FORT RUCKER, Ala. (May 7, 2015) -- It's no secret that Fort Rucker appreciates its surrounding communities throughout the Wiregrass, so it's no surprise when the surrounding communities show their support for the military and their families.
Enterprise City Schools hosted a Family Day at Bates Memorial Stadium in Enterprise April 30 where hundreds turned out to celebrate Month of the Military Child and the strong connections between school, family, military and community, according to Christie Faulkner, military family support liaison for Enterprise City Schools.
Faulkner has held many events throughout the schools in support of military families, working with Fort Rucker's own Kim Kozel, Fort Rucker Youth Education Support Services school liaison officer, to host events to make sure military family members feel welcome.
"We're excited that their family is here in Enterprise and that their family chose our city to live in, so we just want to make sure that all of their needs are being met," Faulkner said. "Fort Rucker's support is very important to us."
Throughout the festivities, people were able to enjoy a host of activities, ranging from a dunking booth, petting zoos, inflatable slides, free food and live entertainment, including the Fort Rucker Elementary School Choir who performed for the crowd.
A static display of a UH-1 Huey helicopter was also set up for people to get in to explore, which Marie Santiago, Enterprise native, and her family took full advantage of.
"I just think it's great what they're doing out here today," she said. "It's not just a day for military families, but for all families to get to come out and share some time and experiences together."
Santiago's daughter, Cynthia, said her favorite parts of the event were the petting zoo, where she was able to hold a rabbit, and the inflatable slide.
"I really liked the bunny because it was really soft," she said, adding that she wanted one to take home.
The event wasn't just a chance for people to have a good time and let loose, but also a time for people to learn. That's why Rebecca O'Brien, drug and alcohol prevention coordinator for Fort Rucker, set up a table during the event to educate people on the dangers of substance abuse.
"This is the Month of the Military Child, and it's also National Alcohol Awareness Month, so we're here to support our military community," she said. "Last year when we participated in this event, they had a large number of military family members and it was just a great outreach program, and not just for military families -- we had quite a mix -- so, it was a good way to reach out to all ages regarding drinking, drugs and things like that."
O'Brien said that by the age of 8, many U.S. children -- one in four -- have had some type of exposure to some illicit drug, prescription or otherwise.
"It's never too early to start talking to your children about it," she said.
Related Links:
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