Fort Belvoir, Va. (July 17, 2014) - The Protestant Women of the Chapel had the community over for ice cream, Tuesday at the Fairfax Village Community Center.
The Ice Cream Social welcomed military spouses and their children to a relaxed, summer-themed get-together, complete with treats. Children and their mothers visited a sundae bar and loaded up on ice cream with their favorite toppings, from pecans to sprinkles, banana slices to chocolate syrup.
"It gives them a chance to meet other military spouses," said Georgeann Rabb, president of the Fort Belvoir chapter of PWOC.
PWOC meets every Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to noon at Belvoir Chapel for most of the year. They take a break during the summer, but Rabb said they wanted to have the informal ice cream social as part of their community service. The Fort Belvoir chapter will kick off their weekly activities again in September.
The group offers Bible study, devotions and fellowship throughout the year at their weekly meetings. Twice a year, in the spring and fall, they host a retreat for women and do outreach and community service events. About 150 women in Fort Belvoir are involved, making for a busy social calendar. While Protestant is in the name, Rabb said women of any denomination are welcome.
"Anyone in the community who wants to attend can come," she said. "It's open to anybody in the Fort Belvoir community."
Carla Cartledge has been attending the chapel at Fort Belvoir for three years. She decided to stop by with her 4-and-a-half year old daughter and her 3-month-old son.
"It's hard to find things that are kid-friendly," she said.
Cartledge, the spouse of a retired servicemember, also enjoyed meeting other like-minded women.
Rozlyn Giddens attended to socialize with other moms, although her grown children did not attend.
"I love to meet new people and welcome new ladies that are looking to connect. This is like the perfect place," she said.
A member of PWOC, Giddens said she enjoys meeting others like her and offering advice and support, even though her days as a military spouse are over since her husband retired.
"I still feel that I can stay connected to military wives and be supportive because they're at a different stage in their lives that I've already been through," she said.
To get involved with PWOC, Rabb said potential members are welcome to contact them at contactus@pwc fortbelvoir.org. PWOC has chapters across the nation.
Social Sharing