Photo By Sgt. Michael Baltz | Representatives from the USO of Greater Jacksonville brought lunch and snacks to...... read more read more
Subscribe
Florida National Guard Soldiers and the Jacksonville Fire & Rescue (JFRD) personnel were able to enjoy a “no dough” lunch courtesy of the USO.
Due to COVID-19, the USO of Greater Jacksonville transitioned the no cost dinner program to providing lunches to activated FLNG members. Soldiers with the 868th Engineer Company are partnered with the JFRD to administer COVID-19 test kits at Jacksonville’s walk-up testing site at Bob Hayes Sports Complex and Legends Center.
“We have a program called no dough dinners, where typically we would have 300 to 400 military and family members come to our Mayport USO,” said Mike O’Brien, President and CEO of the Florida USO. “Obviously with COVID-19, the program can’t continue as was in the past, so we now take it to the road to our troops.”
The USO is well known to America’s military service members providing comfort items, such as food, snacks and internet. The organization was established in 1941 and has been the nation’s leading organization to serve the men and women in the U.S. military, and their families.
“Our mission is to keep our military connected to family, home and country,” said O’Brien. “Anything the USO can do throughout the state of Florida to support the men and women of the National Guard, wherever they may be, honoring our military members with a little chow just to say thank you.”
This is the second walk-up testing site organized and managed by the Soldiers of the 868th, having set up Jacksonville’s first walk-up site at Kooker Park. First Lt. Michael Purvis, the commander of the 868th, has led his company through the process of planning and establishing both sites. He also over saw the training and execution.
“The USO is always uplifting for the soldiers,” said Purvis. “I have seen the USO through deployments, through hurricanes, they are always there. It is always amazing to me what they are able to provide.”
Jacksonville’s walk-up testing site continues to remain open daily, administering tests from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in support of Jacksonville, and the surrounding community’s efforts to lessen the spread of COVID-19.
| Date Taken: | 05.15.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 05.18.2020 08:11 |
| Story ID: | 370148 |
| Location: | JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 77 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, USO Delivers Lunch & Snacks to Jacksonville’s Walk-Up Site, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
