Military Families Outdoors

Summer Camp, Service, Sierra Club and the Obama Family

Summer is here and Sierra Club's Military Families Outdoors (MFO) program is in full swing.  It's been an amazing summer already and are looking forward to more great things to come.

Last week Sierra Club MFO participated in the White House's new summer service initiative "United We Serve" event to benefit the children of military families.  Sierra Club volunteers joined with the National Military Family Association, congressional family members, the Obama family and others to stuff 15,000 backpacks for military children.  10,000 of those backpacks are being sent to kids attending the Sierra Club funded National Military Family Association's Operation Purple camps this summer.  The other 5,000 back packs will be distributed by the USO to military children in the DC area.  Backpacks were filled with snacks, books, and frisbees, as well as a baseball card of the First Dog "Bo" and a special letter from the President and First Lady.

The Sierra Club was honored to participate in the event and we are excited about White House efforts to highlight the importance of "service" and to recognize the tremendous service of military veterans, families and children.  The White House and the Corporation for National Service organized the event and are encouraging Americans to volunteer in their communities this summer.   Check out www.serve.gov for more information.   Click here to see video on the White House blog of the President and First Lady's remarks at the event. 

At right, NMFA's Patty Barron with First Lady Michelle Obama, photos courtesy of Michelle Joyner

Speaking of videos, our partners at the Armed Services YMCA just completed a new video highlighting a recent Sierra Club funded camping experience in Rock Springs, Kansas.  The camp was the first of its kind for Kansas military families with children who have physical and emotional disabilities.  The short video includes great testimonials from family members about what the camping experience meant to them.  Check out our MFO homepage to see highlights and you can also Click here to watch the video on YouTube. 

Please have a wonderful and safe 4th of July Holiday!

     --Brittany

Celebration and Appreciation

Last week the Sierra Club hosted our Military Families Outdoors (MFO) Annual Dinner at the Tabard  Inn in Washington, D.C.  It was a wonderful evening to gather with our friends and partners from the Armed Services YMCA, National Military Family Association, and Outward Bound.  We made new connections, discussed busy upcoming summer camp schedules, and celebrated the fact that by the end of this summer, together we will have provided over 26,000 veterans, military families and children with rejuvenating outdoor experiences.  The photo to the right is of Sierra Club President Allison Chin with Armed Services YMCA Executive Director Frank Gallo RADM, USN (ret.) at the MFO Dinner.

The Military Families Outdoors program is Sierra Club's way of thanking veterans and military families for their amazing service to our country.  Research shows that spending time outdoors is extremely valuable for our mental and physical health.  We are proud to be connecting military families with outdoor experiences that can serve as a powerful tool in helping heal and empower veterans and their families dealing with the stresses of war.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen recently declared May 8th as "Military Spouse Appreciation Day." First Lady Michelle Obama said that it's a wonderful recognition, "but that's just one day. We should be doing it every day."  She said she wants every military spouse to know they're loved, valued and appreciated, and that the administration will work hard to make sure that's realized.

Please be sure to thank a military spouse today, and help demonstrate how much we love, value and appreciate our military families today and every day.

Many Thanks!

Brittany

April is the Month of the Military Child

Since 1986, April has been designated as the Month of the Military Child to recognize the important role that military children play in the armed forces community.  It is a time to applaud America's youngest heroes and thank them for the sacrifices they make and for their courageous support of their military parents.  Many exciting activities and events will be taking place for military children on and around military installations nationwide this month.

We kicked of the Month of the Military Child on March 31st with a special Camp Pendleton Premiere of our new documentary, "Red, White & Green."  Filmed at the National Military Family Association's Operation Purple Camp on Catalina Island last summer, the film showcases the camp experience of our nation's youngest heroes and highlights the benefits of outdoor experiences.  We hosted the premiere as a thank you to the families for their participation in the film and for their amazing service to our country. 

Hundreds of families received a full red carpet welcome as they arrived to watch the movie on the big screen.  We were honored to have Base Sergeant Major Cook kick off the evening with special guests including Sierra Club President Allison Chin, The Sierra Club Foundation Executive Director Peter Martin, Michelle Joyner from the National Military Family Association, and filmmaker Sally Kaplan.  It was a wonderful night to celebrate military children!

