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    Sharing food, time during Mokapu’s All Pro Dad breakfast

    Sharing food, time during Mokapu’s All Pro Dad breakfast

    Photo By Christine Cabalo | Fathers and children sit together for activities and videos during the All Pro Dad...... read more read more

    MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII , HI, UNITED STATES

    05.22.2015

    Story by Christine Cabalo 

    Marine Corps Base Hawaii

    MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII - A healthy breakfast, served with some quality family time, was on the menu for children and their fathers at the Mokapu Elementary School cafeteria, May 19, 2015.

    The school is one of more than 1,200 locations nationwide to host the All Pro Dad Breakfast, a program under a nonprofit Family First organization to encourage better family bonding. Mokapu has hosted the free breakfasts for families since 2012 and held four this school year.

    “When we first started doing this, we were looking for ways to engage dads, especially given how often they’re gone on deployments or are moving with their families,” said Kristy Ryan, the current Mokapu Parent Teacher Association president and a founding joint team captain of the school’s All Pro Dad chapter. “This gives them the opportunity to step away from work for a minute and have one-on-one time (with their challenge).”

    The cafeteria served an expanded breakfast to the fathers to eat with their children, as well as family activities to do during the 45-minute meal. The All Pro Dad Breakfast features a theme, video and conversation-starting questions fathers and children could ask each other.

    “There’s magic in having a conversation for more than half an hour and spending (that time) together,” said Keoki Fraser, the school’s vice principal who also guided the assembled group through the morning event.

    This month’s theme, “Being a Dad Forever,” prompted children and their fathers to come up with activities they especially want to do together due to the upcoming summer vacation. Fraser asked several volunteers to share what pastimes they enjoyed doing with their fathers and adults held up the microphones for their children as both tried to describe their favorite memories.

    Master Sgt. John Ruby, a Marine with Combat Logistics Battalion 3, had breakfast with his daughter and son. Ruby and his son later shared their favorite activities with the group.

    Ruby’s son said his greatest memory was learning how to ride a bike without training wheels with his dad, while Ruby described fond memories of hunting with his own father.

    Some answers surprised the attending dads, including Gunnery Sgt. Luis Rodriguez from Marine Aircraft Group 24. This was the first All Pro Dad breakfast he came to with his son.

    “I didn’t expect him to say his best memory of me was seeing me after coming back from deployment,” he said.

    Rodriguez was among several first-time attendees who said they loved getting the chance to spend some relaxed time with their children. He said he appreciated having the time to connect with his son, especially with a busy daily schedule.

    “(The event’s) time frame went really well,” Rodriguez said. “You have just enough time to talk and eat.”

    Gunnery Sgt. Frank Labare, of 3rd Radio Battalion, said the special meal allowed him also to not be in a rush to get to work, while making sure his daughter had a good breakfast.

    “This event is giving me a chance to be with my daughter and enjoy (our)time together,” Labare said. “We are (typically) on the go, so it’s nice to slow down and enjoy eating breakfast.”

    Labare said he’s looking forward to teaching his daughter how to fish during the summer.

    The free breakfast is also open to MCB Hawaii’s service members whose children are home schooled or may attend another school.

    Ryan said the PTA has plans to continue with the program and possibly feature events for mothers to do with their children. Mokapu is the only chapter of the All Pro Dad program in Hawaii, and Ryan said she’s glad to see a good turnout for each breakfast.

    “Life is so busy, (and is) especially (hard) with what families are emotionally going through,” Ryan said. “Having (a day) where dads are focused on their children is important. They can understand what their children are going through and cement their bond.”

    As the last All Pro Dad Breakfast of the school year, every child who attended received a free prize. However, both fathers and children left with prized memories and anticipation for planned activities.

    For more information about Mokapu PTA activities or to RSVP for their next All Pro Dad breakfast next fall, check the Mokapu PTA Facebook page or email PTAMokapu@gmail.com.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 05.22.2015
    Date Posted: 05.22.2015 15:39
    Story ID: 164315
    Location: MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII , HI, US

    Web Views: 42
    Downloads: 0

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