CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – One of the hardships facing many military families is finding ways to connect after separations due to training and deployments.
This can be especially hard once families begin transitioning and the focus becomes finding a new family dynamic, new home and new career. The USO Transition 360 Alliance Programs speak to this need by strengthening military service members by keeping them connected to family, home and their communities.
At our local USO Fort Campbell RP/6 center they are working to connect our Screaming Eagles Families to the Clarksville Community and to one another by hosting family events such as the Building Bonds Building Block Challenge.
Today service members and families joined together at the USO Fort Campbell RP/6 Center to compete by building Tanks and Helicopters from building block sets. The goal of the program is to have teams of service members and their children work together to make different Lego sets strengthening the communication between family members while at the same time engaging with transition partners in the community.
None of this could have happened without the amazing partners who work daily with the RP/6 staff. Legos were donated by the Austin Peay Department of Business purchased as well as the Cabaret Show from SINClaire’s. APSU also had a student, Dylan White, from the marketing department to help with flyers, design, and outreach. Dodge’s Pizza donated the food, Photobooth of Clarksville donated family pictures, L.E.A.P, worked with families on connecting and creating their masterpieces and D&D Mini Golf donated the prize.
Elliot Pernula and his children James and Annalee finished their tank in record time and had a great time. Elliot stated, “We did not realize there was a prize. We were happy to spend time together as a family. It was fun.” The Pernula family won dinner and a game at D&D Black Light Mini Golf.