Latest news with #OperationHomefront
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Joey Chestnut working on returning to competition after ban
The post Joey Chestnut working on returning to competition after ban appeared first on ClutchPoints. After a controversial absence in 2024, Joey Chestnut may soon be back where he belongs. The 16-time Nathan's champion, widely known as 'Jaws,' is currently in active talks with Major League Eating and contest organizers to rejoin the legendary Fourth of July competition. According to TMZ Sports, both sides are motivated to bring Chestnut back to Coney Island this summer. Advertisement Fans were vocal about their disappointment last year, when Chestnut was banned from competing due to his deal with Impossible Foods, a rival to Nathan's. In his absence, Patrick Bertoletti took the title by eating 58 hot dogs in 10 minutes. While that win put Bertoletti in rare company, even he acknowledged the result felt incomplete without Chestnut. Since 2001, only four men have claimed victory at Nathan's and Chestnut owns 16 of those championships. His dominance is unmatched. Chestnut, for his part, didn't sit on the sidelines quietly. He traveled to Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, where he staged a rapid-fire eating event against a team of Army soldiers. He ate 57 hot dogs in just five minutes, nearly matching Bertoletti's total in half the time. That event wasn't just a display of skill — it also raised $106,000 for Operation Homefront thanks to a joint effort between Chestnut and Impossible Foods. Not Done Yet Chestnut has made it clear that his heart remains with the Nathan's contest. 'I really didn't think my relationship with Impossible would affect anything with Nathan's,' he said in an interview with The Blast. He emphasized his love for the competition and expressed a willingness to return if the organizers were open to it. Based on current talks, that return appears increasingly likely. Advertisement While Nathan's went on without him, Chestnut stayed in peak form. In September, he faced longtime rival Takeru Kobayashi in a Netflix special titled Unfinished Beef. Joey Chestnut crushed 83 hot dogs to Kobayashi's 66, setting a new high-water mark for eating contests. If talks finalize, Chestnut's return would not just be about reclaiming a title. It would be a full-circle moment, a reminder of why he became the face of competitive eating in the first place. July 4 is about America's independence, but in this corner of the sports world, it might also be about watching the greatest to ever do it step back into the spotlight. Related: Bill Belichick stands firm on Jordon Hudson's lack of involvement with North Carolina football Related: How Donald Trump helped Coco Gauff win French Open
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Meritage Homes Extends Partnership with Operation Homefront, Donating Two Mortgage-Free Homes to Military Families in Colorado and North Carolina
The homebuilder's 12th year partnering with Operation Homefront's Permanent Homes for Veterans program SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., May 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Meritage Homes has extended its partnership with Operation Homefront's Permanent Homes for Veterans Program to donate two brand new, mortgage-free homes for veteran families in Colorado Springs, Colorado and Raleigh, North Carolina. This marks the Company's 12th year partnering with the organization and 22 total donations to date. 'We are honored to deliver new homes to deserving military families who have given so much to our country. It's a privilege for us to help them achieve a fresh start to a new future and build roots in their communities,' shares Phillippe Lord, CEO of Meritage Homes. 'Thank you to our employees and trade partners for their time and effort. We're proud to continue our long-standing partnership with Operation Homefront and look forward to welcoming this year's recipients into their new, mortgage-free Meritage homes.' The new homes will be in the Lorson Ranch community located in Colorado Springs, CO and in the River Glen community in Angier, NC. Both homes offer an open-concept floorplan with designer-curated interiors and energy-efficient features, including ENERGY STAR® appliances, a multispeed HVAC system, and spray-foam insulation. Each house is also outfitted with a smart home suite that gives homeowners the ability to set the thermostat, control security devices and more through a convenient app. This year's recipients will be announced in September and presented the keys at ceremonies in November around Veterans Day. 'We are grateful for Meritage Homes' unwavering commitment to our mission to build strong, stable and secure military families,' said Rear Adm. Alan Reyes, US Navy (Ret.), Operation Homefront President & CEO. 'Each family receives more than a house, they are being given a place to call home, where they can gather to establish new traditions, create beautiful memories and realize life-changing dreams with generational impact.' For more information about the Meritage's partnership with Operation Homefront, please visit: About Meritage Homes Corporation: Meritage is the fifth-largest public homebuilder in the United States, based on homes closed in 2024. The Company offers energy-efficient and affordable entry-level and first move-up homes. Operations span across Arizona, California, Colorado, Utah, Tennessee, Texas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Meritage has delivered almost 200,000 homes in its 40-year history, and has a reputation for its distinctive style, quality construction, and award-winning customer experience. The Company is an industry leader in energy-efficient homebuilding, an eleven-time recipient of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year for Sustained Excellence Award and Residential New Construction Market Leader Award, as well as a four-time recipient of the EPA's Indoor airPLUS Leader Award. For more information, visit About Operation Homefront: Operation Homefront is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families so that they can thrive – not simply struggle to get by – in the communities they have worked so hard to protect. