Brigade seeks host families for soldiers

Sierra Vista Herald, Sierra Vista Arizona ^ | 11/14/04

[SandRat]

FORT HUACHUCA - Host families are being sought to share Thanksgiving with soldiers training at the post.

The 111th Military Intelligence Brigade is sponsoring its 16th Annual Adopt a Soldier Program for the holiday.

The program is designed to connect soldiers with families in the area who are willing to host them for a home-cooked meal.

Those interested in adopting a soldier or more than one are asked to call the brigade's chaplain's office at 533-8774 or 538-1252.

Host families will meet the soldiers at 7 p.m. Nov. 24 for a get-acquainted party. The event will be held at the Yardley Dining Facility.

On Thanksgiving Day, the sponsored soldiers can be picked up at 11 a.m. They must be back in their barracks by 9 p.m. that day.

[SandRat]

In past years they've had more families than soldiers. That started the basis of the list of families for Christmas.

[68skylark]

What a great idea. I wonder if there are similar lists for other military posts. I'm near Camp Atterbury, IN, and I may be travelling to see my sister near Ft. Drum, NY.

[libs_kma]

Hey 68skylark! I think its a great idea as well! I've been to Camp Atterbury for training, and I would also participate in a local version of this program as well!

[NEPA]

Ft Bliss has a Thanksgiving program like this. When my nephew was in AIT there, he and some of his buddies were guests of a well to do man and had a great time.

[SandRat]

Some folks call it "A Home for the Holidays" but check with the post Chaplain's office if they have one they can hook you up if they don't show 'em this post and maybe you'll get one started. Either way the troops win and so do you.

[PleaseNoMore]

Do all bases do this? I am so close to Bragg and would love to do it. Would I call their public affairs division or do you know?

[SandRat]

You can try the public affairs office but a better start I'd say would be the Ft. Bragg Post Chaplain's office. Not all bases do this but manny do, it's worht a phone call.

[Politicalmom]

I would love to do this. We are close to a Naval reserve base...

[SandRat]

Call the base and see if there are any single Service members that are resident there that have no where to go for the Holidays.

If not here are a few other suggestions;

• take Cookies to the Fire House or Police Station in your town,
  
• go Caroling at them,
  
• collect small stuffed Teddy Bears to give to the Police, Fire, EMTs to have in their vehicles as these are great to help reassure a small frightened child when these strange persons and authority types have to show up at a child's home.
  
• collect somewhat bigger stuffed Bears (about the size of a pillow) to give to the local hospital as "Sir Coughs-A-Lot." These go to the abdominal surgery patients, (yes adults too), and they hold "Sir Coughs-A-Lot" against their stomach when they are going to sneeze or cough so that the pain isn't so bad and stitches don't, "POP!"