LISLE, Ill., Oct. 31, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Thanks to Eckrich, the makers of naturally hardwood smoked sausage and savory deli meats, and Kroger, a Detroit-area military family was honored by chart-topping country music star and CMA Award nominee Randy Houser before his concert at Ford Field last night as part of Luke Bryan’s Kick The Dust Up Tour.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d6174c41-bf9e-4937-8cae-f1ed39ff688d
The Bartoszek family attended the show as guests of Eckrich and Houser, who have been working together to support military families during the last two years. Prior to his performance, Houser met with the family and surprised them with $5,000 in free groceries at Kroger, courtesy of Eckrich. He then took the stage and wowed the crowd with his signature powerhouse vocals and a hit-filled set that included the smash songs “How Country Feels,” “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight,” “Goodnight Kiss” and “Like a Cowboy,” which is nominated for Song of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards in November. Houser also performed his current single, “We Went,” from a forthcoming album.
“It was an honor to meet the Bartoszek family and welcome them backstage at the concert. They are a true inspiration,” said Houser. “I am grateful for the opportunity to thank them for their service and present them with $5,000 in free groceries at Kroger on behalf of my friends at Eckrich.”
The gift of groceries and meeting with Houser are part of Eckrich’s ongoing campaign to honor, thank and support military families through its partnership with Operation Homefront, a national non-profit with a mission to build strong, stable and secure military families.
Eckrich, in its fourth year of partnership with Operation Homefront, surpassed $1 million in donations since 2012.
Retired U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Ken Bartoszek served in the military for 18 years. He was medically retired in 2013, and has settled into civilian life with his wife, Jennifer, and their five children. His wife participates in Operation Homefront’s Hearts of Valor® program as his caregiver.
“Eckrich is honored to partner with Randy Houser to show our support for our military families,” said Chuck Gitkin, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Smithfield Foods. “We’re also grateful that we can invite the Bartoszek family to the concert and partner with Kroger to surprise them with $5,000 in free groceries.”
For more information about Eckrich, a brand of Smithfield Foods, please visit www.eckrich.com.
About Eckrich
Founded by Peter Eckrich in 1894, Eckrich has a rich heritage starting from a small meat market in Fort Wayne, Ind. Through it all, Eckrich meats have been recognized for their great taste and supreme quality, craftsmanship, care and pride. For more information, visit www.eckrich.com.
About Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods is a $15 billion global food company and the world’s largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield®, Eckrich®, Farmland®, Armour®, Cook’s®, John Morrell®, Gwaltney®, Nathan’s Famous®, Kretschmar®, Margherita®, Curly’s®, Carando® and Healthy Ones®. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com.
About Operation Homefront
A national nonprofit, Operation Homefront leads more than 2,500 volunteers with nationwide presence who provide emergency and other financial assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. Operation Homefront has provided assistance to thousands of military families since its inception in 2002. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity watchdog groups, nationally, 92 percent of Operation Homefront’s expenditures go directly to programs that provide support to our military families. For more information, go to www.OperationHomefront.net.
About Randy Houser
With an inimitable voice the New York Times describes as “wholly different, thicker and more throbbing, a caldron bubbling over,” Randy Houser racked up three consecutive No. 1 hits and more than four million in singles sales to date with his Stoney Creek Records album, How Country Feels. He topped the charts with the title track, “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight” and “Goodnight Kiss” (also his first No. 1 as a songwriter) and earned critical acclaim for his powerful delivery of the Top 5 smash and CMA Song of the Year-nominated “Like A Cowboy.” Houser’s new single, “We Went,” is available at country radio and digital retailers now, with a new album forthcoming. He is currently touring with Luke Bryan on the Kick The Dust Up Tour and will launch his own We Went Tour this fall. For more information, visit www.RandyHouser.com or follow on Twitter @RandyHouser and www.Facebook.com/RandyHouser.
CONTACT: Contacts: Jeff Dennison Breaking Limits for Eckrich 2137 South Blvd., Suite 200 Charlotte, N.C. 28203 Direct: 704-766-9061 Cell: 704-252-3356 E-Mail: [email protected] Media Contacts for Randy Houser Ebie McFarland / Stephanie Rew Essential Broadcast Media P.O. Box 120921 Nashville, TN 37212 Direct: 615-327-3259 E-Mail: [email protected] / [email protected]