Sign ups are currently underway for this summer's Operation Purple camps.  Camps will be hosted in 37 states and are open to all military kids ages 7-17.  Find a camp near you and apply today!  Registration ends April 20th.

Please take a moment this month to tell a military child how much you appreciate their sacrifice, their dedication, and their commitment to making their military family work. 

Enjoy the spring showers and don't forget the joy of puddle splashing!

Brittany

Red, White & Green

March is "Movie Month" for Sierra Club's Military Families Outdoors.  Our new documentary film, "Red, White & Green" hits the big screen in select locations this month.  The movie was filmed at the National Military Family Association's Operation Purple Camp on Catalina Island last summer.  Starring Southern California's military kids, the film showcases the camp experience of our nation's youngest heroes and highlights the benefits of outdoor experiences.  Click here for a sneak peek at the film. 

The World Premiere of "Red, White & Green" will be at the DC Environmental Film Festival next week - the same week that registration opens for Operation Purple Camps 2009.  Be sure to check out the website starting March 16th to find a camp and register your kids for an unforgettable week of outdoor summer fun.  If you're in the DC area next week, we would love to have you join us for the free movie screening at the National Portrait Gallery at 12:30 on March 19th.  Please check out the DC Environmental Film Fest website for additional details. 

A very special West Coast Premiere will take place on March 31st at the Camp Pendleton Movie Theater.  This special screening is for the campers and families who participated in the film to watch their movie on the big screen.  The Sierra Club is thrilled to be working with the National Military Family Association to connect those military families making the greatest sacrifices for this country with the natural wonders of the land they work so hard to defend.  We are excited to present the film to the families at Camp Pendleton as a visual legacy of an unforgettable camp experience.  If you'll be in Southern California on March 31st and are interested in joining us, please let me know.

DVDs of "Red, White & Green" will be available in April and we'll be sure to let you know as we plan additional screenings.

Happy Movie Month!

Brittany

Outdoor Stimulus

As the newly passed stimulus package begins working to boost our economy, a short trip outside can work wonders to boost your well-being.  Today's tough economic times bring challenges and stress to many Americans, so it's more important than ever to spend some quality time outdoors.  Just being outside is a natural stress reliever and it's FREE fun healthy entertainment for the whole family!  You'll be reminded of the natural wonders that help make this country great and you'll come back energized and ready to take on new challenges.  

With the MFO program, we've witnessed what a difference an outdoor weekend retreat makes for a military family working to reconnect, or how a week of summer camp can rejuvenate a military child dealing with the stress of a parent's deployment.  Veterans returning from combat find that wilderness courses can provide the challenge, adventure and self-discovery to help them readjust to home and community life.  We are looking forward to another exciting year connecting military families with the healing powers of our natural heritage.

Earlier this month I traveled to Sandy Cove, Maryland for the National Military Family Association's Operation Purple Camp Director Training.  It was wonderful to meet such an amazing group of people dedicated to providing an unforgettable camp experience for military children.  Over 100 camp directors and staff members traveled from all over the country to participate in the training.  We are so thrilled to be working with the National Military Family Association to provide over 10,000 military children and families in 63 sites and 38 different states with a free Operation Purple camp experience this year.  Operation Purple summer camp registration will be opening soon, so please be sure to click here to sign up for the Operation Purple email list and be the first to find out about the 2009 camps! 

I'm excited to report that our new MFO brochure is nearly complete and headed to the printers this week.  Last month I traveled to California to do a photo-shoot with a military family to take some additional photos to include in our new brochure.  We are so grateful to the Murphy family for their help.  They were great sports and beautiful models.  We had a wonderful time and got some great shots as we hiked around the San Gabriel Mountains.

Please let me know if you're interested in a copy (or copies) of our brochure and I'll be sure to send them out to you when they come in next month.

Warm wishes!

Brittany

Hooray for the holidays!

The holiday season is here!  This has always been one of my favorite times of year because of the joy and spirit of the season, as well as the excitement and anticipation of great things to come in the new year.  In spite of the current economy, there is a feeling of hope and change in the air and the promise of better days ahead.

