{"id":3272,"date":"2018-12-21T16:21:33","date_gmt":"2018-12-21T16:21:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/?p=3272"},"modified":"2018-12-21T16:25:23","modified_gmt":"2018-12-21T16:25:23","slug":"more-than-40-fort-campbell-families-have-exchange-layaways-paid-in-full-at-surprise-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2018\/12\/21\/more-than-40-fort-campbell-families-have-exchange-layaways-paid-in-full-at-surprise-event\/","title":{"rendered":"More Than 40 Fort Campbell Families Have Exchange Layaways Paid in Full at Surprise Event"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"FORT CAMPBELL<\/strong> \u2013 The Army & Air Force Exchange Service made the holidays a bit merrier<\/a> for Fort Campbell families with help from the nonprofit Pay Away the Layaway.<\/p>\n

The families received the good news\u2014more than $7,000 in layaways were paid in full\u2014during a live broadcast of \u201cGood Morning America\u201d<\/a> on Dec. 21 from the Fort Campbell Exchange.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery family here today that has something on layaway has had their layaway paid off,\u201d said \u201cGood Morning America\u201d meteorologist Rob Marciano in announcing the surprise.<\/p>\n

Families thought they were attending only a customer appreciation event. Once the surprise was revealed, their reaction was seen by a national TV audience.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll our layaway gifts are for our grandchildren,\u201d said Ellen Wooster, whose husband retired from the Army at Fort Campbell. \u201cChristmas is really about the kids, so this means a lot to us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Luis Reyes, Exchange senior enlisted advisor, led a team of Santa\u2019s helpers<\/a> pushing carts with the giftwrapped layaways.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Exchange is excited to be able to bring this opportunity to Warfighters and their families at Fort Campbell,\u201d Reyes said. \u201cCollaborating with Pay Away the Layaway allows us to spread holiday cheer and lift the financial burden for the best customers in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before the event, \u201cGood Morning America\u201d interviewed some of the lucky families\u2014without letting them know about the layaway surprise<\/a>. Sgt. 1st<\/sup> Class Damion Mays told the crew he appreciates the time he gets to spend with his family this holiday season.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have six kids, and it\u2019s difficult to get them everything they want,\u201d Mays said. \u201cBut we try to find out what they want the most, and at least get them that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Exchange has worked with Pay Away the Layaway for the last two holiday seasons. Besides Fort Campbell, the Exchange hosted surprise events at Forts Bliss, Polk, Carson and Bragg; Joint Base Langley-Eustis; Andersen Air Force Base, Guam; and Ramstein Air Base.<\/p>\n

Pay Away the Layaway<\/a><\/u> is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that raises money online to pay off layaway balances. The mission of the organization is to inspire hope and spread kindness.<\/p>\n

Facebook-Friendly Version<\/strong>: The Army & Air Force Exchange Service made the holidays a bit merrier for more than 40 Fort Campbell families with help from the nonprofit Pay Away the Layaway. The families received the good news\u2014more than $7,000 in layaways were paid in full\u2014during a live broadcast of \u201cGood Morning America\u201d on Dec. 21 from the Fort Campbell Exchange. Read more:\u00a0https:\/\/wp.me\/p9Q7PG-QM<\/a>.<\/p>\n

— 30 —<\/p>\n

Since 1895, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (Exchange) has gone where Soldiers, Airmen and their families go to improve the quality of their lives by providing valued goods and services at exclusive military pricing. The Exchange is the 61st-largest retailer in the United States. Its earnings provided $2.4 billion in dividends to support military morale, welfare and recreation programs over the last 10 years. The Exchange is a non-appropriated fund entity of the Department of Defense and is directed by a Board of Directors. The Exchange is a 50th Anniversary Vietnam War Commemorative Partner, planning and conducting events and activities that recognize the service, valor and sacrifice of Vietnam Veterans and their families in conjunction with the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration. To find out more about the Exchange history and mission or to view recent press releases please visit our website at\u00a0http:\/\/www.shopmyexchange.com<\/a>\u00a0or follow us on Twitter at\u00a0https:\/\/twitter.com\/ExchangePAO<\/a>.<\/p>\n

###<\/p>\n

Media Notes:<\/strong><\/p>\n

For more information or to schedule an interview with an Exchange representative please contact Alexandra Pirkle, 214-312-2143 or pirkleac@aafes.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Follow the Exchange:<\/p>\n

Facebook:\u00a0 www.facebook.com\/shopmyexchange<\/a><\/p>\n

Twitter:\u00a0 https:\/\/twitter.com\/shopmyexchange<\/a><\/p>\n

Instagram: @shopmyexchange<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

FORT CAMPBELL \u2013 The Army & Air Force Exchange Service made the holidays a bit merrier for Fort Campbell families with help from the nonprofit Pay Away the Layaway. The families received the good news\u2014more than $7,000 in layaways were paid in full\u2014during a live broadcast of \u201cGood Morning America\u201d on Dec. 21 from the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":3276,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"More Than 40 Fort Campbell Families Have Exchange Layaways Paid in Full at Surprise Event","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[25],"tags":[60,59,41,53,33,36,39],"class_list":["post-3272","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-press_releases","tag-fort-campbell","tag-good-morning-america","tag-holidays","tag-pay-away-the-layaway","tag-press-release","tag-public-affairs","tag-the-army-air-force-exchange-service"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2018\/12\/21\/more-than-40-fort-campbell-families-have-exchange-layaways-paid-in-full-at-surprise-event\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"More Than 40 Fort Campbell Families Have Exchange Layaways Paid in Full at Surprise Event","url":"http:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2018\/12\/21\/more-than-40-fort-campbell-families-have-exchange-layaways-paid-in-full-at-surprise-event\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2018\/12\/21\/more-than-40-fort-campbell-families-have-exchange-layaways-paid-in-full-at-surprise-event\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/12\/Ft-Campbell-GMA-1-e1545409183403.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/12\/Ft-Campbell-GMA-1-e1545409183403.jpg"},"articleSection":"Press Releases","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Marisa Conner"}],"creator":["Marisa Conner"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"The Exchange Newsroom","logo":""},"keywords":["fort campbell","good morning america","holidays","pay away the layaway","press release","public affairs","the army & air force exchange service"],"dateCreated":"2018-12-21T16:21:33Z","datePublished":"2018-12-21T16:21:33Z","dateModified":"2018-12-21T16:25:23Z"},"rendered":"