Thanksgiving with Jeff Halpern

The following article on former Princeton standout Jeff Halpern appeared November 24 on the Dallas Stars Web site.

For many of us, Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends, gathered around turkey and stuffing while counting our many blessings before falling into a turkey coma on the couch watching a football game. For some of us though, Thanksgiving has a much deeper meaning, it's a time for giving back.

For Dallas Stars center Jeff Halpern, giving back is something he's very familiar with. Regardless of whether your politics fall to the right, to the left, or somewhere down the middle, one thing is for sure - we all owe a debt of gratitude to the men and women who continuously put their lives at risk while fighting on the frontlines to ensure our freedom, a freedom which includes being able to gather with friends and family each year around a large stuffed bird where we are able to count the many blessings that these brave soldiers fight for.

This Thanksgiving, Halpern put his free time on hold, what precious little professional athletes have during the season, to visit the 345th ARMY Special Forces (Airborne) Psychological Operations Unit at the Doubletree Campbell Centre in Dallas, which is set to deploy to Afghanistan on November 29th.

Halpern visited with the troops and their families, signed autographs and posed for pictures while sharing stories and personal histories. Halpern sat down with individual soldiers discussing future plans, rigorous training regimens and the ins and outs of life abroad as a member of the elite PSYOPs unit.

"Having Jeff Halpern, join the troops made the events extraordinary," stated Chris Jennings, Sr. Sales Manager of the Doubletree Hotel Dallas. "Jeff selflessly took the time out of his Thanksgiving to spend time with the troops and their families, and seeing the shear look of joy on the faces of the children and spouses reiterated to them how much they are truly appreciated"

Following Halpern's visit, the troops gathered to watch the Dallas Cowboys wallop the New York Jets, followed by an amazing Thanksgiving dinner prepared by the Doubletree and a comedy show put on by Backdoor Comedy.

As the 345th ARMY Special Forces (Airborne) Psychological Operations Unit prepare to spend most of the holiday season abroad, and away from their families, we are humbly reminded of the sacrifices they make on our behalf, and it is with great honor that we are able to give something back to them, and remind them they are truly appreciated.