Press Release June 2009 – Father’s Day

OPERATION HUG-A-HERO™
FATHER’S DAY IS A SPECIAL TIME TO REMEMBER THE CHILDREN
OF AMERICA’S DEPLOYED SERVICE MEMBERS

WHO WE ARE: Operation Hug-A-Hero™, www.OperationHugAHero.org
WHAT WE DO: Provide FREE Hug-A-Hero™ Dolls to Military Children of Deployed Parents
WHERE: Across the Globe
WHY: To Ease Separation Anxiety for the Children of ALL Active Duty Service Members
HOW YOU CAN HELP: Make Others Aware of Our Inspiring Cause

Jacksonville, North Carolina, June 2009 – Father’s Day is just a few days away but for at least 100,000
children of deployed military members, it will be another day spent thinking about, but not spending
with, their father. Our proud military forces continue the long vigil of defending the United States
from terrorism while bringing freedom and peace to other nations across the globe. Unfortunately, this
worthy and honorable duty often comes at the sacrifice of time spent with family, and sometimes, even
at the cost of American lives lost far from home. This Father’s Day, in addition to recognizing the
contribution of our own fathers, grandfathers and important men in our lives, we should give pause to
consider the fathers that are missing irreplaceable time with their own families while helping to defend
our own. A small non-profit organization, Operation Hug-A-Hero™, provides a very special way to
recognize and support these heroes by bringing peace and comfort to their children back at home.

It has been more than four years since Tricia Dyal created and sent out the first Hug-A-Hero™ doll,
bearing the likeness of a deployed service member, from her home to a child in Jacksonville, North
Carolina. Now, she and co-creator Nikki Darnell are awed by the reception that their Hug-A-Hero™
dolls have gotten all over the globe. They created the dolls to fill a need in their own children’s lives
when their husbands were deployed to Iraq in 2005. Hug-A-Hero™ dolls are a simple design; a full
body picture of a loved one sewn into a soft, washable doll. Their purpose, however, is far from
simple. Easing the loneliness and anxiety of deployments for children of service members, the Hug-AHero
™ dolls are now filling a void for other military children. Hand sewn and individually produced
in the United States, these dolls bridge the gap between those deployed and the families left at home.
When it became obvious how beneficial the dolls were to their children’s emotional well-being, Dyal
and Darnell knew they had to share their creation with the world. The two Marine Corps wives began
making dolls from their homes, formed Daddy Dolls®, Inc., launched a website, and while juggling
their own military moves and deployments, have watched their business grow. “We’re so proud to see
Hug-A-Hero™ dolls touching so many lives all over the world” says Dyal.

From the beginning, it has been Dyal and Darnell’s dream to give their Hug-A-Hero™ dolls to every
military child faced with the stresses and separation of a deployment. “We know first hand that they
help the child cope, and that, in-turn, helps the parents cope,” says Darnell. Shortly after they formed
Daddy Dolls®, Inc., they developed a special fund – financed through the generous donations of
individuals, organizations, and companies. The fund became known as Operation Hug-A-Hero™ and
provides dolls to children who have lost a parent in the line of duty or to children whose families
cannot afford a doll. Already, the organization has been able to help thousands of children, but limited
funds require that recipients come recommended by Chaplains based on need.

Experience has shown that America is filled with amazing people who are willing to support US troops
wherever possible. In some cases, that has meant sending supplies and gifts to the troops overseas.
Even more comforting to fathers and mothers who are deployed is ensuring that there is support and
comfort provided to their families left behind, especially for the children who do not yet comprehend
why the parent must be away. With their Hug-A-Hero™ dolls and other resources designed to help
military families get through long deployments, Dyal and Darnell provide that support to the children
of our military members. In an effort to make donating easier, to provide donors with the tax benefit of
a non-profit donation, and to identify and communicate with those families in need, Operation Hug-AHero
™, Inc. was formed on August 6, 2008. Lisa Berg, Executive Director of Operation Hug-AHero
™, strives tirelessly to match up donor purchased dolls with those children most in need of
support. Dyal and Berg hope that the formation of the non-profit organization will encourage
corporate sponsorships and someday soon allow them to gift Hug-A-Hero™ dolls to every military
child who wants one.

“It’s truly inspiring to see people open their hearts to the children of our deployed service members.
One woman from Massachusetts actually posted a sign in her gym for donations to Operation Hug-AHero
™ and raised over $500!” Dyal relates. “It’s so heart-warming to see people who don’t even have
a connection to the military stepping forward and saying, ‘this is a small way that I can help that
soldier, sailor, airman, marine or Coastguardsman who is defending MY freedom — by doing
something for his or her child.” Berg relates, “There is also a dentist in Louisiana that is reaching out
to our cause by allowing his patients the option to donate at the time of their visit to his office. This
dentist served in the LA Army National Guard with two tours supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
When people realize the numbers of children who are missing a father or mother due to military
deployment, it truly pulls at their heartstrings to lend support.”

Donating to, or learning more about Operation Hug-A-Hero™, is simple and secure thanks to a newly
designed web portal found at www.operationhugahero.org. The website features testimonials and
letters of thanks from families who have been supported from a free doll in addition to blogs about
coping with extended deployments, resources for families, and information about how individuals can
volunteer or kick off fund-raising and awareness in their communities. The site also highlights
Operation Hug-A-Hero’s™ appearance in recent national media and, very importantly, thanks our
generous list of sponsors.

For additional information, pictures and back story on Operation Hug-A-Hero™ or for local points of
contacts (i.e. military families in your local area that have benefited from our services), contact Lisa
Berg or visit www.operationhugahero.org.

CONTACT:
Founder: Tricia Dyal (910) 333-1502, Tricia at OperationHugAHero.org
Executive Director & Media Relations Point of Contact: Lisa Berg (910) 546-3127, Lisa at OperationHugAHero.org

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