For the MFO team, this has been a time of review and reflection on our challenges and successes of 2008, as well as a time for planning and brainstorming for an exciting 2009.  We are looking forward to another amazing year working with our partners at the Armed Services YMCA, National Military Family Association, and Outward Bound to provide quality outdoor experiences for military veterans, service members and their families. 

We are continually striving to improve and expand our Military Families Outdoors program to connect those families making the greatest sacrifices for our country with the natural wonders that make this land great.  2009 will be our biggest year yet - camps, retreats, and courses are being planned all around the country offering unique outdoor escapes from the day-to-day stresses of military life.

As we gear up for another busy year, don't forget to take some time to get out and enjoy the winter air.  The holidays are all about connecting with family, so be sure to share in some outdoor winter fun with yours!  A crisp walk through a local park, an outdoor ice skating trip, an evening of star gazing with some hot apple cider, or even a few slides down that awesome sledding hill in the backyard are all great activities to rejuvenate and refresh - especially if holiday stress is bogging you down. 

Have a joyous and wonderful holiday, and please be sure to send some special season's greetings to our brave men and women who are serving overseas this time of year.

Warm wishes,

Brittany

November is a great time for thanks

Tomorrow, November 11th, is Veterans Day - a time when our country pauses to honor the sacrifices of all of our veterans, those who are with us and those who have passed.  We pay tribute to the courageous service of our veterans and thank them for safeguarding the ideals of liberty and democracy for generations of Americans. 

We are proud to be working with Outward Bound to connect our honorable veterans with wilderness  adventure experiences.  We want to ensure that military service members are given the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of America's vast natural heritage - the amazing national parks, scenic rivers, and mountainous vistas- that they work so hard to defend.  Click here to check out a powerful new video of veterans who recently participated in an Outward Bound Veterans Expedition.   

Talk to any veteran about their service, and they'll be quick to point out the amazing achievements, challenges and sacrifices that their families have made by supporting them.  Therefore it seems only fitting that November is also Military Family Month - an annual observance sponsored by the Armed Services YMCA.  The celebration of Military Family Month demonstrates the nation's support for, and commitment to, the families of military personnel.  With hundreds of thousands of service members deployed overseas, recognizing the daily sacrifices made by military families is particularly important these days.

We all know that November is also the month of Thanksgiving.  So, while you're giving thanks this month, please take a moment to thank a military veteran, and the spouses, parents, and children of our military service members. 

Bonding, brainstorming, and big planning

The beautiful fall weather was the perfect backdrop for a few days of bonding, brainstorming and planning with Sierra Club's Military Families Outdoors partners.  October 13-16 was our first annual MFO Summit and took place at the Marconi Conference Center near Point Reyes, CA.   Representatives from Outward Bound, National Military Family Association (NMFA) and Armed Services YMCA joined with the Sierra Club to discuss providing quality outdoor experiences for military families.

Outward Bound's veterans program provides a week long adventure wilderness course for veterans of combat operations in Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) and Southwest Asia (Operation Iraqi Freedom).  Outward Bound has received an unprecedented response to the program and course participants have been thrilled with their amazing experiences.  Courses for 2008 are already booked and 2009 courses are filling fast!

The National Military Family Association's Operation Purple has provided tens of thousands of military children with a fun free week of summer camp where the kids experience the healing powers of the outdoors, make new friends, and learn coping skills to deal with the stresses of deployment.  Last week I attended NMFA's Youth Summit where we learned about current research regarding the impacts of deployment on military children and discussed the community programs and military services available to benefit military kids.  Operation Purple is one such great program that gives kids valuable skills as well as lifetime of wonderful camp memories.  Sign up via the NMFA website to find out when registration starts for 2009 summer camp sessions.

The Armed Services YMCA provides military families and children with resident and day camp experiences at local camps near military installations.  These camps give military families the opportunity to escape the day to day stresses of military life and spend some time together in the outdoors.  The camps have received great feedback and planning is currently underway for new locations and next year's camp dates!

The Sierra Club is extremely proud of our partnership with these impressive organizations.  We had a great couple of days at the summit reviewing the amazing work that happened this year and beginning our planning for another fun and successful year of providing outdoor programs for military families.  And of course, we couldn't plan outdoor activities without participating in a little outdoor recreation ourselves!

