Family Day is Sunday!

Hello FRG!!

We are back! We have had a short hiatus, but it is back to business with the holiday season coming up! Your soldier should have received a newsletter this week from the Armory with information about Family Day! Yes, it is THIS Sunday! It will be held at the Harrisonville High School Cafeteria at noon! There will be a raffle, and we have some great prizes from Luggage, Cooking Sets to a new Red Wii! Santa plans to make an appearance, and of course lots of food. Everyone is welcome to come to this family day, as you may know this is that last drill that the soldiers who are attached to other units will be attending. Please bring your child a gift, we do not have that many extra this year to give out. However if you are not able to get your child a gift due to financial need please let me know and I will try to get something for you. In addition, if you are in financial trouble and the holidays are going to be a rough time. Please let me know now and the FRG will do anything we can to help you out this season.

Usually at every family day, we all pitch in and bring sides. This year they are taking a collection from the soldiers to buy sides due to overlap in the past. However, if you make a great dessert or an awesome side, please go ahead and bring it we would love to try it! We would love to have it. Moreover, there is never enough food!

Here is the breakdown of Sunday:
When: 12 pm Sunday December 5, 2010
Where: Harrisonville High School Cafeteria
Who is coming: Santa
What to bring: a gift for your child and a side, dessert, or bread if you can
Raffle: Tickets are $1 each, 6 for $5, 13 for $10, 20 for $15 and 25 for $20

See you Sunday!

Golf, life lessons available to Guard children

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, (4/30/10) -- It's tee time for children from military families, thanks to The First Tee Military Affiliate Program.
The program offers free golf instruction to children from National Guard and Reserve families geographically separated from a military base at The First Tee's 200 chapters across the nation.

School-age children at all skill levels, from beginner to advanced, are invited to hone their golf game with the help of trained coaches. The goal is to welcome at least 6,000 participants, defense officials said.

The program not only sharpens children's skills on golf course greens and fairways, but it also provides life skills. Along with basic golf instruction, The First Tee coaches teach children interpersonal communication, managing emotions, goal-setting and overcoming obstacles.

"The First Tee youth development program gets kids outside in fresh air and sunshine, engages them in meaningful activity, and provides the opportunity for individual skill building with group camaraderie," said Barbara Thompson, director of the Defense Department's office of family policy, children and youth. "The First Tee core values mirror the core values of their parents, including honesty, integrity, respect, courtesy, responsibility and perseverance."

To sign up, parents can visit a First Tee chapter in their community or download a coupon for free instruction by visiting The First Tee website,
http://www.thefirsttee.org/military.

The site also includes a listing of chapter locations.
"We are excited to have this program as an option for military children in or near their communities," Thompson said.
Military children on or near a base, both stateside and overseas, also can benefit from free golf instruction through The First Tee. Some local chapters have teamed up with stateside military youth programs to offer the program to military children.

First Tee officials also are working with some overseas installations to implement its program. The First Tee provides the curriculum and training so the program can run without a nearby chapter.

Military families should contact their local youth center to determine if The First Tee program is in place or coming their way.

"We recognize that military children have many interests, and for that reason, we continue to look for a wide variety of opportunities that offer a positive learning experience along with the opportunity for personal growth," Thompson said. "We know also that if it's an activity for children, these opportunities need to include an element of fun."

The First Tee, an initiative of the World Golf Foundation, was created in 1997 as a way of bringing golf to youth who otherwise would not be exposed to the game and its positive values, according to The First Tee website.

BRAD PAISLEY!!!

HURRY: $10 Military Ticket Special for Brad Paisley: May 28
To honor our servicemen and women at the Memorial Day weekend show on May 28, Brad Paisley is offering $10 reserved tickets for military personnel. Special $10 military tickets are available with a Military ID now online at Ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster Outlets, Sprint Center Box Office or charge by phone (800) 745-3000 while supplies last. Click here to purchase tickets:
http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/06004470A176817E?artistid=714837&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=2&brand=sprintcenter

Military Kids Youth Camps!

