Many events across post were held throughout the month to honor Month of the Military Child – the largest being the Family Fun Fair held at Patriots Park, April 25.
Multiple agencies were at the fair showing families what resources are available. There were many arts and crafts tables as well as food trucks, rides and a bounce house.
“It’s really for celebrating the kids,” said Sabine Alsup, Fort Jackson’s Child, Youth Services director.
Alsup said she would like to see families be “aware of all the resources that are on post,” as well as celebrating military children.
The fair also was to bring to everyone’s “attention so that they know how important and difficult” it is being a military child, she added.
Celebrating the military child is “vital” to what Fort Jackson does, said the director of youth sports on post.
“We serve a unique population,” said Darius Lane, Youth Sports and Fitness director, “where it’s military children that we serve.”
It’s important to highlight them and the “sacrifices their parents are making and the challenges they face every day,” Lane added. The fair was part of a month where there is an “opportunity to shine a line on them one month out of the year.”
Lane works with youths and sees first hand how difficult it can be for military children. Each year he coaches multiple sports including a tackle football team that has won numerous titles year after year. This would be special in itself, but his teams have to retool each year as its athletes leave for a new duty station with their parents.
The event resonated with a drill sergeant from 3rd Battalion, 13th Infantry Regiment who was at the event with his family.
“This is a great opportunity for my Family to get out of the house while I’m working and to experience something other than dad being gone,” said Staff Sgt. Devin Hawk.
The event was one of many Fort Jackson hosts for military families.
Social Sharing