 

A season of change and inspirational leaders

This time of year has me thinking about seasons, change, and inspirational leaders.  After a fun and rewarding summer of camps, I've had the good fortune to meet a variety of important public officials in recent weeks.

On August 20th, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) attended an Operation Purple Camp with us in Poulsbo, Washington.  Senator Murray is the first woman to serve on the Senate Veteran's Affairs Committee and an advocate for veterans, military families, children and the environment.  Senator Murray's visit was a great opportunity to highlight the healing power of nature and demonstrate how Operation Purple camps provide military children with a much needed respite from the daily stresses of military life.  Click here to read the Kitsap Sun article about the day.

Last week, I attended the NMFA's Congressional Reception to honor the recipients of the 2008 Support of Military Families Award.  Awards were presented to outstanding policy makers and public servants who have shown exceptional support of military families.   This year’s recipients were: The Honorable Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense; Ms. Leslye Arsht, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy; Representative Ike Skelton (D-MO, 4th), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee; Representative Jason Altmire (D-PA, 4th); and Ms. Debra Wada, professional staff member of the House Armed Services Committee.  Over 450 people attended the event to show their appreciation for the admirable work the NMFA and these awardees are doing on behalf of military families.

On Monday, wild Kansas sunflowers were blooming all over as we drove into Topeka to meet with Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius. Ted Hayden, the Fort Riley ASYMCA Executive Director, Mrs. Annette Wiggins, wife of Fort Riley Commanding General Perry Wiggins, and Oliver Hunter IV, Director of Mission Support Element for the 1st Division and I met with Governor Sebelius to discuss the Sierra Club's partnership with the ASYMCA connecting military families with the healing powers of our natural heritage.  Through the ASYMCA's partnership with the Kansas National Guard and Reserves we were able to help ensure that every dependent child of a Kansas National Guard or Reserve member was able to attend a week of outdoor summer camp.  It was a very positive meeting with great energy and excitement about our partnership and future endeavors.  The Sierra Club is grateful to Governor Sebelius for her support of military families and for her strong leadership on clean, alternative energy.

It's a beautiful time of year, so be sure to get out and enjoy it!   

Catalina to Camp Pendleton - military children and the healing power of nature

Last week I had the pleasure of spending 3 days at an Operation Purple camp on Catalina Island, CA.  "Purple" is a term used to encompass all military service branches - Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard and Reserves.  The Sierra Club has partnered with the National Military Family Association (NMFA)'s Operation Purple to provide free summer camps for military children coping with the deployment or pending deployment of one or both parents. The camps provide military children with the healing powers of the outdoors and tools to help them deal with the stresses of military life.

The Sierra Club believes that every child, every person, deserves and needs to have a special place in nature.  And too often in today's society, children just don't get those outdoor experiences.  In fact, when I talk to kids at camp about what they'd be doing if they weren't at camp this week, the top two answers are ALWAYS - 1) watching TV, and 2) playing video games.  And yet, while they're there, these same kids are having an amazing time!  They're running and playing and experiencing all the mental and physical benefits that come from playing outside.  In fact, according to a CA Department of Education study, children gain self-esteem and personal responsibility from outdoor experiences - and students who spend a week in an outdoor education setting see their science test scores increase by 27%!!

After having spent a week on Catalina Island, 120 kids returned home to Camp Pendleton on Friday.   Their buses were greeted by cheering families and friends waving welcome home signs and treated to a Welcome Home Celebration on the beach with NMFA, Sierra Club and The Sierra Club Foundation.  Click here to see the press release about the event

The Catalina camp was just one of 62 locations in 37 states hosting Operation Purple camps this summer.  Through our partnership with NMFA, we are sending 10,000 military kids to 100 weeks of free outdoor summer camps!  Over 50% of these kids have never before participated in an outdoor camp.  We're so proud to be providing these much needed outdoor experiences to military children - particularly during such a crucial time in their lives.  Drawing on the healing and connecting benefits of the outdoors, these camp experiences empower military children and provide a much needed respite from worries about their deployed parent.