Physical Distancing fairy descends on USAG Ansbach

Photo By Dani Johnson | Desse, the Physical Distancing fairy, ensures Capt. Bryan Westervelt and 1st Sgt. Carmelo Vasquez, both from 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, keeps appropriate distancing during a Commander and Senior Leader Family Advocacy Program briefing on Katterbach Kaserne April 16. The fairy came to life through the efforts of Victoria Hanrahan, DFMWR Entertainment Director, and Kimberly Stockton, IMCOM-Europe theatrical costume collection and workshop, Theatrix, to spread the word of maintaining social-connectedness while physically distanced in our fight to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 virus.  

GERMANY

04.16.2020

Story by Dani Johnson 

U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach

With a high-pitched trill and a twirl of feathers, Desse, the Physical Distancing Fairy, brought her sidekick, Hesse, to the USAG Ansbach community to spread the word of maintaining social-connectedness while physically distanced in our fight to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 virus.

The Fairy came to life through the efforts of Victoria Hanrahan, Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, entertainment director, and Kimberly Stockton, costume specialist for
IMCOM-Europe theatrical costume collection and workshop, THEATRIX.

“I was speaking to my supervisor and he thought it was a cool idea,” said Hanrahan. “It just took off.”

Stockton, who came to Theatrix from Nashville and has a theater background, came up with the idea of Desse and Hesse, a hand sanitizer bottle dressed as a butterfly, in about three days.

“It’s very stressful situation with the stay-at-home order,” Hanrahan said. “We wanted to spread the idea of physical distancing in a light-hearted way.”

Desse, played by Stockton, goes to places where people gather such as the post office and the dining facility reminding people in a fun fashion to maintain physical distance in fighting the spread of COVID-19 virus has to be delivered in ways that people will respond and remember.

“(The visit) truly brightened my day,” said Dina DeBoer, Family Advocacy Program specialist, Army Community Service.

“This is what theater does for a community, it gives the audience a message to think about in a way that makes all of us smarter and in this case safer,” said Dan Riley, director, DFMWR. “Having the theater staff out in the community, in unforgettable costume, driving home how important distancing is paints a memorable picture.”

The Fairy will appear throughout the USAG Ansbach community at random times spreading the word of maintaining a safe distance and a healthy connection to each other.

• Date Taken: 04.16.2020
• Date Posted: 04.20.2020 10:40
• Story ID: 367822
• Location: DE