EUGENE, Ore. -- (Dec. 30, 2010) - Student journalists at the University of Oregon's campus paper, the Oregon Daily Emerald, are extending the ripple effect of the university football team's run to the national title game.

Over the past month, staffers of the campus daily have been pushing through deadlines to create a hardcover, coffee table book on the Ducks' historic season. With the book scheduled to appear just two weeks after the game in Glendale, Ariz., the Emerald is teaming with Operation Homefront, a support organization for soldiers and their families, to provide free copies to Oregon military personnel serving in the Middle East and elsewhere around the globe.

In addition to promoting "Duck Season: Oregon's Magical Flight to the National Title Game" to Oregon fans everywhere, the Emerald is encouraging book buyers to spring for additional copies to go without charge - via Homefront - to fans in the armed services. And the early responses are positive.

"We're producing this book for Oregon fans everywhere," said Nora Simon, the Emerald's editor in chief. "It's exciting that we as student journalists get to help raise the spirits of Oregon troops who weren't here to see the season unfold."

The effort became a three-pronged campaign this week when the Emerald's book-publishing partner, Pediment Publishing of Battle Ground, Wash., issued a challenge. If donors step up to provide 250 copies of the book to Homefront, Pediment president Brad Fenison will provide an equal number of free copies for the program.

Homefront is a national non-profit organization with an Oregon chapter based in Albany. Its range of programs includes emergency financial and other assistance to families for service members and wounded soldiers who have returned home. The agency also works to provide "pieces of home" to deployed service members, wounded personnel and their families.

That's where "Duck Season" fits perfectly, said Christine Strawn of Albany, president of Homefront's Oregon chapter and the mother of an Oregon serviceman who is an enthusiastic Ducks fan.

"We know there are hundreds of Oregon men and women in the military who have missed this whole wonderful season because they're serving their country," she said. "Already we're hearing back from them about shirts and other things we've sent related to the championship game. The book is going to give them another taste of what their home state is experiencing."

Donations to the book effort are tax-deductible, and will be used to acquire the books and to cover shipping costs, Strawn said. Information on donating to the program is available from Homefront at 541-981-2186, via e-mail at christine.strawn@operationhomefront.net or online at www.operationhomefront.net/oregon.

MEDIA CONTACT: Joe Mosley, UO media relations, 541-346-3606, jmosley@uoregon.edu

SOURCE: Mike Thoele, Oregon Daily Emerald publisher, 541-346-5511 ext. 317, publisher@dailyemerald.com
Brad Fenison, Pediment Publishing president, 360-687-6732, brad@pediment.com