Note Changes in Missouri Operation: Military Kids Youth Camps!
We did not receive enough registrations for previous Amtrak trip to St. Louis, but we are trying again in July!
Title: Track Across Missouri
Place: Amtrak round trip Jefferson City to St. Louis-Science Center Camp-In!
Date: July 16 – 17, 2010
Time: 9 AM Friday – 6:30 PM Saturday
Contact: Sgt Julie Olson, julie.olson2@us.army.mil or
Contact: Joan Zeller, zellerc@missouri.edu
----------------------------------------------------------
Title: Robotics - FIRST Lego League!
Place: University of Missouri Kansas City – Explore the Campus!
Date: July 5 - 9, 2010 - Staying in Brand New Dormitory Johnson Hall!
Time: 6:00 p.m. (Monday) - 3:30 p.m. (Friday)
Contact: Joan Zeller, zellerc@missouri.edu or
Contact: Bethany Schindler at bnsgy9@mizzou.edu
---------------------------------------------------------
Title: Four Star Chef
Place: UCM Campus, Warrensburg and Whiteman Air Force Base
Date: August 2-4, 2010
Contact: Waita Karcher, karcherw@missouri.edu or
Contact: Bethany Schindler at bnsgy9@mizzou.edu

Purple Heart Family Support

Vote Each Day!
Sign up to receive a reminder in your email daily (see the "Join Our Mailing List" button to the right), every morning you receive the reminder click the VOTE DAILY link to your right to cast your vote. You can vote up to ten times for ten different ideas each day. While we encourage voting for multiple ideas, we would like to ask that you only vote for Purple Heart Family Support in the $250,000 category. There are some other amazing ideas out there for the month of April worthy of your support too!

http://www.refresheverything.com/marineparents

Spread the Word!
Spread the word to your family, friends, co-workers, members of organizations and churches you may belong to, and, of course, in your social networking groups such as Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter. If you're a blogger, we'd appreciate a shout out each day as well. Posting where permitted on message boards would be a great way to spread the word too. See "Share this Email" to your right or scroll to the bottom of this email newsletter for links to share and forward.

To learn more about the Pepsi Refresh grants being offered, about Purple Heart Family Support, and how we'll use the $250,000 to support our Wounded Warriors and their families, please visit our website where you'll find all the information:


http://www.PurpleHeartFamilies.com/Pepsi


Thank you for your help and your work. Together, we can get this done!

Sincerely,
Tracy Della Vecchia, Founder
MarineParents.com, Inc.

HELLO FRG!!! :)

Hello FRG!!!

I hope you are having a wonderful St. Patrick’s day and having a green beer! Lots of updates.

FRG meeting is April 10 @ 11 am! As you may know the Soldiers are due back in August, and this meeting will be the beginning of planning. Due to LOW attendance, I will only hold a meeting in April and June. Then they will be home in August, therefore if you want input in the coming home ceremony the April meeting would be what you need to attend and June will have the final details. Please RSVP at FRG1139th@gmail.com as the American Legion will be providing lunch!

Additionally, we have a specialist coming to speak on preparing for our soldiers’ to come home. As some of you may have experienced prior to this deployment, coming home can be just as difficult as leaving. We all need to be prepared for how this will affect our relationship with our soldiers.

We also need to begin thinking about fundraising, Sonic has offered to allow us to Carhop and keep the tips as donations, but due to the poor attendance at meetings and events I do not think this is a good idea. Maybe we ought to just take donations? I am taking any suggestions if you have them!

IF YOU WANT DOG TAGS—you have to send me your soldiers email address and the name of your kids. The dog tags have to be requested by the solider. Many sent me names of children only and not their soldier’s information. If you send me your soldiers info I can contact them and tell them how to put the request in for the dog tags!
T-shirts have been designed with the Pale Horse Riders logo on it, they are working on making them cheaper. The order forms will be at the meeting, it may be a cool idea to wear them to the Welcome Home ceremony to show who the families are!!

For those who attended the AMAZING Dave Ramsey FPU! If you have questions let me know and we can email him. He said he is more than willing to come back and do a talk for us again!

