Duke’s, maker of freshly crafted, made-from-scratch smoked meats and BIGS, maker of premium seed snacks, visited Fort Hood on Friday, November 17, as part of its Military Appreciation Tour to express thanks for U.S. service men and women as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches.

More than 2,500 service men, women and families received samples of BIGS seeds and Duke’s smoked meats, t-shirts and hats, and enjoyed games and music. Justin Havlick, president and founder of BIGS and Duke’s, was at Fort Hood for a “Day with the Duke” event, which the base had won in a drawing at last year’s annual Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) Seminar.

In addition to having fun and entertaining military personnel from the moment they arrived, Justin signed and gave away merchandise, stocked shelves, and cleaned bathrooms. Said Captain Nate Shook, “Thanks to Duke’s for their support of the military and for spending the day with the soldiers at Fort Hood, we appreciate it!”

The event took place at Fort Hood’s HQ Shopette, and was free and open to all military families.

The “A Day with the Duke” event concluded the Military Appreciation Tour, which was a “thank you” to dedicated service members. With stops at Peterson Air Force Base (Colorado), Tinker Air Force Base (Oklahoma), Fort Sill (Oklahoma), and Fort Hood (Texas), nearly four thousand service men and women received BIGS Seeds and Duke’s smoked meats and products.

"It is an honor for us to give back to active duty service members in this way and especially at this time of the year as we celebrate Veterans Day and prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday,” says president and founder of BIGS and Duke’s, Justin Havlick.  “We appreciate all of our troops who serve in the pursuit of freedom, and this is our way of thanking them for their commitment and service.”

Recently, BIGS announced that it is also donating 75,000 bags of seeds to the USO. The in-kind donation from BIGS honors the USO’s 75th anniversary and underscores the brand’s commitment to the men and women who serve our country. BIGS partnership with the USO this year included limited edition military appreciation camo sunflower seed bags sold by retailers around the United States, and last week’s donation of 75,000 bags of seeds to USO centers across the country.

Source: Duke’s