Photo By Michael Meyer | Children waving their new U.S. flags at the Military Family Resource Fair at Lake...... read more read more
SEATTLE - Families of deployed service members participated in a joint service Military Family Resource Fair at the Elk's Lodge in Lake City with many organizations including representatives from the Army Reserve, Washington National Guard, and the Navy Fleet and Family Programs.
“The goals and the vision of this event are to bring many providers under one roof with the spouses and families of deployed soldiers so that they will have the newest information on hand,” said Dianna Hawkins, the 364th Expeditionary Sustainment Command Regional Community Outreach Assistant. Hawkins worked alongside the 654th Regional Support Group, and the 380th Adjutant General Battalion to plan and coordinate the event.
Representatives from many organizations provided their support to service members of the Seattle area. Volunteers included representatives from Military Family Life counselors, Military One Source, United Concordia, Tri-West, Operation Home Front, Operation Military Kids, Children Youth School Service and more. Other advisers specialized in financial counseling, education advising, and even disaster preparedness.
“We try to help communities understand how the cycle of deployment affects an entire community,” said Darleen Munson, coordinator for the state of Washington’s Operation Military Kids program. Munson explained that Operation Military Kids organizes events to connect geographically dispersed military families. “We have events where we bring military kids together so they can talk to other kids about how deployment affects them. “
“We also have mobile tech labs that offer kids experience with computers, robotics, and multimedia technology. We teach them how to use cameras, video cameras, and even some interviewing and journalism techniques,” said Munson.
Throughout the day, the parents at the resource fair had their Halloween bags full of information about upcoming family programs, and the children had many activities to keep them busy; including face painting, playing Army video games, winning door prizes, and listening to Halloween stories courtesy of the King County Library.
Laurie Hightower is the spouse of a deployed soldier and she brought her son out to the event.
“I came here today because my husband is deployed to Kuwait with the 364th ESC and I wanted to learn more about the variety of programs and support networks out there. I also volunteer to help out with some of the Family Readiness Group events,” said Hightower.
“I just got here and I already got three packs of cards and a football,” said Colin Hightower proudly showing off his new football that he won as a door prize.
The Elks Lodge provided the space for the Family Resource Fair, and offered hot dogs, potato chips and refreshments at little cost. The Lake Forest Police and Fire departments also displayed their police cars and fire trucks to the children.
The Family Programs office is planning more events in 2012 to assist military families. For more information, visit the Army Reserve Family Programs website.
http://www.arfp.org/skins/ARFP/home.aspx
Operation Military Kids:
www.operationmilitarykids.org
| Date Taken: | 10.29.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 11.15.2011 17:39 |
| Story ID: | 80083 |
| Location: | SEATTLE, WA, US |
| Web Views: | 123 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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