Also there is a Yellow Ribbon event on March 27th! Check the blog for more information.

LASTLY Family day is May 2nd, more info to come!

I look forward to your emails!
Jessica

Yellow Ribbon Ceremoney,March 27th!!!

I am sending you a reminder about the event we will be holding for the
1141st, 1139th and Det 40 Family Members/Supporters, Rear Det and FRG on 27
Mar 2010. To be held in Kansas City at Holiday Inn-Aladdin.

I am asking for you to keep your ears open for any family member that might
mention this and encourage their attendance please.

Our office will also be calling everyone we possibly can to encourage their
attendance.

If I do not have a minimum of 10 people, I will be forced to cancel the
event. As of right now, I only have 6 people registered. That is a very small
number compared to the pax these 3 units make up. Any encouragement you can
offer on your end to these families is greatly appreciated!

Thank you everyone! Have a great week!

Sincerely,

Laura E Bennett
Yellow Ribbon Support Specialist Level II Contractor for Army National Guard
Yellow Ribbon Support Services GAP Solutions
2302 Militia Dr
Jefferson City MO 65101
Cell: 573-208-0098
Work: 573-638-9500 ext 7093
Email: laura.e.bennett1@us.army.mil

Promote Early Literacy!

To promote young children's delight in talking, listening, reading, and writing, adults need to provide a variety of interesting language experiences. Children who have reading difficulties in the primary grades often had limited early literacy learning experiences.

Children with reading difficulties have:
less letter knowledge
less sensitivity to the notion that the sounds of speech are distinct from their meaning
less familiarity with the basic purpose and mechanisms of reading
poorer general language ability

Children who are skilled readers:
understand the alphabet and letters
use background knowledge and strategies to obtain meaning from print
and can easily identify words and read fluently

Activities that prepare young children for learning to read emphasize counting, number concepts, letter names, shapes, sounds, phonological and phonemic awareness, models of adult interest in literacy, and independent and cooperative literacy activities.

Key Concepts in Children's Early Literacy:
Phonological Awareness: An appreciation of the sounds and meanings of spoken words. For example, a phonologically aware child can perceive and produce rhyming words (dice, mice, ice), divide words into sounds and/or syllables and put them back together again (e.g., ladybug -lady & bug, butterfly -butter & fly), and recognize that groups of words have the same sound at the start (fish, frog, fruit) or the same sound at the end (added by Joan Zeller: bus, glass, cups).
Phonemic Awareness: An advanced form of phonological awareness. The awareness that printed symbols, such as letters, systematically represent the component sounds of the language. Children who demonstrate phonemic awareness recognize the sound-symbol relationship. Phonemic awareness allows children to sound out words. (added by Joan Zeller: m-o-m mom, d-a-d dad).

To Promote Early Literacy:

Be a model of literate behavior for your children: write notes, keep a calendar and daily planner, post lists of food and household needs and children's responsibilities, introduce new vocabulary words during routine conversation and while reading, and subscribe to a local newspaper and magazines the entire family will enjoy.

Discuss printed text, words and sounds as objects that can be thought about, manipulated, altered, and explored: sing songs, make up silly rhymes, read books, and play with words and sounds every day.

Help children build and use their ever-growing vocabulary.

Provide children with the tools of literate behavior (pens, pencils, markers, paper, envelopes, a stapler, paperclips, stamps, a dictionary, an atlas, telephone books, magazines, catalogues, newspapers, junk mail) and engage in daily literacy activities with your children (write thank you notes, mail birthday cards, look up phone numbers, find exotic destinations in an atlas, write lists, read books, visit the library).

To view this article online, go to http://missourifamilies.org/features/childcarearticles/childcare3.htm.

Need a Job when you get home?

This United States Intelligence Community will be hosting a “Virtual Career Fair” on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 from 10 a.m. thru 8 p.m. (Eastern Time). Virtual Career Fairs provide the jobseeker with the opportunity to chat with recruiters, explore job opportunities and apply for jobs from the comfort of their own computer.

