Photo By Master Sgt. Kelly Simon | The ladies of the Volunteer Support Fund take a break during the 26th Annual...... read more read more
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The VSF is a Fort Drum specific organization that supports Soldiers, their dependents by offsetting the cost of child care while individuals are volunteering at private organizations on the installation.
“This is really our only fundraiser,” Kerry Henderson, International Festival of Foods chairwoman said, adding that for a lot of spouses and family members, volunteering wouldn’t be possible without the VSF.
“I have a three-month-old and a two-year-old and my husband is deployed. It’s hard with kids to be able to get out and volunteer with all these great organizations.”
Henderson volunteers with the Spouses Club, Thrift Store and the USO. She said it’s great to be able to get out and volunteer with the community, and to “get out of the house.”
Anyone who volunteers with a private organization on Fort Drum is eligible to use the VSF. From volunteering with youth sports teams to the Robert C. McEwen Library, any military member or dependent is eligible for child care payments.
Currently there are about 60 individuals using the VSF, but there’s always room for more.
“Any private organization that you volunteer for has a representative that can help you use the volunteer support fund,” Henderson explained.
With that goal in mind the VSF team put on their 10th Mountain Division sparkle t-shirts, which Henderson said are available for sale at the Off the Beatin’ Path gift shop, along with their new sparkle hoodies, and got to work.
By 6 p.m. they sold out of tickets for the food festival and it was standing room only inside the Commons ballroom.
The event was such a success, a few tables ran out of food, but their companion tables picked up the slack and offered seconds to hungry guests.
Boy Scouts from Fort Drum’s own Troop 26 were stationed at the head of each table, punching tickets as guests went through the line. The occasional scout could be seen munching a tasty tidbit while they were on break before relieving one of their fellow scouts.
At the front of the room a variety of art was on display for the silent auction. All art pieces were made by Soldiers or their dependents. Guests had the opportunity to bid on the items and winners were contacted by phone at the end of the event.
One piece on display was by a young man whose mother also contributed a piece of art.
“When Gavin saw his mom working on her art piece he asked her why she didn’t ask for his art work,” Henderson said, adding that his drawing already had several bids.
“It’s a guy fishing in a lake,” Gavin explained holding up his framed drawing. “He’s catching bass.”
His drawing showed a man standing on the shore of a lake holding a fishing rod with a flag waving behind him. The sun is shining and there’s a wide rainbow gracing the sky. Gavin said he enjoys fishing, especially in lakes, and likes to catch large-mouth bass when he goes.
Gavin’s art, along with several other pieces, were donated to the VSF and helped raise additional funds for volunteers’ child care expenses.
The Fort Drum VSF provides support not found on other installations. Henderson said she had looked into fundraising other installations used and was surprised to find no similar organizations on other Army posts.
“I was surprised nobody else has a program like this, but we’re going to keep doing what we do and supporting all of our amazing volunteers,” Henderson said heading back into the ballroom.
If you would like to find out more about VSF you can contact them at volsupfund@gmail.com.
| Date Taken: | 04.28.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 05.04.2017 08:21 |
| Story ID: | 232437 |
| Location: | FORT DRUM, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 34 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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