Spouse club hosts Super Sign-Up Aug. 16

By Sara E. Martin, Army Flier Staff WriterAugust 2, 2012

Spouse club hosts Super Sign-Up Aug. 16
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT RUCKER, Ala. (August 2, 2012) -- The Fort Rucker Community Spouses Club will host its annual Super Sign-Up Aug. 16 to assist spouses new to Fort Rucker that want to expand their horizons by meeting new people and seeing new places.

The meeting will be held at The Landing Zone on Novosel Street from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. All spouses are welcome to come and join, said Kim Roedl, club president.

The FRCSC has two missions, according to Roedl. The primary mission is to develop a spirit of community responsibility.

"To provide and assist activities in local, military and civilian communities, as well as to provide social, cultural and creative opportunities for our members," is our top priority, she said.

FRCSC's second mission is to provide opportunities for social, cultural and creative pursuits.

"The spouses have a chance to buy and sell crafts to each other, share experiences, and [it] gives them the opportunity to meet other spouses, build friendships and to gain moral support," she added. "It doesn't matter how old or young you are, or if you're the wife or husband of an enlisted Soldier or an officer."

The FRCSC meets the first Thursday of every month at lunch at 10:30 a.m. at The Landing Zone. Everyone is invited to a trial lunch where they are not required to sign up, she said, but are encouraged to do so.

"Membership is $15 annually for student spouses and $20 annually for permanent party spouses. We love to get new members and want more than anything for people to come and join," Roedl said.

People eligible to join the FRCSC include spouses of active duty or retired commissioned officers, warrant officers, or enlisted Soldiers assigned to Fort Rucker or residing in the local Wiregrass area.

Spouses of National Guard or Reserve military personnel not on active duty orders but residing in Fort Rucker or the Wiregrass area and spouses of civilian contractors or employees that are employed at Fort Rucker are eligible as well.

Super Sign-Up is held yearly, although people can sign-up at any time. This year's planners, Darcy Lynch, first vice president, and Gretchen Levine, second vice president, have put together an event that is sure to please, said the FRCSC president.

"The event, which is the club's annual membership drive, will feature everything from live music from the Silver Wings Band to shopping and prizes. We are going with a Hawaiian Luau theme," she said.

"We would like people to come to this sign-up because there will be extra stuff to do and they can meet a lot of our members at one time. We will have vendors and other organization vendors there like the Directorate of Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation and Protestant Women of the Chapel," she added.

Roedl said that oftentimes spouses are overwhelmed with parenthood and the exposure to a new environment. So, to help, babies less than 6 months old are welcome at the lunches to encourage women to come out to have a good time.

The members always have something fun to do, but Roedl said that expanding the member's knowledge of the area is an enjoyable but significant event to help the spouses.

"We took the spouses to Montgomery last time. They toured downtown, went shopping and got a taste of Alabama's history. We want members to get to know their area and feel safe about venturing outside of Enterprise or Dothan," she said.

Though the FRCSC is primarily a military-based organization that seeks to help wives, husbands, Families, and female Soldiers, last year members sent care packages to deployed Soldiers from different posts with female specific products, the FRCSC is active in providing for local schools and the pursuit of higher education.

"We gave away over $17,000 in scholarships last year and donated over $4,000 last spring to the Carol High School marching band," said Roedl. "We also have a community service project called the "Fairy Godmother Project" where people can donate old formal or prom-type dresses and accessories for local low income girls so that they may go to prom."

The volunteer program that the FRCSC has organized is one of the strongest on post, according to the clubs president.

"We host Sweetheart Bingo and hold a holiday bazaar, which will be moving back on post this year. The proceeds of the bazaar go to scholarships and grants, as well as quality-of-life organizations here at Fort Rucker and the surrounding community," she said.

Roedl said that the spouses who participate regularly always have a great time by jumping in to help with the many activities and fundraisers, and that members are never bored.

"We want everyone to feel welcome. Please come by and begin the fun," she said.

For more information on the club, email 2ndvicepresident@ftruckercsc.com.