Agencies participating in this career fair include the Central Intelligence Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, National Security Agency, Office of Naval Intelligence and Office of the
Director of National Intelligence. This career fair will showcase career opportunities in some of the following disciplines:

· Cybersecurity/Information Assurance
· Engineering and Physical Science
· Foreign Languages
· Information Technology
· Intelligence Analysis
· Law Enforcement

Although the majority of these positions are located in Baltimore/Washington, DC area, many agencies regularly have positions coming available nationwide. During the Virtual Career Fair participants will be able to:

· Visit virtual booths for Intelligence Community agencies
· Chat with recruiters in real time
· Apply to job openings
· Network with other job seekers
· Watch live presentations
· Download electronic brochures

Individuals interested in participating in this online event can register at: http://www.icvirtualfair.com/.

Veterans’ Preference:
Veterans may also receive preference in applying for many of these vacancies. Veterans' Preference gives eligible veterans preference in appointment over many other applicants. Veterans' preference applies to virtually all new appointments in both the competitive and excepted service. Veterans' preference does not guarantee veterans a job and it does not apply to internal agency actions such as promotions, transfers, reassignments and reinstatements.

As veterans' preference can be confusing, veterans can visit the following URL for an overview of qualifying for either a 5- or 10-point preference: http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx. Additionally, those unsure as to whether they may qualify for veterans’ preference points can also visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Preference Advisor at: http://www.dol.gov/elaws/vets/vetpref/mservice.htm.

Are you Sleeping??

Research in the area of sleep has determined that as many as two-thirds of Americans lack enough sleep. Over time the lack of sleep can lead to stress, depression and mental and physical exhaustion. We know that when we are not well rested we do not perform at our best. Most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep each night. Some people may need as few as five hours or as many as 10 hours of sleep each day. Children need even more sleep per day. Both children and adults can use naps to get the total number of hours of rest they need. The focus here is on ways that adults can meet their need for rest.

Lack of sleep can be caused by many factors. Some are within our control while others are beyond our control. Life changes such as moving, taking a new job or assignment at work, going on vacation, marriage and pregnancy, cause us to worry rather than sleep when we go to bed. Parents of young children know that until the children sleep soundly through the night, the parents will not be able to sleep either. As we age our sleep habits can change causing less restful sleep. Some medications may alter sleep patterns. Depression can also lead to sleep rhythms being disturbed. Medical providers should be consulted when sleep problems begin to interfere with functions of daily living for anyone.

Is your sleep account overdrawn? Consider your sleep habits. Your body has a regular rhythm. Your body and your brain will tell you when they need rest. Use this information to set a regular going to bed time and a regular getting up time. Maintaining this simple routine will help to supply your body with the energy it needs every day. Sleep cannot be stored. Bodies need rest on a regular basis.

Most people find that the conditions of the room are important to sleeping well. Usually people want the room dark, cool and quiet. Window coverings, fans and noise blockers can be used to achieve these requirements when needed.

Some people use a nap to get the extra sleep they need. Experts in the field of sleep suggest limiting an adult nap to less than 45 minutes and taking it before 4:00 p.m., to ensure that you can also get a full nights’ sleep.

Watch what you eat and drink in the evening. High protein, caffeine, and high sugar foods can keep you awake. Liquids can cause you to have to get up in the night.

Exercise earlier in the day can help you rest better at night. Generally people find that they need to complete the exercise 3 to 6 hours before trying to go to sleep.

Avoid excitement before bedtime. This is not the time to begin thinking about the big project at work or open the statement from your stock broker. Instead, try reading, taking a warm bath or shower, or adopting some other routine to help you relax before bedtime.

When traveling, try to keep your normal eating and sleeping routine. You may find it easier to adjust to a different time zone by adapting your sleeping times before you leave home to be the same as your destination. Some people plan for a day of rest after a long trip to give their bodies time to adjust to the changes.

Feeling well rested is the reward for good sleep habits. All work, whether at home or on the job, is easier when a person is rested. Are you getting enough sleep? If these suggestions do not help to improve your quality of sleep, it may be time to schedule an appointment with your family doctor to examine other options for getting the rest you need.

