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    How the ‘Grinch’ did not steal MCAS Futenma's holiday cheer

    How the ‘Grinch’ did not steal MCAS Futenma's holiday cheer

    Photo By Sgt. Karis Mattingly | The United Service Organizations (USO) volunteers hand out cookies to Marines attached...... read more read more

    MARINE CORPS AIR STATION FUTENMA, OKINAWA, JAPAN

    12.15.2020

    Story by Cpl. Karis Mattingly  

    Marine Corps Installations Pacific

    MARINE CORPS AIR STATION FUTENMA, OKINAWA, Japan -- The United Service Organizations on Marine Corps Air Station Futenma hosts the “Twelve Days of Grinchmas” event serving 100 cookies each day to Marines and sailors across the base to spread holiday cheer, Dec. 14.

    Amidst the current COVID-19 environment, the USO has filled their December calendar with events to help service members and their families feel more at home with familiar holiday traditions.

    “The goal is to serve as many people as possible with 1,200 cookies,” said Lauren Flores, the field programs manager with USO Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, and a native of Pensacola, Florida. “Boosting morale is really important to the USO because when you are happy internally everything else falls into place. We are all very far from home so anything that we can do to help spread that joy is really important to us.”

    The center released a statement expressing the light-hearted theme, saying “We will start to transform our center into Who-ville for the holidays! Just like the Grinch, COVID has tried to steal the holiday cheer from us but we’re not going to let it!”

    “Just being able to give those Marines at least five minutes of happiness was great,” said Flores. “We came in, blasting Christmas music, so people are looking all around, confused. Then when we came around the corner with Santa and cookies, they just lit up. I really saw the joy in people's faces. It was a good feeling seeing people smile and eating the cookies.”

    During the first week of the event, the USO will bring cookies to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267, Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465, Marine Aircraft Group 36, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 36, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262, Marine Air Control Group 18 and Headquarter and Headquarters Squadron.

    “Today was an opportunity to give back to the military community and help spread some holiday cheer to service members while they are overseas away from their families,” said Capt. Robert V. O’Berg, the operations officer for logistic command G4 with 3D Marine Expeditionary Brigade, and a native of Staten Island, New York. “All the Marines and sailors that I work day-in and day-out with are someone else's son and daughter, and their families entrusted to us to help their welfare.”

    Within each goodie-bag filled with cookies, will be an invitation to the “Who-bilation Celebration”, located at the MCAS Futenma USO on Dec. 24, to wrap up the Grinch festivities. The celebration will include a “roast beast” pig and traditional Christmas sides. They are also hosting a “Cookies for Santa Kits” event Dec. 22, at the center from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

    “The spirit of volunteering helps strengthen social bonds that reinforces why we serve and that message resonates with our allies and partners within the region,” said O’Berg. “Any event that brings spouses, dependents, service members and our Okinawan hosts, fosters a more resilient community that's going to be able to withstand challenges and endure anything that we may face. Morale is our willpower to help succeed in the face of adversity.”

    The mission of the USO is to strengthen America's military service members by keeping them connected to family, home and country throughout their service to the nation. The USO is a family of volunteers, sustained by the charitable contributions of millions of generous Americans.

    “The USO has a historic commitment to supporting the military community,” said O’Berg. “For me it fills my well of fortitude to volunteer, and I will continue to help serve the community because as Marines we lead by example.”

    For more information regarding upcoming events visit your local USO center or Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/USOOkinawa.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 12.15.2020
    Date Posted: 12.15.2020 00:09
    Story ID: 384968
    Location: MARINE CORPS AIR STATION FUTENMA, OKINAWA, JP

    Web Views: 135
    Downloads: 0

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