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A Co. 2-147 AHB
30-day/MIRT
Dec. 1, 2012
Metro Area | | Reintegration event. |
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Appleton, Lac qui Parle County, Morris, Sauk Centre and Renville County Yellow Ribbon Proclamation
Dec. 7, 2012
Willmar | | New Yellow Ribbon Cities and Counties! |
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Strong Bonds
Marriage Retreat
Dec. 14-16, 2012
Northern Minnesota | | Click here for more information. |
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A Co. 2-147 AHB
60-day
Jan. 5, 2013
Metro Area | | Reintegration event. |
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Strong Bonds Spouse/Family of Deployed Servicemember Retreat
Jan. 11-13, 2013
Metro Area | | Click here for more information. |
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147th HRC 30-day
Jan. 12, 2013
Metro Area | | Reintegration event. |
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Military Family
Winter Weekend
Feb. 1-3, 2013
Ironwood Springs
Christian Ranch,
Stewartville | | Click here for more information. |
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Strong Bonds
Marriage Retreat
Feb. 8-10, 2013
Metro Area | | Click here for more information. |
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147th HRC 60-day
257th MP FRA
Feb. 9, 2013
Metro Area | | Reintegration event and Family Readiness Academy. |
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Strong Bonds supports separated families |
 Spouses and military family members with a deployed loved one are invited to participate in the Strong Bonds for Families weekend event Jan. 11 to 13 in the south-metro area.
The weekend kicks off with a Friday-night welcome that includes a kid-friendly program tailored to their needs as military children. After the Saturday program, family members can choose from a variety of donated activities and services to participate in or plan their own special evening. Hotel rooms for both Friday and Saturday are covered, and morning meals provided.
"It's a great time for people to get together and support each other as they go through the hardships of family separation," said Sgt. 1st Class Hickory Smith, the Minnesota National Guard's full-time state chaplain assistant.
"It sort of feels like the support of an extended family," wrote one participant of a past Strong Bonds Family Retreat. "I learned new things, shared things with other spouses and just had the opportunity to visit with spouses who are sharing similar issues, worries and challenges.
"Child care was excellent. My daughter had a great time, made friends, enjoyed the crafts and asked me to stay longer."
Space is limited, with room for up to 30 reservations per Strong Bonds Retreat. Several spots remain open for the January Retreat.
All Strong Bonds retreats are offered at no cost.Learn more here. | |
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Now accepting nominations for spouses |
 "Military Spouse" magazine is seeking nominations from every military installation and state for the 2013 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year Award!
The award, founded in 2008, was created to recognize spouses of all ranks and branches of service.
Now until Jan. 4, nominations will be accepted to recognize deserving spouses for their important contributions and unwavering commitment to the military community and the country. | |
Hugo wins Sea of Goodwill award |
 Last year, the City of Hugo received honorable mention when Homeward Deployed announced its Sea of Goodwill award recipients. This year, Hugo proved they had the support channels in place to take the next step and be honored as the nation's leading mid-size city in support of Servicemembers and military families. In a letter from Gretchen Martens, founder and CEO of Homeward Deployed, to the city Hugo, she wrote, "We are so impressed with what your community has done to support America's military. You truly embody the spirit of what makes Hometown America great." Since being one of Minnesota's first cities to be proclaimed Yellow Ribbon, the Network has hosted its monthly Burgers for the Troops event and the Welcome Home Pheasant Hunt. "Congratulations go out to all of the Hugo Yellow Ribbon Network volunteers and business sponsors who are being recognized for their fantastic efforts to make a difference in the lives of our military members and their families," said Chuck Haas. Martens will present the award at Hugo City Hall on Dec. 14 at 5 p.m. Volunteers, donors and business sponsors are invited to attend the ceremony, which includes social hour and refreshments from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.. Please RSVP to Hugo's City Clerk, Michele Lindau, at 651-762-6315. | |
| Border partnership allows training to continue | |
 Since 2006, hundreds of professional educators in Minnesota have participated in Military Child Education Coalition training seminars designed to help educators meet the needs of military-connected youth, said Cpt. Marian Belinski, the state family programs director with Deployment Cycle Support. Because of Minnesota's high participation rate, however, future opportunities for educators to participate in the two-day training seminars was in peril.
"MCEC receives donations to send volunteers to different states to train professional educators on the needs of military youth," Belinski said. "However, they didn't see Minnesota as a priority since we had sent so many people to attend the training in the past."
Belinski recognized the need for professionals to receive the training needed to cover all of the 23,000 military-connected youth in Minnesota, she said, and efforts were made to continue that training across the border.
"We can continue to educate and train Minnesota professional educators on the unique needs of military-connected youth by partnering with Wisconsin to provide that training," Belinski said.
The MCEC's next scheduled training seminar, the Living in the New Normal Institute, will take place Dec. 6 to 7 in Superior, Wis. To hear about future MCEC training opportunities, switch your email preferences in your Constant Contact account to include "Family Programs" by selecting "Update Profile/Email Address" at the bottom of this email. | |
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Thank you comes easy at Hasting's inn | |
 Last month, a leader from Beyond the Yellow Ribbon - Hastings received a thank you email from the owners of the Rosewood Inn and Spa in Hastings, which recently began offering free stays to Servicemembers and their partners. That email contained the following note:
We are so grateful for you and all your hard work for vets. We just had a wonderful couple stay Thursday with our free night program. He was a decorated Marine. He said he seldom hears, "Thank you," for his service.
I said we would not even have thought to expand our offering [to Servicemembers] if it wasn't for our local Beyond the Yellow Ribbon campaign. Thanks for helping us express our thanks in this small, one-at-a-time way.
The Rosewood Inn and Spa is one of many resorts, hotels and inns that offer getaways to Servicemembers and their families - a unique way to thank them for their service.
Learn more about overnight stays offered by businesses throughout Minnesota, including the ongoing offer by the Rosewood Inn and Spa, here. |
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