Source: National Sleep Foundation, http://www.sleepfoundation.org/

To view this article online, go to http://missourifamilies.org/features/healtharticles/health49.htm.

Nationa Nutrition Month!!

March is National Nutrition Month and this year’s theme is “Nutrition from the Ground Up.” The key messages from the American Dietetic Association, sponsor of National Nutrition Month, describe the basics of good nutrition and healthy eating:

Start with the basics — eating right doesn’t have to be complicated. A healthy eating plan emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat or fat-free dairy, and includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans and nuts. A healthy eating plan is also low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt and added sugars.
Make calories count by choosing nutrient-rich foods. Most food choices should be packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients — and lower in calories. Be aware of portion sizes. Even low-calorie foods can add up when portions are larger than you need.

Focus on variety by eating a variety of foods from all the food groups. Fruits and vegetables can be fresh, canned or frozen. Look for locally grown produce that’s in season. Vary protein choices with more fish, beans and peas. Include at least three servings every day of whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice or pasta.

Make the most of family mealtime. Eating meals together provides the opportunity to help children develop a healthy attitude toward food. Children who regularly eat meals with their family eat more fruits and vegetables and less fried food, saturated fat and soda than those who do not. It also enables parents to serve as role models, introduce new foods and establish a regular meal schedule.

To manage weight and promote overall health and fitness, regular physical activity is important. Set a goal to get 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. An example of moderate physical activity is walking two miles in 30 minutes, shoveling snow for 15 minutes or gardening for 30 to 45 minutes. When you are exercising moderately you will feel a faster heart rate, faster breathing and your body will feel warmer.

Build a healthy eating plan on a good nutritional foundation. For more information and lots of great ideas to eat well, go to the American Dietetics Association Web site at http://www.eatright.org/public/.

To view this article online, go to http://missourifamilies.org/features/nutritionarticles/nut365.htm.

Yellow Ribbon Ceremoney,March 27th!!!

I am sending you a reminder about the event we will be holding for the
1141st, 1139th and Det 40 Family Members/Supporters, Rear Det and FRG on 27
Mar 2010. To be held in Kansas City at Holiday Inn-Aladdin.

I am asking for you to keep your ears open for any family member that might
mention this and encourage their attendance please.

Our office will also be calling everyone we possibly can to encourage their
attendance.

If I do not have a minimum of 10 people, I will be forced to cancel the
event. As of right now, I only have 6 people registered. That is a very small
number compared to the pax these 3 units make up. Any encouragement you can
offer on your end to these families is greatly appreciated!

Thank you everyone! Have a great week!

Sincerely,

Laura E Bennett
Yellow Ribbon Support Specialist Level II Contractor for Army National Guard
Yellow Ribbon Support Services GAP Solutions
2302 Militia Dr
Jefferson City MO 65101
Cell: 573-208-0098
Work: 573-638-9500 ext 7093
Email: laura.e.bennett1@us.army.mil

Martina McBride/Trace Atkins Concert

Greetings all:
Attached is a flyer outlining a special offer being extended to U.S. Military Members for the upcoming Martina McBride and Trace Adkins concert at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis. This event will take place on Friday, March 26, 2010 at 7:30 PM. Military members are able to acquire tickets to the show for as little as $10.00. For more information on this event or to purchase tickets please refer to the attached flyer or contact:

Debbie O’Neil
Group Sales Executive
St. Louis Blues Hockey-Scottrade Center
(314) 622-2541
doneil@stlblues.com

KC Junior League

The Kansas City Junior League is hosting an event for children ages 2-12 who are in the Waiting Family program at AirZone located at 7807 North Oak Trafficway in North Kansas City, Missouri on 31 March 2010 from 6:00 to 7:30 pm. Per the website, kids ages 2 - 12 will go wild for their four awesome inflatables including a giant slide, two obstacle courses and jousting coliseum. They will have an unforgettable time running, jumping, sliding and playing in their own inflatable playground.

Moms & Dads will enjoy FREE Wi-Fi and a comfortable place to sit in our Cafe enjoying a smoothie or espresso while still being able to keep an eye on the kids.

