Spouses invited to join club

By Adrienne AndersonAugust 7, 2013

FORT BENNING, Ga., (Aug. 7, 2013) -- New to Fort Benning and want to find community support? Join the Community Spouses Club. The organization's annual membership sign-up is from noon to 2 p.m. Aug. 14 at Riverside, home of the Maneuver Center of Excellence's commanding general, at 100 Vibert Ave.

"At the membership drive, they will be able to meet the board and see Riverside in all its glory," said Michelle McNeill, CSC president. "They will learn about some of the upcoming events we will offer this year. We will also have some nonprofit organizations at the event to pass along information."

Spouses who have a U.S. military ID card can join -- from any military branch. Widows and widowers, international spouses and Department of Defense civilians can also join.

According to the Community Spouses Club website, the club "strives to enhance the lives of the spouses stationed here at Fort Benning who reside in the tricommunity area, or whose spouse is assigned here."

"The spouses club was created to give back to our community and to this day that is what we still do," she said. "Last year, we gave over $37,000 back to the surrounding community … something we are very proud of."

Activities hosted by the CSC include the Benning Bazaar, Tour of Homes, annual auction and a reception for scholarship recipients, according to the website. Volunteers run the Thrift Shop on Fort Benning and the Bit of Benning Gift Shop. Money collected from the Thrift Shop is the organization's main fundraiser. The club helps to raise scholarship funds for children with military parents and community grants.

For more information, visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/fortbenningspousesclub.