KUAC brings soldiers face-to-face with their families

Submitted by Tammy Tragis
Phone: (907) 474-1890
08/18/06

KUAC is providing local military families the opportunity to have 30 minutes of teleconferencing with loved ones abroad. KUAC has partnered with the Freedom Calls Foundation to provide this service free of charge. The weekly teleconferences began Aug. 18.

Founded in 2004, Freedom Calls is a nonprofit organization that provides communication for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The foundation funds more than 1 million minutes of teleconferencing a month and uses state-of-the-art technology to keep troops overseas in touch with their families. KUAC is providing the facility and technology to facilitate the live videoconference calls.

"Thank goodness for KUAC because you guys jumped right in head first and were able to provide these soldiers with connections,"? says Army Staff Sgt. Lisa Hamm from the Freedom Call Center in Iraq. "To see the soldiers and families smile ear to ear is worth a million words."?

Freedom Calls offers its communication service to more than 30,000 troops, but this is the first time the organization has provided the service in Fairbanks. To arrange a call, soldiers in Taji, Iraq need to sign up at the Freedom Calls Center. Once the soldier is registered, the family will be notified. More information about Freedom Calls can be found online at www.freedomcalls.org.

"Nearly everybody knows a family with a soldier overseas and there is a strong desire in our community to help military families any way we can,"? says Greg Petrowich, KUAC general manager. "It’s gratifying to play a role in bringing families together. Public broadcasting is all about communication and community, so it’s a great partnership."?

For more information call (907) 474-7491.