DALLAS/FORT WORTH, TX – December 5, 2024 – Cumulus Media’s New Country 96.3 (KSCS-FM) in Dallas, TX, announces that morning show co-hosts Mark “Hawkeye” Louis and Michelle Rodriguez, of “Hawkeye in the Morning”, concluded the 6th annual 10,000 for the Troops holiday card drive this week, collecting a record 215,800 holiday cards for U.S. troops. More are expected to arrive in the mail in the next week. The cards will send warm, hopeful wishes to the brave men and women serving our country overseas this holiday season. The station has partnered with Holiday Cards for Our Military Challenge, a 501(c)(3) organization based in New Hampshire, to send the holiday cards to units and individuals deployed overseas during the holiday season, are on a military base, or do not have support coming from home.  

The campaign kicked off on October 21, 2024, with the goal of collecting 10,000 cards. This year, Comerica Bank stepped up as a Presenting Sponsor and provided card collection centers at over 50 Comerica Bank locations across the metroplex. Listeners and supporters could also mail their cards to New Country 96.3 studios or deliver them to any of the Dallas/Fort Worth Gigi’s Cupcakes, FASTSIGNS and participating IHOP locations. In addition, Averitt Transportation and Logistics helped deliver all supplies to participating drop-off locations and dropped off all collected cards to Holiday Cards for Our Military Challenge. 

New Country 96.3 concluded the successful drive with a live broadcast on the plaza of Cumulus Media’s Dallas studios, where fans from across DFW, including busloads of students from local schools, stopped by to drop off their cards for the troops. Volunteers from the station, Comerica and Averitt spent multiple days proofreading, counting, and bundling cards for the troops.  

The 10,000 for the Troops effort was launched six years ago, and since then, New Country 96.3 has collected 653,247 cards for the troops. 

“Each year we see our community get more involved with this effort. Six years ago, we started with one drop-off location, and now we have 80. The number of schools, offices, churches, and community groups that took part this year was staggering,” comments Hawkeye and Michelle Rodriguez on the record-breaking campaign. 

Dr. Laura Landerman-Garber, President, Holiday Cards 4 Our Military, said: “The New Country 96.3 community has already become part of the Holiday Card Challenge family, a gift most unexpected and completely wonderful! Getting to know Hawkeye and Michelle and the whole Dallas team, including the amazing co-sponsors, has been wonderful.” 

She added: “The hearts of Texans are red, white, and blue, clearly ready to stand up for our Troops, Veterans, and their beloved families! A 10,000 Cards for Troops Challenge was put out there and wow was it answered, with creativity and generosity.  I know that tens of thousands of smiles will be shining bright on bases around the globe, bringing a taste of home for the holidays.” 

For more information or to stream New Country 96.3, visit: https://www.newcountry963.com/. 

Media Contact:

Jessica MacKenzie-Williams, Promotions Director, Cumulus Dallas/Fort Worth, 214.523.2770, and Jessica.Williams@Cumulus.com.