Resource Fair sets off the school year for service members and their families

You can almost hear the school buses humming down the road as school starts in a matter of days. While the summer sun’s rays still shine, kids will be hitting the books and not just the beach. Hopefully, you have checked off every item on their list and have all preparations done. The back-to-school to-do list can be extensive and go beyond just getting crayons and pencils. Meeting new teachers, learning a new area and forming or readjusting to a new routine are some of the challenges families navigate this time of the year. To help service members and their families, the school liaisons partnered with other community resources to host the annual Ready, Set, Go to School: K- 2nd Information & Resource Fair at Russell Marine and Family Center on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Aug. 18.

“This is our biggest event,” said Julie Fulton, Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS) Lejeune-New River school liaison. “Parents are able to meet organizations throughout the community and school officials. We are giving away supplies and have had a great turnout so far.”

According to Fulton, 150 participants had visited the center with more expected.Various activities and games were available for families. Playing with bubbles and making homemade slime were among the popular choices for kids. Representatives from organizations such as Operation Homefront and Hope For The Warriors were present to give families school supplies.

“This has been very helpful for us,” said Crystal Franko, a mother in attendance. “There is plentiful information online about all of the resources here, but it is great to meet them in person to learn more about them.”

The Resource Fair was set up and ran by hundreds of volunteers who wanted to be a part of back-to-school for local families.

“We had 70 volunteers come out to help us make this a success,” said Donna Grady, MCCS Lejeune-New River school liaison. “Many came from the Single Marine Program and we are thankful for their hard work.”

The hard work was appreciated not only by school officials, but participating families as well.

“This is our first time doing all of this,” said Staff Sgt. William Huffman, father of a soon-to-be kindergartner. “My son is about to start school, so it has been very helpful to learn about all of the organizations and get ready for school together as a family.”

For more information about the school programs, visit www.mccslejeune-newriver.com/schools.