The Green Bay Packers and Network Health paid special tribute to U.S. Army Specialist Ella Wynveen during Sunday afternoon's game against the Detroit Lions for 'Operation Fan Mail.'
This year marks the 19th season of Operation Fan Mail, the program that recognizes military families and veterans at each Packers home game.
Wynveen enlisted in the Army National Guard during her senior year at Appleton West High School, becoming only the second woman from Appleton, Wis., to serve in the Infantry. Now an E-4 Specialist, she is among the 6% of U.S. infantry soldiers who are women. This summer, Wynveen returned home after completing a year-long combat deployment in Syria and is now continuing her education at UW-Eau Claire.
Appleton natives, Wynveen and her family are passionate Packers fans. Wynveen attended the game with her mom and dad, Sarah and Neil, and cousin, Reece. Sarah nominated her daughter for recognition.
Operation Fan Mail, which debuted in 2007, is designed to honor those who are on active duty or are veterans of the military, along with their families. In addition to being recognized on the video boards prior to the game, selected families will receive four tickets to the game, courtesy of Network Health. The Packers and Network Health will host a family at each 2025 home game and recognize them on the field during pregame activities. A total of 219 families have been saluted during the past 18 seasons.
To choose families, the Packers and Network Health are asking interested families, or friends of eligible families, to submit an essay, 500 words or less, on why a particular fan should be saluted next season.
Essays can be sent to Operation Fan Mail, P.O. Box 10628, Green Bay, WI, 54307-0628 or online at packers.com/Lambeau-field/operation-fan-mail. Families intended for recognition are those that have a member of their family serving on active duty, or a member of their family who is a veteran. The family member can be a spouse, mother, father, son, daughter or sibling.
