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Group supports readiness during annual Spring Fest

Photo By Troy Darr | Staff Sgt. Ana Aragon, U.S. Army NATO G1, prepares an Oreo for the batter with the...... read more read more

SEMBACH, RHEINLAND-PFALZ, GERMANY

04.17.2025

SEMBACH. Germany -- U.S. Army NATO Soldiers raised funds for the Soldier and Family Readiness Group by selling deep-fried Oreos and sweet lemonade April 11 at the Sembach Spring Fest here.

The Sembach Spring Fest is known unofficially as the Easter Egg-stravaganza because the highlight of the fest for many participants is the series of Easter egg hunts for various children’s age groups.

“HHC got together with the Sembach Community Committee to participate in the Easter Egg-stravaganza, and it was a wonderful opportunity for us not only to fundraise but to build cohesion and community with the rest of the units at Sembach,” said Staff Sgt. Ana Aragon, U.S. Army NATO G1, who lead the effort in preparing the deep-fried Oreos for cooking. “And it was really great for the children to come out and enjoy Easter events such as Easter egg hunts.”

Aragon also said it was nice to see everyone come together for a community event since the units on Sembach all have very different missions that mean they do not interact often on a day-to-day basis.

“Sembach is very separated, and it's not every day that we get to come together,” said Aragon. “So, it was nice to see everybody out there.”

While Soldier and Family Readiness Groups have traditionally been more focused on social events and fundraising, in recent years SFRGs have transformed to a tool for commanders to use to as a network of mutual support and assistance for Soldiers, civilian employees and family members.

“SFRGs provide a critical link between commanders and their Soldiers and families,” said Spec. Shemoi Foster, U.S. Army NATO G6, who was in charge of mixing and serving the lemonade. “They provide official, accurate command information, connect Soldiers and families to the chain of command, provide a network of support, and connect SFRG members to on/off post community resources.”

The purpose of the Sembach Spring Fest was to foster camaraderie and community spirit. The event drew 650 attendees and garnered support from two dozen organizations, featuring an egg hunt with over 7,000 eggs, according to George Brown, Sembach site manager.