Photo By Janecze Wright | Attendees bike past the starting line, kicking off the Turkey and Tinsel Family Fun...... read more read more
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FORT HOOD, Texas — The Fort Hood community ushered in the holiday season with the Turkey and Tinsel Family Fun Run, Walk and Bike event Nov. 14 at Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area.
The Fort Hood Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation organized the event, providing a preview of the Nature in Lights annual holiday display.
“It’s a little sneak peek through the lights, and hopefully it gets everybody motivated to come out and enjoy what Nature in Lights has to offer,” said Summer Inwood, chief of recreation, DFMWR.
Traditionally a drive-through event, patrons enjoyed making their way on foot and on bikes through the five-mile trail featuring 136 holiday-themed displays made of millions of twinkling lights that took more than two months to create.
Bike enthusiasts kicked off the event, with runners and walkers following behind.
Maj. Samuel Burns, 1st Medical Brigade, brought his family and their bikes out to make the most of the occasion.
“We love the opportunity to get out and enjoy nature and go bike riding as a family, and MWR provided a great way to do that and see the lights,” he said. “It’s a lot more fun being able to cruise through it all.”
Jon Elliott, Burn’s father-in-law and a retired Marine Corps colonel, said the event was an ideal way to bring the community together.
“Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines — the more they’re together the better. MWR organization and organizations like it really provide that glue that’s meant to bring everybody together more,” he expressed. “It’s pretty amazing. I can’t believe how detailed it is.”
Military spouses Jessica Guerrero and Rebecca Scott also opted to ride through the trail.
“It’s a faster, easier, different experience on a bike,” Guerrero said. “You get the breeze in your face, you got a person to your right or your left. For bikes, you’re on it, you’re riding it, you’re outside and it’s just really nice.”
Scott agreed.
“You’re actually in it. You’re a part of the lights. I’ve never experienced the lights like this and I’m taking full advantage.”
Adelka Caraballo-Ponce and her family are new to Fort Hood and were excited for the experience, challenging themselves to run the course.
“It’s different, especially with the Christmas lights, so I really like it. We love Christmas. It’s the holiday we really like to celebrate, so seeing the lights is like we are getting there to the season we want,” she said.
In addition to a unique and immersive way to experience the lights, patrons sipped hot chocolate, enjoyed arts and crafts, guessed the number of peppermints in a jar and entered a raffle for a free turkey.
The event was made even more special with a visit from Santa, or Carl Riley, manager of Airfield Physical Fitness Center at Fort Hood.
Donning the iconic red suit was the least he could do to spread a little holiday joy, he said.
“Being part of MWR is part of our mission to support the families as well as the Soldiers, and this is one of those events where we can do that,” he said. “Especially this time with everything that’s been going on this year. We need a little jolly in our life, so the little bit that I could do, I was more than happy to.”
Nature in Lights is open Thursday through Dec. 31. For more information visit hood.armymwr.com/view-event/nature-lights/7048640/104558.
| Date Taken: | 11.26.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.09.2025 14:52 |
| Story ID: | 552686 |
| Location: | TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 6 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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