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CaptionOPERATION HUG-A-HERO™ latest press release THE GENEROSITY OF OTHERS IS HELPING THE CHILDREN OF DEPLOYED SERVICE MEMBERS
CONTACT: Tricia Dyal (910) 333-1502 Tricia@HugAHero.com
Lisa Berg (910) 546-3127 Lisa@HugAHero.com
WHO WE ARE: Operation Hug-A-Hero™ www.OperationHugAHero.org
WHAT WE DO: Provide FREE Hug-A-Hero™ Dolls to Military Children with Deployed Parents WHERE: Across the Globe WHY: To Ease Separation for the Children of ALL Active Duty Service Members
HOW YOU CAN HELP: Make Others Aware of Our Inspiring Cause
Jacksonville, NC 2008 – It’s been over 3 years since the first Hug-A-Hero™ doll, bearing the likeness of a deployed service member, went out to his child in Jacksonville, North Carolina from Tricia Dyal’s home. Now, she and co-creator Nikki Darnell are awed by the reception that their Hug-A-Hero™ dolls have gotten all over the globe. They created the dolls to fill a need in their own children’s lives when their husbands were deployed to Iraq in 2005. Hug-A-Hero™ dolls are a simple design; a full body picture of a loved one sewn into a soft, washable doll. Their purpose, however, is far from simple. Easing the loneliness and anxiety of deployments for children of service members, the Hug-A-Hero™ dolls are now filling a void for other military children. Hand sewn and individually produced in the United States, these dolls bridge the gap between those deployed and the families left at home. When it became obvious how beneficial the dolls were to their children’s emotional well-being, Dyal and Darnell knew they had to share their creation with the world. So, the two Marine Corps wives began making dolls from their homes, formed Daddy Dolls®, Inc., launched a website, and while juggling their own military moves and deployments, have watched their business grow. “We’re so proud to see Hug-A-Hero™ dolls touching so many lives all over the world” says Dyal.
From day one, it has been Dyal and Darnell’s dream to gift their Hug-A-Hero™ dolls to every military child faced with the stresses of a deployment. “We know first hand that they help the child cope, and that, in-turn, helps the parents cope,” says Darnell. Shortly after they formed Daddy Dolls®, Inc., they developed a special fund – financed through the generous donations of individuals, organizations, and companies. The fund, Operation Hug-A-Hero™ provided dolls to children who had lost a parent in the line of duty or to children whose families couldn’t afford a doll. Already, the organization has been able to help hundreds of children, but limited funds require that recipients come recommended by Chaplains based on need.
Experience has shown that America is filled with amazing people who are willing to support US troops by supporting the families left behind. With their Hug-A-Hero™ dolls and other resources designed to help military families get through long deployments, Dyal and Darnell plan to do just that. In an effort to make donating easier, and provide generous donors (any amount is generous) with the tax benefit of a non-profit donation, Operation Hug-A-Hero™, Inc. was formed on August 6, 2008. It is currently in the Not for Profit application process. Dyal and Darnell hope that the formation of their non-profit organization will encourage corporate sponsorships and someday soon allow them to gift their Hug-A-Hero™ dolls to every military child who wants one.
“It’s truly inspiring to see people open their hearts to the children of our deployed service members. One woman from Massachusetts actually posted a sign in her gym for donations to Operation Hug-A-Hero™ and raised over $500!” Dyal relates. “It’s so heart-warming to see people who don’t even have a connection to the military stepping forward and saying, ‘this is a small way that I can help that soldier, sailor, airman or marine who is defending MY freedom— by doing something for his or her child.
Donating to Operation Hug-A-Hero™ is as simple as going to the newly designed website: www.hugahero.com and selecting “Sponsor A Child” button on the home page. On the website you will also find more information about Hug-A-Hero™ dolls and a full listing of products, our touching photo gallery, tips on how to get through deployments submitted by other military families and our company information. Please contact Tricia Dyal at (910) 333-1502 or Lisa Berg at (910) 546-3127 for more information.
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By Randy Romines on 03/28 08:10 AM
Thank you for what your doing!! My son was killed in Iraq the same year your husbands were there and now my oldest son is in Afghanistan leaving a wife and daughter behind. You are 2 angels God will bless for your efforts to comfort military families.
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