Photo By Kevin Robinson | New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger poses for a photo with Army Sgt. Henrietta...... read more read more
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FORT LEE, Va. – New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger is a hunter, with the primary mission of seeking out offensive players to keep them from scoring touchdowns.
However, on Feb. 16, Dugger was the one being targeted, at least for his autograph, during the NFL ProCamps kick-off event at the Fort Lee Commissary in Virginia.
The Fort Lee event began the 11th season of a partnership between ProCamps, Procter & Gamble and the military, where military installations will compete for a chance to win a sports camp for the children in their community.
From March 13 to April 9, participating commissaries worldwide will offer their customers an opportunity to help win an NFL ProCamps for their installation by purchasing select P&G products. The instructional camps are led by NFL players for children, grades 1-8, of active duty, reserve, retired and DOD civilians. The winning installations are announced in late spring.
“It really is a great opportunity to give back, and I’m thankful for it,” said Dugger, who was drafted in the second round by the Patriots in 2020 and recorded 94 tackles and four interceptions in 2022/2023 season. “I feel blessed and thankful to be able to do something like this, to have an opportunity to reach out to the military, a community my dad had a strong affiliation with – it means a lot.”
P&G is joining the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA), the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES), the Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM), the Marine Corps Exchange and the Coast Guard Exchange to offer these ProCamps events.
“Procter & Gamble is bringing these NFL players here to help military children understand physical fitness and help them deal with the challenges of parents deploying and constantly moving from place to place,” said Bill Moore, DeCA director and CEO. “These athletes are so busy and for them to find the time to give back to the community is awesome. His dad is a retired Marine, so he’s lived the life that we’ve lived.”
Military communities qualify for a ProCamps event based on sales of designated P&G products at their local commissaries and exchanges during the contest period, where customers can “look for additional savings on their favorite P&G brands,” said Michael Bender, Procter & Gamble’s director of Sales-DeCA Military. “We’re honored to support our much-deserving military families.” Eligible customers can also help their community be eligible to win a camp by texting their installation name to 1-833-998-1228.
“The football camps would not be possible without the support and commitment of the commissary and the exchange,” said Molly Fanning, executive vice president of Partnership Marketing. “They are a huge part of the military community and help us bring this impactful, once in a lifetime experience to so many families.”
There are already ProCamps scheduled overseas. A camp is planned for Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan, March 11-12, with Jamin Davis, a linebacker from the Washington Commanders. A camp is also scheduled for Ramstein/Vogelweh, Germany, at the Kaiserslautern High School Stadium, April 1-2, with Cole Kmet, a tight-end from the Chicago Bears. ProCamps is also running a camp at Hickam Air Base on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, May 20-21, with Noah Fant from the Seattle Seahawks. The Hawaii event had been cancelled in 2022.
“These football camps have a huge impact on the youth in the military community and their families, since it is not every day they get to meet someone they see running routes on TV and catching passes from a top quarterback,” Fanning said. “This event allows children to have fun in a safe environment where they can learn some fundaments of football and hopefully make a new friend.”
Dugger’s appearance at the kick-off event symbolized a particular bond between service members and athletes, said Army Staff Sgt. Princeton Crockett, Company R, 262 Quartermaster Battalion.
“There’s a special connection that the pro athletes have and the respect they have for the military and what we do,” said Crockett, a big Patriots fan. “So, it’s kind of a shared mutual respect and helps us connect with those athletes more. Those youth camps are good as well. Jonathan Allen came out last year and I took my son out to it.”
-DeCA-
About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Commissaries provide a military benefit, saving authorized patrons thousands of dollars annually on their purchases compared to similar products at commercial retailers. The discounted prices include a 5-percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. A core military family support element, and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America’s military and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.
| Date Taken: | 02.16.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 02.27.2023 10:41 |
| Story ID: | 439254 |
| Location: | FORT LEE, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 154 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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