San Diego Armed Services YMCA April 2009 Volume 4, Issue 4 Serving 6,000 active-duty junior-enlisted military service members and their families each month with over 40 free programs! Welcome! We have been having a blast this month with events like our much-loved Healthy Kids Day, the many volunteer trips for our hardworking Military Volunteers, and the Celebrity Classic Military Appreciation Day. Naval Medical Center again packed this month with field trips including a visit to the Price is Right for a group of Marines. Of course, we would also like to send a big thank you to Avant Garde for their generous donation in March! The Armed Services YMCA s 4 th Annual Healthy Kids Day was a huge success! With the help of more than 20 active duty volunteers and over 10 vendors from organizations such as the American Red Cross and the California National Guard, more than 200 military personnel and their families enjoyed an afternoon of active play, healthy food choices, and family bonding! 4th Annual Healthy Kids Day Compiled & Edited by Katie DesBois
Page 2 Thank you Avant Garde! During the March 25th Board of Management meeting, Avant Garde presented their wishlist donation of over $6,000 to the San Diego ASYMCA. The Avant Garde has supported the ASYMCA for over 20 years! Thank you Avant Garde for your generous donation and much appreciated support! Active Duty Programs NAB Kids Easter Party Military Volunteers have been all over San Diego, cleaning rivers, beaches, and gardens during March and April. On April 4th, the ASYMCA Military Volunteers teamed up with the Crime Victims Oak Garden for a Clean Up. The ASYMCA partnered up with the San Diego River Park Foundation for a clean up of the San Diego River in Mission Valley 28 March.
Naval Medical Center Thanks to Blooms From The Heart, the Armed Services YMCA distributed flowers throughout Naval Medical Center. On April 9 th, ASYMCA staff and volunteers received a generous flower donation from the USS Midway. ASYMCA volunteers distributed the arrangements to the Comprehensive Combat & Complex Casualty Care (C5) Department, Mother/Infant Wards, Internal Medicine and Oncology. Come on Down! Page 3 That s what one of the wounded Marines here at Naval Medical Center heard on our trip to the game show The Price is Right! A large group made the trip up to Los Angeles with the hopes of winning big! Our group was fortunate enough to get one of our very own picked to be on the show. Leaving with a Jacuzzi made for a great day for this deserving Marine. April also included a trip to Long Beach for Racing for Our Heroes, where patients received VIP treatment at the American Le Man s Series Sports Car Racing event. The month of May will be full of fishing trips, golf tournaments, the Red Bull Air Races, and the annual Coronado Bay Bridge Run! Children throughout Naval Medical Center celebrated Easter a little early this year. ASYMCA volunteers spent the week filling colorful eggs with prizes for the children in Pediatrics. On April 10 th, volunteers hid the plastic eggs throughout the pediatric ward. Staff, patients and volunteers laughed as they hunted for hidden eggs. After the hunt, the kids and volunteers put crayon to paper during a bunny picture coloring contest. Everyone had a great time and each child received a prize for participating. Volunteers also distributed Easter bags filled with goodies to children visiting the clinics and sitting in the pharmacy. ASYMCA volunteers made the Easter Bunny proud! San Diego ASYMCA Murphy Canyon Headquarters 6 lucky families from the USS Higgins received new computers at this month s KUSI computer giveaway.
Page 4 3rd Annual Wounded Warrior Day at the San Diego Celebrity Classic Friday, April 24th marked the 3rd Annual Wounded Warrior Day at the San Diego Celebrity Classic. 4th Annual Military Appreciation Day On Sunday, April 26th, over 1,500 military service members and their families came to Morgan Run Golf Course for the 4th Annual Military Day. Families met celebrities, enjoyed a free lunch provided by Carl's Junior, and spent time together perusing the many booths and activities offered throughout the day. Congratulations Katelyn Byrd for winning the ASYMCA Next Top Artist Contest! Double Duty Family of the Year The ASYMCA honored Jason Perron (Medically discharged Veteran USMC) and Melissa Perron (Gunners Mate U.S. Navy Maritime Expeditionary Boat Det. 341) with the 3rd Annual ASYMCA s Double Duty Family of the Year award. Melissa Perron is currently on her second Boots on Ground deployment to the Middle East while Jason Perron is the stay home dad who also volunteers as the Command Ombudsman for Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron 3, as well as a mentor and San Diego Team Leader with COMPASS, (Navy Spouses Mentoring Navy Spouses). The Perron family were nominated by ASYMCA staff who often see the Perron family at ASYMCA free events and see the special family bond they share with their three young children. Calendar of events May 7th Volunteer Recognition Luncheon 9th Mothers Day BBQ with Sears Essentials 9th Wizard of Oz Junior Theatre Production for ASYMCA 19th Computer Giveaway 21st KUSI Shopping Spree; NMC 28th ASYMCA Neighbor to Neighbor Event June 13th NICU Reunion 23rd KUSI Shopping Spree; NMC 25th 3rd Annual Christmas You Missed 25th ASYMCA Neighbor to Neighbor Event 29th Computer Giveaway
Page 5 Our Latest donors Thank you for your support... Avant Garde Blooms From the Heart FOCUS Rescue Task Force Atlas Hotels Warrior Foundation Navy Old Goats Lambs Players Theatre The Lash Foundation Integrated Sports Marketing TriWest Carl's Junior Prudential California Realty Thank you for your support for our 2009 Healthy Kids Day The MWR Youth Center United Through Reading Fleet & Family Support Healthy Start Military Family Cluster San Diego Spine and Rehab The California National Guard The Mission Valley YMCA The American Red Cross Little Yogis Lincoln Military Housing Thank you Corporate Partner Members...
Final thoughts... From the Desk of Executive Director Paul Steffens: Lots of action around the San Diego Armed Services YMCA as Spring be- gins. What better way to begin a new season than Healthy Kids Day. Kids are the future of every community and it is an adult responsibility to ensure our kids have a solid foundation to prepare them for the future. One im- portant aspect of that foundation is health and fitness. Ingraining positive values and healthy habits in our kids now will enable them to be leaders in the future. It is crucial that each of us strive to be positive role models for our kids and provide an environment where they are surrounded by activi- ties that lead them to the right path in life. We will continue to assist in paving that path and invite everyone to join us in that positive effort. Part of this path is shown in the positive impact our terrific military volunteers have on the San Diego Community. The energy displayed by these out- standing young men and women, who proudly serve our nation, makes a difference in San Diego. They are exceptional role models and I salute them. Speaking of a positive organization, I continue to marvel at the sup- port Avant Garde provides to, not only the Armed Services YMCA, but to San Diego. They quietly engage themselves in so many efforts that assist junior enlisted personnel and their families. They do make a difference in the lives of so many people. I also want to express my appreciation to those associated with the Celebrity Golf Classic and their recognition of military families. You can tell by the pictures of the event that those at- tending enjoyed a fun day. Thanks to Computers to San Diego Kids six families are now able to maintain contact with a deployed family members. A special thanks to Computers to San Diego Kids and the businesses who donate their computers to be given to San Diego Kids. Keep Chargin! Paul For more information on how YOU can make a difference info@asymcasd.org 858.751.5755 www.militaryymca.org