EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE — During a particular second in time, cheers drowned out the sound of Van Halen’s “Dance the Night Away” music floating from audio system within the terminal at Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS) on Thursday afternoon.
That’s when airport staff and others helped have fun Air Force Airman First Class Elisabeth Pursley because the winner of the 6th Annual Operation Fly VPS Home for the Holidays Sweepstakes.
In this yearly random drawing and cherished custom, VPS offers round-trip tickets for 2 to an enlisted armed forces member to return residence to go to household and mates for the vacations.
Last 12 months’s winner:Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport and Daily News send service member ‘Home for the Holidays’
More from VPS:Local pilot’s arrival lands Southwest Airlines at Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport
Pursley joined the Air Force in October 2020 and is stationed at Eglin Air Force Base. She stated she’s excited to see her dad and mom, who she hasn’t seen since May, and her siblings, who she hasn’t seen for greater than a 12 months, again residence in Arizona.
“I simply wish to thank everybody for this chance,” Pursley stated. “I’m tremendous excited to have the ability to fly residence to see my household.”
The annual sweepstakes is open to entrants who’re energetic obligation navy members and dwell within the 850 or 448 space code. The most worth of the 2 round-trip tickets is $1,500.
Pursley stated she’s going to head residence for the vacations by herself and that if she hadn’t received the sweepstakes her father would have helped her cowl the price of her upcoming journey.
“Now, he received’t should,” she stated fortunately after Thursday’s ceremony.
Before he offered Pursley with an enormous duplicate of a boarding go for her holiday journey residence, county Airports Director Tracy Stage stated the yearly sweepstakes function a solution to give again to native navy members.
“Obviously, being on Eglin Air Force Base, you guys are on the entrance traces and what you do for all of us 24 hours a day, that is the very least that we will do to offer again to our navy members and the neighborhood members that you’re,” Stage stated.
County Commission Chairwoman Carolyn Ketchel, who’s the liaison between the fee and the county Airports Department, referenced Bing Crosby’s “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” traditional music and stated she seems to be ahead to honoring the navy with “a trip residence” for the vacations annually.
https://www.nwfdailynews.com/story/information/2021/11/22/destin-fort-walton-beach-airport-celebrates-holiday-sweepstakes-winner/8669913002/
