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In honor of Fort Sill’s military spouses, its MWR hosted a Military Spouse Appreciation Night. This year’s event, “Spouse-a-palooza!,” took place on Friday, April 30th. It was sponsored by Operation Homefront Oklahoma, USA Discounters, Picerne Military Housing, La*ton Nail and Spa and USAA. The event was free for military spouses-the festivities included dinner, a night of pampering, door prizes, gifts, and distressing tools and guides, along with free child care. In addition, over 20 local vendors were on hand to provide their services to the military spouses:
Proud & Showing It Operation Homefront Oklahoma
Fringe SalonApril Hopkins PhotographyInspiranza Jewelry
April Hopkins PhotographyInspiranza JewelrySentsyAAFESHomemade GourmetPrecision Laser Center
AAFESHomemade GourmetPrecision Laser CenterArbonne La*ton Nail & Spa Mary KaySkin SecretsTerry’s Oasis Day Spa
Skin SecretsTerry’s Oasis Day SpaKe InteriorsPerfect 10 Nail SalonThe 18th BlockDillard’s
Perfect 10 Nail SalonThe 18th BlockDillard’sMarie Walker (Massage Therapist)Lime Lizard Salon
Lime Lizard Salon“This event had 400 military spouses confirmed to be in attendance to share their stories as the military’s unsung heroes,” commented Jennifer Palalay, Fort Sill MWR Marketing. There was also a waiting list of at least 60 spouses for this event. Michele Flanagan, MWR Marketing Director and her team did a great job running the event and making it enjoyable for all. Each participant was given a large re-usable shopping bag filled with pampering items, which was filled with vendor giveaways by the end of the night.
Two spouses, Julie Radcliff and Natasha Puolo, said they arrived extra early to avoid a long line and had the benefit of making the rounds to all the vendors before the rush. A buffet dinner of Chinese cuisine was served after inspiring and entertaining remarks from two senior spouses: Alice Ridge, spouse of BG Ross Ridge and Connie Mathews, spouse of BG Roger Mathews. Ridge was very candid in her remarks about how the military spouse’s life “sucks” during deployments, when kids tend to get injuries and things breakdown. Many spouses in the ballroom exploded in laughter, relating to exactly what she was saying. She said that one of the best things about military spouses is, “the small personal ways we look out for each other.” Mathews followed up in her address with a great metaphor that she received from an author who wrote about the military life. She commented that we as military families have to adapt to our military life like civilians who adapt to a climate where it rains every day.
The event lasted for three hours-but it was three hours of time to relax, to be pampered and to get some really nice giveaways. Along with the freebies, Lisa Jansen-Rees, MWR Family Wellness Coordinator, imparted some great and easy stress relieving techniques that every military spouse could do. She “stressed” the importance of actually taking deep breathes and doing things that makes one stress-free, daily.
Overall, it was a job well done by its coordinators and kudos to all the participants that came out to support each other. Again, thanks to all the military spouses, everywhere. You are truly unsung heroes in the military community-may you receive your “roses of appreciation” from Army Wife Magazine, your soldier and all the military organizations with open arms, because you deserve it.
In 1984, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the Friday before Mother’s Day to be designated as Military Spouse Appreciation Day, which is May 7, 2010. It is a day that is set aside each year to recognize and honor the contributions and sacrifices of military spouses. So in honor of this day, Army Wife Magazine would like to extend an enormously warm thought of appreciation to all of you military spouses around the world. Without you taking care of the homefront and keeping your solider going, our military would not be as good as it is. Thank you, God bless and keep up the good work!
Military Spouse Appreciation
Fort Sill MWR hosted a Military Spouse Appreciation Night
by Brandy Woodley, posted May 2010
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Archives: Career & Education
Army Wife, Danielle Robles
ProudandShowingIt.com
May 5, 2010
Awesome pictures! :) It was so much fun to be a part of!
Amanda Kness
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