Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

America Supports You: Children of Deployed Troops Get ‘Fun Day’
America Supports You ^ | Samantha L. Quigley

Posted on 09/24/2007 4:48:50 PM PDT by SandRat

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2007 – About 300 children and spouses of deployed servicemembers enjoyed free activities and programs Sept. 22 during “Deployed Family Fun Day” at a Coast Guard installation near Fort Belvoir, Va.

Click photo for screen-resolution image
A daughter of a deployed servicemember does the limbo during "Deployed Family Fun Day" held Sept. 22, 2007, at a Coast Guard installation near Fort Belvoir, Va. The day was full of fun activities for the children and informational programs for the parents. Courtesy photo by Cassie Camp
  

(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.
“Our primary focus was toward the children who have a parent who is deployed overseas,” said Dawn Fincham, outreach manager for the USO of Metropolitan Washington. “We also wanted to (include) the … spouses who are (left) behind to watch the children.”

The United Service Organizations is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad. USO Metro and the Metropolitan Military Information Exchange, an information resource for servicemembers and their families, teamed to host the event.

Children at the event, held on the grounds of the Coast Guard Telecommunications and Information Systems Command, enjoyed five inflatable bouncers, face painting, crafts, and board games. Meanwhile, parents had the option of attending informational sessions. Those included everything from information on how to parent while a spouse is deployed, a women’s self-defense class and presentations on how to deal with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Parents also had access to a plethora of information and resources thanks to the Metropolitan Military Information Exchange.

“We had one lady (who’s) only been here in our area for about two months and her husband (is) deployed,” Fincham said. “She thought it was really great that there was one central location with all this information brought in and at the same time.”

The first-time event, which children and spouses from all branches of the service attended, was an all-around success, she added.

“Everybody says we … should do it on a quarterly basis,” Fincham said.

She said she’s quite sure the event will take place again, but when is still to be determined.
Related Sites:
United Service Organizations
America Supports You
Click photo for screen-resolution image Children of deployed troops check out bikes that were later raffled off during the Sept. 22, 2007, "Deployed Family Fun Day" hosted by United Service Organizations of Metropolitan Washington and Metropolitan Military Information Exchange. The event, held on the grounds of the Coast Guard's Telecommunications and Information Systems Command, included a day of fun activities for the kids and informational programs for the parents. Courtesy photo by Cassie Camp  
Download screen-resolution   
Download high-resolution


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: children; deployed; fun; militaryfamilies; troops; uscg

1 posted on 09/24/2007 4:48:52 PM PDT by SandRat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SandRat

That’s cool. And it sounds like they pulled it off with minimal expense. They should do it quarterly.


2 posted on 09/24/2007 4:57:31 PM PDT by 2111USMC
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson