Fort Stewart, GA - May 1, 2007 – In support of our military, Congress declared May 1 – June 14th, National Military Appreciation Month, a time when citizens should make a special effort to thank the military and their families. On the official website of National Military Appreciation Month (NMAM), there are a dozen suggested ways of doing so. One organization, Field Problems™ , a partnership of two military spouses, took the suggestions to heart and have created an event especially for thanking military spouses for Military Spouse Day (May 11th). Tara Crooks and Starlett Henderson are FP partners dedicated to supporting military spouses the whole year through with their mentorship, Q&A column focused on addressing military family problems and website by the same name, FieldProblems.com. But, they have chosen this May 15th to share that support in person through a fun and creative workshop for spouses in the Fort Stewart, GA area. “Our big sponsor, USAA, continues to show their strong support for military spouses and has eagerly backed the event since we dreamed it up. We hope this to be ‘just the start’ of some fruitful partnerships and a series of workshops available wherever there are military spouses,” says Crooks.
The Priceless Packages workshop or spouse Field Exercise™ will bring spouses together to network, gain skills for communicating with their deployed soldier (some for their third year-long separation), and share unique themed care package ideas. It also will be the perfect venue for several of Crooks and Henderson’s supportive sponsors to directly affect the morale and welfare of those spouses with wonderful prizes and stocked gift bags. “Finding sponsors for this event has been so easy. We asked, and without question, received the support from some top notch groups that do this [support spouses] as one of their continuing missions,” Henderson said. “USAA really knocked it out of the park to make our Ft. Stewart spouses feel special by purchasing denim gift bags for each participant along with $25 gift cards from various specialty stores, aroma therapy samples, and two books that will be referenced for the event: “I’m Already Home…Again”
MilitaryAvenue.com, Fort Stewart Army Community Services, the post’s Morale Welfare and Recreation office, authors Kathie Hightower and Holly Scherer, Military Spouse Magazine, and Coastal Family Magazine have supplied door prizes, gift bag stuffers, and publicity. Childcare for over 75 children and door prizes will be provided by the local Liberty County Armed Services Family YMCA. Operation Homefront has contributed WalMart gift cards so that participants can leave the workshop with the means to purchase their own Priceless Package supplies. Crooks and Henderson are both thankful for the wonderful generosity and know that military spouses attending the event will feel “totally appreciated.”
The event’s 120 slots were quickly filled via word of month. Most spouses in the area have heard of Crooks and Henderson who write locally for Coastal Family Magazine and several military websites. Crooks, the founder and host of ArmyWifeTalkRadio, a two year old internet podcast, has received local and national media attention for sharing the realities of Army Wife Life and coping skills for making the best of it. Between them, Crooks and Henderson have a career’s worth of business and counseling expertise, military training and education, and real-world experience that their readers have come to depend on. One reader, Mindy, had this to say upon hearing of the event, “What a fabulous way to channel your energy especially after the recent news of extended deployments. This is one more way you show how dedicated you are to continue to be positive models for military spouses everywhere! I wish I could be there…”
Military spouses who are not in the local area or can not attend should look to the internet for listings of other events celebrating Military Appreciation Month. Examples include USAA’s Heroes at Home Spouse of the Year Luncheon (May 10) in Norfolk, Virginia; SpouseBuzz LIVE (May 12) in San Diego, California; a keynote address of “Help! I’m A Military Spouse ~ I Get A Life Too!” authors Hightower and Scherer (May 11) in Fort Polk, Louisiana; a car show in San Antonio, TX; or free National Park day passes in North Dakota. These and other events can be found at NMAM.org/events. More information about Crooks and Henderson aka Field Problems™ can be found on their website or by emailing FromtheField@
More information about Priceless Packages sponsors can be found at: USAA.com, StewartMWR.com, MilitaryAvenue.com, OperationHomefront.net, MilitarySpouseHelp.com, and YMCAofcoastalga.org (Liberty Cty).
