FORT HOOD, Texas (Army News Service, Aug. 20, 2007) - Robin Crouse was bashful at first about having a costarring role with breakfast star Tony the Tiger.
Though her children got a kick out of seeing their mother on the box of one of their favorite cereals, Mrs. Crouse believes the servicemembers and their Families she supports belong on that box instead of her.
Mrs. Crouse and five others are featured on boxes of Kellogg's Frosted Flakes as recognition for being outstanding military supporters. Each received last year's National Military Family Association Very Important Patriot award.
"It's not a matter of being on a box of cereal," Mrs. Crouse said about the recognition. "It's about making my community better. This is where I live."
Mrs. Crouse, an Air Force spouse and executive director of Fort Hood's United Service Organizations, received the award for the thousands upon thousands of hours she has donated to Fort Hood Families.
"Robin Crouse's volunteer activities range from fund-raising activities that supplied children in her community with more than $10,000 in back-to-school supplies to renovating the Injured Soldiers' Day Room at the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center to personal support for a Family in need," the back of the cereal box reads. "Her contributions to the Fort Hood community are countless and constant."
Mrs. Crouse is also responsible for running Fort Hood's USO, which last fall dedicated a renovated building next to the Old Post Chapel on the intersection of Hood Road and 761st Tank Destroyer Avenue. The facility is a lace for Soldiers and Airmen to play video games, watch movies and surf the Internet.
Mrs. Crouse rallies dozens of volunteers to make sure deploying troops have care packages and food before they get on the plane, and has coordinated the sending of thousands of goodies to troops overseas.
Being on the cereal box "is really humbling because I see so many people give to the community," she said. "When I see this, that's not me. That's a collaboration of people who gave me strength and helped me along the way."
Mrs. Crouse admitted she cried when she first saw the box.
"To be Canadian and be on an American icon cereal, it's really humbling," said Mrs. Crouse, who maintains her citizenship in Canada.
The boxes featuring Mrs. Crouse are on sale at Fort Hood commissaries and are not available in civilian stores, commissary officials said.
(Emily Baker writes for the Fort Hood "Sentinel.")
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