Photo By Maj. William Carraway | Georgia Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Maurika Flores brings joy to a resident of...... read more read more
Subscribe
Twenty Georgia Army National Guard Soldiers brought holiday cheer to the residents of the Azalea Manor Assisted Living Facility in Marietta, Ga. Tuesday. The Guardsmen sang Christmas Carols, chatted with residents and played multiple rounds of Bingo.
“We wanted to do something to give back to the community,” said Lt. Col. Alexander McLemore, director of logistics for the Ga. Army National Guard. “Rather than conduct an office gift exchange, the Soldiers decided to take gifts for others.”
Among the gifts the Soldiers brought were slippers, warm socks, blankets and home-baked cookies. The Guardsmen distributed gifts to the smiling residents and even sang happy birthday to Beatrice Hudson who had just turned 85.
“This was the perfect opportunity for us to make a difference,” said Sgt 1st Class Maurika Flores, a budget analyst with the Ga. ARNG Directorate of Logistics. Flores and the other Soldiers circulated among the residents sharing stories and cheer during their visit.
The Guardsmen embarked on their merry mission from the nearby Clay National Guard Center which is home to the Georgia Guard’s Joint-Force Headquarters as well as two of the Ga. ARNG’s five brigades.
Most of the Georgia Guardsmen who visited the Azalea Manor residents have deployed overseas, some multiple times. For many, the experience of being away from home and family during the holidays gave an additional sense of purpose to their mission to Azalea Manor.
“Honestly, I don’t know who benefited more from this visit, the residents or our Soldiers,” noted McLemore.
| Date Taken: | 12.20.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 12.21.2016 13:08 |
| Story ID: | 218429 |
| Location: | MARIETTA, GA, US |
| Web Views: | 102 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Georgia Guardsmen Bring Spirit of Christmas to Community, by MAJ William Carraway, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT