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The thrill of winning a contest drives people to spend their time and money
in hopes of hitting it big.
But for most of us, that day never comes.
Sergeant Nicholas Anderson was there as a military family in Virginia
got a special holiday surprise.
[Anderson] Up the ladder, down the ladder, reposition the ladder.
Specialist Javier Muniz has been watching this routine for almost an hour.
And he's pretty excited about it.
It's going to light up the whole neighborhood. >>I know.
[Anderson] He gave the best explanation he could to his kids,
and they gave their best to us.
My mom won this contest.
They signed up, so my mom won, like, poof.
And I really don't know what happened.
About a thousand, probably more.
[Anderson] So we know mom signed up and they won a thousand of something.
But what happened when they found out?
I told the guys when they called me
that I actually was really excited
because I never won, not even a chihuahua [chuckles] in any contest.
And they were like, "Yeah, yeah. Tell this to your kids and to your wife
"that we're going to be decorating your house."
[Anderson] And decorate they did.
Two volunteers from a program called Decorated Family
came out to decorate the Muniz house for free.
One of them told me that they wanted to do this because they just wanted to serve
the people that helped our country.
One of them told me.
[Anderson] As the sun went down and other lights were turned on,
no one's dedication was lacking.
I'm with them. I'm with them.
Even if it takes them to be out here until midnight, I'm going to be here with them.
[male speaker] I feel their joy and their excitement, so I get to share that with them.
We live in a world where people still give
and still care.
[Muniz] I didn't tell my kids yet because it's going to be a surprise,
but I've got my family coming up here from Puerto Rico.
And I know as soon as they see this, they're going to be really amazed too.
[Anderson] They got their house decorated for free,
and they probably are the first house with Christmas decor on the block.
But maybe the true prize for the Muniz family is something harder to define
than the number of lights.
[Muniz] It's amazing. I don't even have words to explain it. It's overwhelming.
Army Sergeant Nicholas Anderson, Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
[♪"Deck the Halls" playing♪]
We leave you now with some holiday tunes from the soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division.
But before we go, we'd like to say goodbye to Jini,
who is leaving Soldiers Radio and TV.
It's been a wonderful seven years.
I started out here as a reporter and made my way all the way up to SRTV director,
and it's been an absolute honor and privilege going out there
meeting soldiers and their families and sharing their stories with you.
So I'm really going to miss it. >>And we're going to miss you.
Why don't you sign us out for the last time. >>My pleasure.
Well, that does it for this edition of Army Newswatch.
Join us again next time for the stories that make America's Army.