SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Holding a sign that read, “We love our Snowball Express,” Col. Deron Frailie, 75th Air Base Wing vice commander, and Gary Harter, executive director of the Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs, welcomed home more than 60 Utah Gold Star families Dec. 12 at the Salt Lake City International Airport from a trip to Walt Disney World in Florida.

Snowball Express is a non-profit organization established in 2006. Its mission is to create positive experiences and connect families of fallen service members. Each December, these Gold Star families from across the country gather together for a therapeutic retreat. This year, nearly 1,700 family members participated.