Photo By Cynthia Griggs | Children run under a parachute during the “Show Up for Military Families” field...... read more read more
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Utah First Lady Abby Cox offered a “Show Up for Military Families” field day for Hill families to celebrate Month of the Military Child this year.
In partnership with Hill Air Force Base, the Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs and Special Olympics Utah, the first lady hosted the event as part of her initiative “Show Up” that seeks to expand opportunities for Utah children of all abilities to participate in sporting programs and activities.
The Hill event included field games, gift bags, snow cones and brief remarks from the first lady, 75th Air Base Wing Commander Col. Jenise Carroll and Special Olympics Utah CEO Scott Weaver.
“We are coming together to celebrate our military families as a community,” Cox said. “We want every child to have a sense of belonging, and that’s what we’re doing today. We want every family to know they are part of this community and they matter.”
The first lady said “Show Up” is working to expand opportunities to play unified sports because they are a way for children of all abilities to play on a team together. She said events like the “Unified Games” basketball tournament organized by Special Olympics Utah last month in Davis County is a good example.
This April is the 35th anniversary of Month of the Military Child, which underscores the important role military children play in the armed forces community.
The annual observance is a time to applaud military families and their children for the daily sacrifices and challenges they overcome.
“The children of our military families often attend many schools, following their parents around and worrying about their parents while they’re deployed,” Carroll said. “The military child has to be one of the most resilient among us and they deserve our attention and gratitude.”
The Exceptional Family Member Program offered by all branches of the military is a mandatory enrollment program for all active duty Airmen and Guardians with a special needs family member. The program helps military families with special needs by providing them support and resources based on their individualized needs through the military and civilian community.
Carroll said the support the local community gives to the program “speaks volumes” about their commitment to military families.
| Date Taken: | 04.19.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 04.20.2022 12:36 |
| Story ID: | 418878 |
| Location: | HILL AIR FORCE BASE, UT, US |
| Web Views: | 55 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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