoming of families begins at 6:00 a.m. and the flight departs at 9:10 a.m.    

While many look forward to the holiday season with excitement and anticipation of times with family and friends, the holidays can be difficult for those who have lost a loved one — especially the families of our fallen military. 

More than 1,750 children and spouses of fallen U.S. military members nationwide will head out on the annual Snowball Express. As the official airline of Snowball Express, American Airlines is providing the majority of the air travel, and all flight crews and hundreds of team member volunteers are donating their time to participate in this special program. Eleven chartered American aircraft will depart from numerous cities, including Fayetteville, to pick up Snowball families.    

While in the Orlando area, the families will participate in a series of activities, including: A Walk of Gratitude honoring their sacrifice, a “knight” of jousting fun at Medieval Times and a private concert by Academy Award-nominated actor Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band.  

Snowball Express families will return to Fayetteville on Dec. 6.

Media is invited to attend the send-off party at the Fayetteville Regional Airport for families departing from the local area. Before departing from Fayetteville Regional Airport, families will enjoy food and gifts provided by Tailwind, Inc. Media wishing to attend should contact Tatiana LeFlore at TatianaLeFlore@FayettevilleNC.Gov or 910-433-1176 by 3 p.m., Friday, Dec. 1 to be placed on the advanced list for security.  

Media must arrive at the Fayetteville Regional Airport no later than 6:30 a.m., park in short-term parking and bring the parking ticket to get validated by airport staff. Reporters will need to present a government-issued ID, such as a driver’s license, to get through security. Staff must have the reporter’s full name (first, middle and last) and birth date for security clearance purposes; this information must match your government-issued ID.  

About The Gary Sinise Foundation Snowball Express: Gary Sinise Foundation Snowball Express serves the surviving spouse/guardian and children of fallen heroes. We are committed to year-round programming and support for families that honors their fallen hero, encourages them to make new memories, and provides opportunities to connect with others who know what they’ve been through.

Original source can be found here.