OLYMPIA, Wash. -- More than 300 service members, military spouses and civilians said 'Foo' to their normal workdays and set sail for the 50th annual FOOFARAW, a military appreciation day in Olympia, Wash., Sept 7.
The Thurston County Chamber of Commerce and Olympia Yacht Club sponsor the event, which grants participating service members a day of free entertainment, relaxation and community building.
"FOOFARAW means 'a lot to do about nothing', so it's basically a day of fun and folly and just a great time," said Joseph Beaulieu, executive director at Rebuilding Together Thurston County, and a long-time participant of FOOFARAW.
Members of the community attended the event by purchasing a ticket that paid for a service member's participation.
"I think it shows our support by coming out to be with them and to talk to them and to thank them for what they do on a personal level," said Ron Johnson, a commercial development manager for Sauder Molding and Millwork, who sponsored a service member for FOOFARAW.
The 'Foofarites' started the day by boarding yachts and enjoying a continental breakfast provided by volunteers from the Olympia Yacht Club.
"It's always a pleasure to have military people on my boat," said Bill Wilmovsky, skipper of the yacht "Kinship" from the Olympia Yacht Club who volunteered this year for his fourth FOOFARAW. "I'm always amazed at the quality of people that we have. They are just first rate."
They were greeted by the flashing lights and sirens of police officers and firefighters who lined a pier and saluted them as they sailed under an American flag and into the Puget Sound.
"I've been stationed at a number of places around the world and I can honestly say that I've never been stationed at a location where I felt the support from the surrounding community more than I have at Joint Base Lewis-McChord," said Army Col. Dallas Homas, commander of Madigan Army Medical Center, JBLM, Wash., during a speech at the event. "The support that we get here is really second to none in my 29 plus years of wearing the uniform."
The participants enjoyed the sunrise and camaraderie as they sailed for over an hour before being welcomed to Island Home, the private island of the Olympia Yacht Club, by the sound of bagpipes.
"I really loved the yacht trip," said Army Spc. Robert C. Jackson a firefighter with the 537th Firefighter Detachment, 555th Engineer Brigade, from JBLM. "I got a chance to see more of Olympia and the surrounding area and got to know more about the people who live there."
The festivities on the island included a variety of sporting events, a potato race and tug-of-war.
"I like the competition between the services. The tug-of-war was really great. To see those guys chant, 'go Navy, go Navy' and stuff like that is great," Beaulieu said. "We've got civilians out there playing with the military members and it's wonderful. That integration is always good because it brings a greater sense of community."
The attendees received celebratory t-shirts and were inducted as honorary Foofarites by eating a raw oyster. The celebratory atmosphere was seasoned by the smell of fire-smoked salmon provided by The Chehalis Tribe.
"There were a lot of activities, the people were really nice and I ate a good amount of food. It was a good time just to get away and have fun," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Kenneth Acfalle, 62nd Maintenance Squadron, out of JBLM who attended the event.
There were several raffles in which service members won various prizes donated by businesses within the surrounding community. The festivities concluded as the Foofarites sailed into the evening and back to normalcy.
"I just think our service members need as much recognition as we can give them," said Wilmovsky as he sailed his yacht back to Olympia. "I hope that they get a feeling that they are appreciated, that we appreciate what they do, the sacrifices they make, the danger that they put themselves in. I also hope that they take a positive impression from the city of Olympia, and that they know how much we care about them."
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