Eckrich Surprises Retired Army Veteran Raymond Goss and Family with New Car and Free Groceries for One Year

Eckrich Partners with Operation Homefront, Jewel-Osco and 'The King' Richard Petty to Honor a Special Family

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Sep 13, 2014, 03:12 ET

LISLE, Ill., Sept. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Eckrich continued to celebrate its 120^th anniversary on Friday by honoring a special military veteran and his family in a way only Eckrich can.

Eckrich Celebrates 120th Anniversary This Weekend (PRNewsFoto/Eckrich)

Veteran Army Specialist Raymond Goss, his wife, Jennifer, and their two young children were in need of a new car, but they never thought they would receive one when they pulled into a Jewel-Osco parking lot on Friday morning. Eckrich, with a little help from "The King" Richard Petty, surprised the family today with the gift of a brand new 2014 Ford Fusion and free groceries for a year at Jewel-Osco. The gifts were the culmination of an once-in-a-lifetime morning for the Goss family.

Eckrich initially surprised the family when a replica of the No. 43 Eckrich Ford drove up and greeted them at the front of the store. Inside the car were VIP tickets for the Goss family to join the race team this weekend at the Chicagoland Speedway as well as authentic crew uniforms and hats. The Goss family was all smiles at the gesture, but it was only the beginning.

The morning was made even better when the family was presented with a year of free groceries at Jewel-Osco on behalf of Eckrich. The surprises weren't over, however, and around the corner of the store came "The King" Richard Petty driving a new Ford Fusion, the same model that current driver of the famed No. 43 Aric Almirola races each week. Petty stepped out of the vehicle and handed the keys to the Goss family telling them that the car was theirs, also on behalf of Eckrich. The family was shocked and excited.

"I am just overwhelmed," said Goss. "I just can't believe that Eckrich and Richard Petty gave my family a new car. Who can say that? I don't think too many people and it's something that I'll never forget. It means a lot when a company like Eckrich remembers veterans like myself and do something special. We're just really grateful for Eckrich, Jewel-Osco and Richard Petty. We're now fans for life."

Friday's event is part of the continued Eckrich "Operation Inspiration" campaign, which supports and honors military families. Eckrich is in its third year of partnership with Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit which provides emergency financial and other assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. Eckrich has already raised more than $750,000 in donations for the charity.

"Eckrich is thrilled to give a new car and free groceries for one year to one of our military families," said Charles Gitkin, vice president, marketing, innovation and R&D for the John Morrell Food Group. "Eckrich is celebrating its 120^th anniversary this week and there is no better way to do that than to have Richard Petty and Operation Homefront partner with us in this special gift to the Goss family. They are very deserving and we're honored to thank them in our own special way."

Honoring the Goss family is part of Eckrich's 120^th anniversary celebration that will continue this weekend. The No. 43 Eckrich Ford will feature the names of 120 military families on the hood and sides of the most famous racecar in all of motorsports. Each of these families will also be guests of Eckrich at the race and will receive a $120 gift card to Jewel-Osco courtesy of Eckrich.

The No. 43 Eckrich Ford will race Sunday afternoon live on ESPN at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Photos Available on Request

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 John Morrell Food Group
With over a century and a half of experience, John Morrell Food Group brands have become respected and well known for providing premium-quality meat products to families across the United States. With products ranging from lunchmeat and franks to smoked sausage, bacon and pepperoni, the John Morrell Food Group is an important part of consumers' mealtimes. The John Morrell Food Group offers several national and regional brands including Armour^®, Eckrich^®, John Morrell^®, Curly's^®, Patrick Cudahy^®, Carando^®, Healthy Ones^®, Margherita^® Kretschmar^® and LunchMakers^®.

About Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods is a $14 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®, Gwaltney®, John Morrell®, Kretschmar®, Curly's®, Carando®, Margherita®, 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 and www.smithfieldcommitments.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, 93 percent of total donations to Operation Homefront go directly to programs that provide support to our military families. For more information, go to www.OperationHomefront.net.

About Richard Petty Motorsports
A performance and marketing driven company, Richard Petty Motorsports, co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty and successful business entrepreneurs Andrew Murstein and Douglas Bergeron, is one of the most recognized brands in all of motorsports. With a history of over 200 wins and business partnerships with national and global leaders, today the race operation fields two teams in competition in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Aric Almirola pilots the famous No. 43 Ford Fusion with primary partners Smithfield Foods, U.S. Air Force, STP, GoBowling.com and Fresh From Florida and Marcos Ambrose drives the No. 9 Ford Fusion with primary partners STANLEY, DEWALT, Mac Tools and Twisted Tea. In addition, Dakoda Armstrong will compete in the No. 43 Ford Mustang with primary partners WinField and Fresh From Florida for his first full-time season in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The team is headquartered in Concord, N.C.