Our littlest customers, children ages 2 and under can climb, slide and play in their own enclosed soft-play area.

Their website is located at www.airzonekidz.com. The Kansas City Junior League is covering the cost for attending, pizza and soda. Please RSVP to me NLT 19 March indicating the number of adults and children.

Have a great Army Family Strong week!

YELLOW RIBBON EVENT CANCELLED!!!

Due to 13 Feb being part of a 3 day weekend for some of you, we have made the
decision to cancel the event on that date.
We are going to re-schedule the event at the end of March.
I will be sending out new registration forms to you that will have all of the
detailed information on it.

The event will be held in Kansas City on 27 Mar. More details to follow.

I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Thank you!

Laura E Bennett
Yellow Ribbon Support Specialist Level II
Contractor for Army National Guard
Yellow Ribbon Support Services
GAP Solutions
2302 Militia Dr
Jefferson City MO 65101
Cell: 573-208-0098
Work: 573-638-9500 ext 7093

FRG MEETING!!! FEB 6!

The FRG Meeting is Feb. 6th and will be held at the Harrisonville Aromory at 11 am. You want to make this meeting. Have you heard of Dave Ramsey? Well he has a campus here in Kansas City and they have offered to have a FREE Financial Peace University session for the Families of the 1139th on February 6!! We will have Grace Baptist Church and we have fun activities for all the children. So if you are interested in attending please email FRG1139th@gmail.com . This way we can be sure to have enough material for everyone! I hope to see you all there!!

Jessica Omoile
FRG Lead


Also on of out soldier will be in the Newspaper today! Darin Chance and CHad Fouts!!
http://www.grainvalleypointe.com/articles/2010/01/26/news/doc4b5f2d1b14393234904786.txt

Protect our Troops!

Protect Our Troops is a nonprofit organization determined to give deployed service members peace of mind, and allow them to focus on protecting the freedoms of this great nation.
Our program is simple: we strive to provide protection and peace of mind to the families of deployed service members. Our goal is to provide these families with a security system at little or no cost to the family during the time of their deployment. If the family currently has a security system, as our resources allow, we will provide reimbursement for the monthly monitoring fees.
We rely 100% on word of mouth advertising for our services and Military Personnel, and Military Spouses have played a tremendous role in our success thus far.

If you know of families that could benefit from our services I encourage them to take a moment to visit our website www.protectourtroops.org

Joe Kunic
Protect Our Troops. Org
Processing Department
joe@protectourtroops.org
801-341-7079 ext 279
FAX 866-584-0606

Dog Tags for Kids!

The generosity of the public in supporting this effort is what enables us to send these tags. Please help us by spreading the word so that those in a position to help may do so. We will continue to do our best to provide the tags. We appreciate everyone's good thoughts and help! Thank you for helping us continue to support the troops and their families.

If you would like dog tags sent to your unit please fill out the form below. We usually send 135 tags at a time, but please order just one tag per child. If you need more than that amount for your unit, please let us know and we will do our best to accomodate everyone. Tags can be from either mom or dad. If you have any stories or pictures you would like to share please send them along, we'd love to post them!!!

NOTE: We will respond to most requests with in 48 hours. If you do not hear back from us, please feel free to drop us a reminder.

http://www.dogtagsforkids.com/request.php

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED EMAIL FRG1139th@GMAIL.COM we will be doing a MASS order!

Need help with your Taxes!!!!

To stay informed about our program and events, please see the January edition of the MC&FP eMagazine. All of our websites are listed, so just click on any of them for quick and easy access. If you have any suggestions or comments on how we can further improve this effort, please do not hesitate to let us know. Our next issue will be published in March.

We are pleased to announce that beginning Monday, January 18, 2010, Military OneSource (MOS) will once again provide free tax filing services and free tax consultations to military service members and their families during the tax season. For more information, see the related article in the eMagazine!

To view the January edition of the MC&FP eMagazine, please select the link below:

http://apps.mhf.dod.mil/mcfp/emag

Have a Family DAY!!!!!

