“Week of Air Force Family” kicks off

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Audra M. Hornbacher
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  Laughter and the excited chatter of children's voices filled the air in the Pride Hangar, Nov. 17, during a special event to kick off the Week of the Air Force family.

"We're here to kick off the 'National Week of the Military Family'," Laurie Adkins, 28th Force Support Squadron Airmen and Family Readiness Center community readiness consultant, said of the event. "We just want to remind people why it's important to celebrate family, whether it's your personal family or the 'big' Air Force family."

The event, hosted by agencies that make up the 28th FSS Airman and Family Services flight, included a variety of hands-on activities that encouraged more than 20 families to unite as one military family.

Elizabeth Hoffman, 28th FSS McRaven Child Development Center training and curriculum specialist, said the agencies provided food, interactive video gaming, face painting, bouncy castles and more.

"We had a foam table, which is a sensory thing for kids," Hoffman explained. "There were also board games for families or couples who wanted to sit down together and a beach ball to kick around."

Attendees could also record a video and audio message for their deployed family member.

According to Adkins, family events and activities at Ellsworth all have a common goal - to bring together military families, especially when times are tough. When members deploy and their spouses and children are left behind, networking with other families for support is an important part of a military family's foundation.

Brandy Henrickson, wife of Tech. Sgt. Charles Henrickson, 34th Aircraft Maintenance Unit aerospace maintenance craftsman, said why it is important to have family events like this available for the base.

"When (my husband) is deployed, it's hard for me not to have anybody to take the kids out, just to get out of the house and not go stir-crazy," said Henrickson. "I want to thank Airmen and Family services for doing things like this. Other bases we've been to didn't have events like this."

Although this was the first year for the Week of the Air Force Family event held at Ellsworth, Adkins said she is optimistic that it will be an annual event.