GYEONGGI PROVINCE - Army spouses from the 2nd Infantry Division chain of command was given the opportunity to contribute something special to the Korean people by making Song Pyun, a special style of rice cakes Oct. 1 at Ganenung Train Station.
Debbie Morgan, an Army spouse married to Maj. Gen. John W. Morgan III, 2ID commander, JoAnn Golden, an Army spouse married to Brig. Gen. Walter M. Golden, 2nd Infantry Division assistant division commander for maneuver, and Roberta Ferrell, an Army spouse married to Col. Terry Ferrell, 2ID assistant division commander for support, learned how to make the rice cakes for Chuseok.
"Every three months or so we try to volunteer our free time to help the city; charity events like this are great because we get to work with international and American people," said Kim Ju Hong, a firefighter from Fire Station 119 in the Gyeonggi Province who coordinated the event.
"The affair is rather similar but a different product compared to what I would do in the states," Golden said "I have handed out Christmas cookies and made some to be sent overseas to Soldiers in Iraq, and though it does compare it is not the same as this product because the rice cakes are rather unique; my favorite type of Song Pyun was the one with the sugar inside."
Spouses were met at the train station early in the morning by local Korean nationals, members of the Fire Station 119 and the Gyeonggi Province, who provided the women with the supplies needed and briefing them on what to expect through the next few hours while they made Song Pyun for those less fortunate. After being meticulously told on how to make Song Pyun the wives attempted to try it on their own.
After many unsuccessful attempts with broken portions and inapt pieces of Song Pyun, the spouses were able to produce an ample enough amount of Song Pyun to begin distributing them to local agencies. While Ferrell and Golden continued to make more Song Pyun, Morgan accompanied other Korean officials to the hospitals, orphanages and homes to pass out the handmade Song Pyun to the less fortunate for Chuseok.
"I enjoyed it," Morgan said. "It was a lot of fun and I learned a lot. It was very similar to Thanksgiving where we would pass out turkeys. I was able to do the same thing here. The people were surprised, happy and appreciative that someone was thinking of them during Chuseok.
"Being here in Korea for 14 months now and doing a variety of charity events, I would place this very much No. 1 because I have not had an opportunity before to do something in this capacity," Golden said. "I have been to orphanages and played with the children, but to actually be able to make something that will go out to someone is pretty special."