Photo By Bernhard Lashleyleidner | LANDSTUHL, Germany — The Back-to-School Bash brought students, parents, and...... read more read more
LANDSTUHL, Germany — The sun shone over the playground as children ran, laughed and played with friends, while parents picked up school supplies, and uniforms during Landstuhl Regional Medical Center’s Back-to-School Bash Aug. 14.
The event, hosted by LRMC for Landstuhl Elementary School students, brought together hospital staff, teachers, library staff, volunteers, and community organizations to help families prepare for the upcoming school year.
For 1st Lt. Keanu Burk, a surgical medical nurse at LRMC, volunteering at the event was an easy decision.
"It is a wonderful way to give back and ensure our local students are prepared for the new year," Burk said. "This event ties perfectly into LRMC's core mission of taking care of service members' families."
Dr. Mary Bade, principle of the Landstuhl Elementary School, said the event gave students, parents and community partners an opportunity to prepare for the new school year in one location.
"This is a great opportunity for families to meet their children's teachers and drop off school supplies early," Bade said. "It saves parents time and removes the anxiety of forgetting important items on the first day."
Air Force Master Sgt. Kevin Owens, quality assurance noncommission officer, attended the event with his family, hoping a clear goal to connect with teachers and learn more about the community supporting his children.
"The main reason we came out was to meet the teachers and get to know the people who will be guiding our kids this year," Owens said. "Events like this really strengthen the bond between teachers, service members, and the community.”
The event also featured local organizations, including a karate school, Irish dancers, and gymnastics clubs, giving families an opportunity to learn about activities available to their children.
His wife Suzanne agreed, noting a major perk of the event.
"Being able to drop off school supplies today is huge," she said. "It means the kids don't have to drag massive bags of school supplies on top of their backpacks when school starts on Monday."
Making life a little easier for military families was a central focus of the event, and LRMC Soldiers volunteered to help distribute supplies and interact with students.
“The goal of the event was simply to make sure every child felt ready and excited for the new school year,” Burk said.
One of the highlights was the scavenger hunt, where students searched for items and received small prizes. Families left with school supplies, including notebooks, pencils, and backpacks, helping ensure students had the materials they needed for the classroom.
“We wanted bridge the gap between the medical center and the families we serve,” said Col. Warren Stewart, commander of LRMC. “Taking care of the family is critical to military readiness, and when service members know that their children are supported, equipped, and excited for school, it removes a major layer of stress at home.”
Stewart said events such as the Back-to-School Bash demonstrate LRMC’s commitment to supporting the military community beyond its medical mission.
“Events like the Back-to-School Bash show that LRMC is about much more than just treating illnesses,” Stewart said. “It is about taking care of the whole community and supporting military families in every way possible.”
As the event wrapped up, students headed home with full backpacks and a renewed excitement for the school year.
“We are here to keep you healthy, strong, and supported,” said Stewart. “Have a wonderful and safe school year. Community events like the Back-to-School Bash help anchor these children.”
| Date Taken: | 08.13.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 08.17.2026 08:22 |
| Story ID: | 572530 |
| Location: | LANDSTUHL, DE |
| Web Views: | 30 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, LRMC Throws Back-to-School Bash for Local Students, by Bernhard Lashleyleidner, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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