CLARKSVILLE, TN – As home to the 101st Airborne Division, 5th Special Forces Group and 160th SOAR, many of Clarksville’s residents are familiar with the Month of Military Child. Celebrated in April, the month is dedicated to honoring #MightyMilitaryKids for their unique challenges in the name of our nation’s freedom. In an effort to thank these little heroes in a big way, the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Centerstone is once again throwing them a carnival.
“Our community is extremely supportive of our military families,” Meghan Williams, Outreach Director at the clinic, said. “I see it every day as I am out sharing resources with fellow veteran-serving organizations. Which is what gave me the idea that together, we can put on an event to remember.”
Williams and teammates at the Cohen Clinic at Centerstone held the clinic’s first carnival in 2023. Thanks to the outpouring of support from fellow veteran focused organizations throughout the community, the event was a huge success drawing more than 500 carnival goers to the festivities.
“We were so touched by our community partners’ willingness to join us in this effort last year. We couldn’t do this event without them. It’s a true testament to the love and support our community has for our military families,” Williams noted.
Along with various community resource vendors who will each provide a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) carnival game with prizes, many carnival attractions will be back this year including two magic shows, the dunking booth, bouncy houses, the chance to shoot hoops with members of the APSU women’s basketball team and more.
“This year’s carnival lineup is truly built off the success of last year. We wanted to ensure crowd favorites like the magic show, face painting and, of course the dunking booth were part of the mix, but we also wanted to add a bit more to the festivities, so this year we’ve added a DJ, food trucks and a few more surprises people won’t want to miss.”
One of those surprises may just come in the form of a hot dog on wheels. The Oscar Mayer Wiernermobile is set to make a pit stop at the event giving attendees a chance to get up close and personal with an American icon.
“We can’t wait for this event,” Clinic Director, Julie Adams added. “The community is showing up in a heartwarming way and we have so many people to thank. In the end, it’s all for our military kids. We hope to give them a day to remember.”
The Month of the Military Child Cohen Clinic Carnival is set for Saturday, April 20, from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm in the clinic parking lot located at 775 Weatherly Drive in Clarksville.
For more information, please contact the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Centerstone, (931) 221-3850.