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity oversight groups, 83 percent of Operation Homefront expenditures go directly to programs that support tens of thousands of military families each year. Operation Homefront provides critical financial assistance, transitional and permanent housing, and family support services to prevent short-term needs from turning into chronic, long-term struggles. Thanks to the generosity of our donors and the support from thousands of volunteers, Operation Homefront proudly serves America's military families. For more information, visit Contact:Emily Tadano, VP Investor Relations and External Communications (480) 515-8979 media@
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Eleven North Carolina students honored for Military Child of the Year Award
JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — The city of Jacksonville is honoring eleven North Carolina students who are semi-finalists of the Military Child of the Year Award, including the two winners as well. Isabella Smith from Hubert won for the Marine Corps, and Emily Baldeosingh from Havelock won for the National Guard. Two N.C. girls receive 2025 Military Child of the Year award. 'It can be a really difficult lifestyle. And so really the best advice I can give is just go for a lot of things in life,' Swansboro High School student, Isabella Smith said. 'It's really easy to be scared for things, but once you just let that fear go and you just go for it and give it your all it, it's hard, but then it just makes it so much better.' Operation Homefront recognizes military children from across the country. Each student gets a bag of rewards including a proclamation from Governor Josh Stein and an engraved football from the Carolina Panthers. Click the video above for more information. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Two Eastern NC teens among winners of Military Child of the Year award
JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit which aims to build strong, stable and secure military families so they can thrive in local communities has announced its seven winners of the Military Child of the Year award. Two of those winners are from Eastern N.C. Isabella Smith, a 17-year-old from Hubert, is representing the U.S. Marine Corps and Emily Baldeosingh, 18 of Havelock, is representing the National Guard. The winners were honored at a gala in Arlington, Va. Thursday night where each will be given a $10,000 grant. 'Marine Corps is all I've ever known and especially just being able to represent my dad and his story and my family and just a lot of that is just so awesome,' Smith said. 'I feel really special because obviously, a lot of my school and for many years, every single year, especially my advisor who nominated me, he's worked there for like over 20 years and he nominates people every single year and they've never had a winner. So, I didn't think I'd ever win because it just seemed impossible. All these kids who have come before me and haven't won, they've only gotten semifinalist or finalist and so, I was kind of told from the beginning that it was impossible. So, it felt like I accomplished the impossible when I won.' 'I always knew that I wanted to contribute my life to him when he passed away because it's crazy knowing that your life ended because you were serving and that's the ultimate sacrifice you can make for your country,' Baldeosingh said. 'So, I feel like as his daughter, it's my duty to make sure that his legacy is fulfilled. Yeah, everything I do is for him.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Marysville resident named Military Child of the Year for the Navy
A Marysville man has been named the Military Child of the Year for the Navy by Operation Homefront. Now in its 17th year, Operation Homefront's Military Child of the Year Award reflects the positive impact that these recipients have made on their military families, their schools, and their communities. Those ages 13-18 are recognized for each branch of the armed forces. Mason Mosher, 19, has won the designation for the Navy. Mosher has a bachelor's degree and reached the accelerated milestone while balancing academics with caregiving responsibilities at home. Mosher learned to balance academic responsibilities with caregiving. His father was often at sea — for all but six weeks of one year — and his mother faced health challenges that required frequent hospitalizations and multiple surgeries. His caregiving role expanded when his father suffered a back injury onboard a ship. As he completed college courses, he supported his father through two surgeries to restore mobility and alleviate pain. A month after the second surgery, his mother began treatment for thyroid cancer. All Operation Homefront Military Child of the Year Award recipients will be flown with a parent or guardian to Washington, D.C., and recognized at the April 2025 gala, during which senior leaders of each branch of service will present the awards. They also will receive $10,000 each, a laptop computer, and other donated gifts. The gala is usually held in April, the month of the military child, as a way to recognize the support and appreciation we provide to military families. 'Being a military child provided challenges and opportunities,' Mosher said. He found both while climbing Mount Fuji when the family was stationed in Japan.
