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Boxes to be mailed to 10 different USO's across the country wait to be filled with holiday-themed decorations and a $1,000 check on Nov. 20, 2014.

Boxes to be mailed to 10 different USO's across the country wait to be filled with holiday-themed decorations and a $1,000 check on Nov. 20, 2014. (Meredith Tibbetts/Stars and Stripes)

Boxes to be mailed to 10 different USO's across the country wait to be filled with holiday-themed decorations and a $1,000 check on Nov. 20, 2014.

Boxes to be mailed to 10 different USO's across the country wait to be filled with holiday-themed decorations and a $1,000 check on Nov. 20, 2014. (Meredith Tibbetts/Stars and Stripes)

Pumpkin Pie in a Jar wait to be distributed to guests at the USO in Bethesda, Md., during the launch of the Make a Moment campaign on Nov. 20, 2014.

Pumpkin Pie in a Jar wait to be distributed to guests at the USO in Bethesda, Md., during the launch of the Make a Moment campaign on Nov. 20, 2014. (Meredith Tibbetts/Stars and Stripes)

Guests receive their dinner at the USO in Bethesda, Md., during the Make a Moment Campaign, on Nov. 20, 2014.

Guests receive their dinner at the USO in Bethesda, Md., during the Make a Moment Campaign, on Nov. 20, 2014. (Meredith Tibbetts/Stars and Stripes)

A little girl eagerly offers to help her mother get dinner at the USO in Bethesda, Md., during the Make a Moment Campaign on Nov. 20, 2014.

A little girl eagerly offers to help her mother get dinner at the USO in Bethesda, Md., during the Make a Moment Campaign on Nov. 20, 2014. (Meredith Tibbetts/Stars and Stripes)

Mushrooms that are part of a cooking demonstration with celebrity chef Kelsey Nixon await stuffing at the USO in Bethesda, Md., on Nov. 20,2 014. The demonstration was part of the Make a Moment Campaign.

Mushrooms that are part of a cooking demonstration with celebrity chef Kelsey Nixon await stuffing at the USO in Bethesda, Md., on Nov. 20,2 014. The demonstration was part of the Make a Moment Campaign. (Meredith Tibbetts/Stars and Stripes)

Two little girls help with a cooking demonstration with Kelsey Nixon, far right, during the Make a Moment Campaign on Nov. 20, 2014, at the USO in Bethesda, Md.

Two little girls help with a cooking demonstration with Kelsey Nixon, far right, during the Make a Moment Campaign on Nov. 20, 2014, at the USO in Bethesda, Md. (Meredith Tibbetts/Stars and Stripes)

Two children look at the Pumpkin in a Pie dish they helped create during a Make a Moment Campaign on Nov. 20, 2014, at the USO in Bethesda, Md. Kelsey Nixon, a celebrity chef, is in red and helped show the children what to do.

Two children look at the Pumpkin in a Pie dish they helped create during a Make a Moment Campaign on Nov. 20, 2014, at the USO in Bethesda, Md. Kelsey Nixon, a celebrity chef, is in red and helped show the children what to do. ()

Celebrity chef Kelsey Nixon stuffs a mushroom during her cooking demonstration at the USO in Bethesda, Md. The demonstration was part of the Make a Moment Campaign.

Celebrity chef Kelsey Nixon stuffs a mushroom during her cooking demonstration at the USO in Bethesda, Md. The demonstration was part of the Make a Moment Campaign. (Meredith Tibbetts/Stars and Stripes)

Vice President of Marketing for Homewood Suites Christian Kuhn donates $100,000 to the USO as part of the Make a Moment Campaign at the USO in Bethesda, Md., on Nov. 20, 2014.

Vice President of Marketing for Homewood Suites Christian Kuhn donates $100,000 to the USO as part of the Make a Moment Campaign at the USO in Bethesda, Md., on Nov. 20, 2014. (Meredith Tibbetts/Stars and Stripes)

BETHESDA, Md. — When a parent deploys, they miss out on some big moments in the lives of their children and spouses. A new campaign, Make a Moment, by extended-stay hotel company Homewood Suites and the USO is aimed at recreating those missed moments for families.

The campaign kicked off Thursday night at the USO Warrior and Family Center in Bethesda, with celebrity chef Kelsey Nixon and a room packed with families. As the first event of the new campaign, Vice President of Marketing for Homewood Suites Christian Kuhn made a sizable donation to help spread the cheer to other USO’s.

“We know that for big meals — family thanksgiving, big birthday parties — that when you are apart you can’t get together. So tonight, we recreate (those memories). We have a great dinner, a celebrity chef that is making amazing food for them, and we also have an opportunity for them to take fun pictures where they can remember this,” Kuhn said.

In addition with teaming up with the USO, Homewood Suites donated $100,000 to the nonprofit organization. Smaller donations of $1,000 each were sent in 10 boxes filled with holiday decorations to USOs around the country to help fund their own parties aimed at recreating missed moments.

“The whole campaign is about making a moment — a moment that is missed. It’s our opportunity to say thank you and make some of those moments come back,” Kuhn said.

The free event also gave away two free nights at Homewood Suites for everyone in attendance.

The Make A Moment Campaign was inspired by Hilton Worldwide’s Operation Opportunity, which aims to hire 10,000 veterans over the next five years. Hilton Worldwide owns Homewood Suites.

Another reason this campaign came to fruition is because Kuhn is a military brat.

“My dad was a Navy captain. From the ages of 2 until 12 we traveled across the country five different times. And during that time, he went to sea four times and each time he was gone for six months. So we missed a lot of moments in my family,” Kuhn said.

Nixon, who has a show called “Kelsey Essentials” on the Food Network, brought pizazz to the cold night, inviting people to help with her cooking demonstrations. She showed participants how to easily make sausage-stuffed mushrooms and pumpkin pie in a jar.

Unlike Kuhn, Nixon doesn’t have any military connections, but she added she is a “proud American and so grateful. I feel so indebted to those who willing served our country.”

“There are so many people that give so much service and the least we can do is give a little service to those giving so much,” Nixon said.

Email: tibbetts.meredith@stripes.com Twitter: @mjtibbs

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