Sesame Street characters join forces with USO to entertain Fort Drum audienc

By Mr. Paul Steven Ghiringhelli (Drum)June 7, 2012

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1 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Elmo, Rosita, Cookie Monster and Grover sing and dance for Fort Drum community members Tuesday during the Sesame Street / USO Experience for Military Families tour. The travelling road show, which aims to support military Families dealing with a move... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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2 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- The friendly, furry monsters of Sesame Street made the Monti Physical Fitness Center gym their home this week, singing, laughing and dancing their way into the hearts of hundreds of military Families at Fort Drum.

The Sesame Street / USO Experience for Military Families tour stopped here Tuesday and Wednesday, offering giveaways, resources for parents and children, and four free half-hour musicals featuring five favorite Muppet characters.

Along with Elmo, Grover, Cookie Monster and Rosita, the cast included its newest addition, Katie, a military child experiencing the stresses of moving to a new duty station.

"That can be really scary and sometimes an awkward thing for kids," said Lonnie Cooper, Sesame Street / USO Experience for Military Families tour manager. "So, Elmo and Cookie Monster and the rest of the characters help (Katie) understand how to keep old friends, how to make new friends and how to generally deal with that whole aspect of military life."

Sesame Street partnered with the USO in 2008 to create the show.

It is based on Sesame Street's award-winning Military Families Initiative.

Katie was first introduced to military Families last year by first lady Michelle Obama and second lady Dr. Jill Biden at a rally in Ohio.

"The Sesame Street / USO Experience for Military Families is near and dear to the heart of Sesame Workshop," said H. Melvin Ming, Sesame Workshop president and CEO. "(We) are thrilled to call the USO our partner on this adventure."

The travelling road show first appeared in April at Scott Air Force Base in southern Illinois. It is scheduled to perform more than 200 shows at nearly 70 military installations nationwide through the end of this year.

Karen Clark, USO Fort Drum director, said she was very happy to know the Sesame Street show had entertained so many members of the post community.

"Every day, the USO Fort Drum strives to lift the spirits of our troops and their Families," she said. "Today, we did it in a big and furry way.

"I believe that Katie and Elmo's message of hope and resilience will resonate well with the children of our 10th Mountain Division Soldiers," she added.

On Tuesday, Cooper pointed out that approximately one in three military Families will move between now and Sept. 30. He said he hopes that his team not only entertains Fort Drum community members, but also gives them some tools for dealing with military stressors.

"There's a thing that happens often when kids are trying to learn things from their parents -- they don't always listen," Cooper explained. "It helps when you can refer back to a show you have seen (together) or an event that has happened.

"That's why Sesame Street is so successful -- they understand kids," he said. "And the USO understands military Families."

Sesame Street's first appearance at Fort Drum was in November 2008. Since then, tens of thousands of troops and Family Members have watched Sesame Street / USO Experience for Military Families performances on 131 U.S. military bases in 33 states and 11 countries.

In a prepared statement, Elmo expressed his happy feelings regarding the tour and his chance to meet thousands of children at installations like Fort Drum.

"Elmo is so excited to come and see all his military friends and Family," Elmo stated. "We'll sing fun songs and even learn something with (Elmo's friends)."

Cooper said his staff often points out that parents attending the shows have just as much fun as their children.

"That's really the best part," he said. "We only half-jokingly say that parents bring their kids as an excuse to come themselves, because everybody has grown up with Sesame Street."

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