Friends and people with contacts at Ft Leavenworth and National Guard & Reserves:
Here is media release about the Northland Ethnic Festival that I hope you can and will share with groups that you think may be interested in either presenting or attending! Here is flyer from 2009, which gives a pretty accurate listing of who we expect again this year.

Thanks!

Music, dancing, crafts, displays and food from dozens of countries and ethnic groups make the Northland Ethnic Festival a true family and community event.
April 17th from 11 am to 3:30, at Park Hill South High School with no admission fee, people are invited to learn more about their culture as well as gain awareness and appreciation for other groups in our community.

Festival planning committee includes Park Hill School District, Mid Continent Library System, Metropolitan Community College-Maple Woods, Ethnic Enrichment Commission, and Platte County University of Missouri Extension, and community volunteers. Funding is from Riverside Tourism Grant and Platte County Parks & Recreation Outreach Grant.

Groups interested in performing on stage, having a booth to sell or display ethnic items, or prepare and sell food need to apply by March 5th

There is no cost to be part of the event, but all presenters and vendors are reviewed by the committee to insure diversity of ethnic groups and cultures are represented and fulfill the mission of the 7 year old event.

Applications are available at extension.missouri.edu/platte or by calling Sharen Hunt, 4-H Youth Specialist, at 816 270 2141 or platteco@missouri.edu

This Festival is held at:

Park Hill South High School
4500 NW River Park Dr
Kansas City, MO 64150-9648
(816) 359-4120
Link:

Yellow Ribbon Ceremoney, Feb. 13th!!!

1139th & Det 40 Family Members,

I hope this finds everyone doing well, trying to stay warm and above the
snow! I am sending a friendly reminder to you about your Yellow Ribbon Reunion
Preview Event that is fast approaching. Registration forms have been mailed out to everyone, and feel free to spread the word about this as well. I only have access to a small percentage of your email addresses.

To date, I have only received one registration form back.

This event is for your benefit. We hope to educate you on the benefits
available to you, give you the guidance you may need, have the experts on
hand and available to you, give you a preview of what you may expect when
your Soldier returns home.

If you would like to attend this event, please take a moment to fill out the
registration form and return to me either via email or mail, no later than 5
Feb 2010 please.

Event information:
Date: 13 Feb 2010
Time: 12:00-4:30pm
Location: Comfort Inn & Suites-Harrisonville MO

Stay Connected!

Are you geographically dispersed?

Would you like to connect with other military family members and Service Members? Military OneSource has the tool for that connection.

Discussion Boards
Deployment. Health and fitness. Money. Whatever your concerns or needs, the Military OneSource community is here for you 24/7. Our discussion boards, moderated chats, and webinars will help to put your mind at ease. Share your experiences and thoughts or search for insightful ideas from other members of the military community in Missouri. For more information about discussion boards, please go to http://www.militaryonesource.com/

To participate in the Missouri discussion boards:

1. Log in.
2. Click on Online Community (blue tab at top).
3. Under Discussion board click on view and join or discussion boards.
4 Scroll down to Missouri.
5. Click on a topic of interest or add new topic.
6 Have fun connecting with other military families.

GUMBO DINNER!

The Episcopal Church in Harriionville has been A GREAT support of the FRG. Tonight they are hosting a Gumbo dinner to raise funds for the FRG and the Welcome Home Celebration for the troops! Please come out and show thanks to them. its From 4:30 - 8:30. I will be there so ask for me or Sandy!

Directions to the church:

If you are coming down 291 as you come into Harrisonville, turn left at the light where McDonalds is and continue on North Commercial. You will pass a Casey's on the right, Commerce Bank on the left, continue down under the railroad tracks and as you approach the BP gas station on the right you will need to make a left there which is Wall street. Follow up the hill and you will see the Baptist church on the left and on the same side of the street, next block is Spencer Hall and St. Peter's Episcopal Church. You may park in front on the street it's not a problem.

If you come down 71 Hwy south take the second exit which is Wall street. Make a right and continue on over the railroad tracks and follow around and get in the left hand lane at the stop light, make a left then the first street on your right is Wall Street and continue up and follow directions as I stated above.