Weekly Volcano Blogs: Walkie Talkie Blog

Posts made in: 'Kids' (4) Currently Viewing: 1 - 4 of 4

June 3, 2014 at 2:57pm

Farrelli's Pizza to install a new play set at JBLM's Fisher House

Farrelli's Pizza family, Fisher House staff and even Harmon Brewing Co. staff pictured at the Fisher House at JBLM. See caption below.

Farrelli's Wood Fire Pizza is all about family, and the popular local restaurant chain is doing its part to help military families living at the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Fisher House feel a little more at home.

In the next few weeks, volunteers from Farrelli's will install a new play set in the backyard of the home, which is located just down the street from the Madigan Army Medical Center on JBLM.

Since Fisher House families reside at the house while an ill or injured servicemember undergoes treatment at Madigan, it is understandably a very stressful time in their lives. They stay at the home from a few days to several months, and staff and volunteers do what they can to help make it a "home away from home."

There is a cozy living room complete with a TV, toys and books as well as a spacious kitchen, laundry facilities and backyard grill and gazebo area. There is also a beautifully landscaped garden and a fenced play area so the littlest residents can burn off some steam.

A few weeks ago, several members of the Farrell family and its management team visited the home to formalize a fundraising partnership with Harmon Brewing Company. While on a tour with Manager Jodi Land, they noticed that the play area in the backyard was in desperate need of new equipment.

The company - which in 2010 won the National Restaurant Association's National Neighbor Award - knew what it needed to do. "We saw an opportunity to lend a hand," said Clayton Krueger, Farrelli's director of marketing and communications.  So Margaret "Mama" Farrell went out and purchased a large new playground, which staff will install and assemble in the coming weeks.

"This new playground will give children staying at the Fisher House an outlet and an opportunity to get outside in a safe, secure environment," said Land. "The new equipment was badly needed, and we are thankful that the Farrell family not only donated the materials, but also that they are going to install and assemble it for us."

The family owned and operated restaurant chain, which started in Lacey in 1995 and caters to families, has always supported and honored its military neighbors. "The military is the glue that holds our community together," Krueger said. As a show of the company's appreciation to its military neighbors, service members returning from deployment get a free meal at both of the family's Farrelli's and MacNamara's restaurants.

To learn more about Farrelli's, visit farrellispizza.com. For more information about Fisher House, visit fisherhouse-jblm.org, call 253.964.9283 or stop by the home, located at 9999 Wilson Ave. on JBLM.

PHOTO CAPTION:

Jodi Land (Fisher House), Jesse Holder (Harmon Brewing Co.), Clayton Krueger (director of Marketing & Communications), Jacque Farrell (founder & COO), James Mickelson (director of Project Management & IT), Rob Rasmussen (director of Design & Promotion), Margaret Farrell (founder), Lizz Farrell-Lewis (director of Guest Satisfaction) and on the bottom row — John Farrell (founder)

May 16, 2014 at 2:45pm

Parenting Teens in Washington Workshop will focus on marijuana and alcohol

The Washington State drug and alcohol landscape is changing. Alcohol sales have been privatized, and hard liquor is now present on retail shelves. Marijuana has been legalized, and soon enough things like candy and baked-good edibles will be widely available. While these shifting sands may or may not affect adults, parents may be wondering - how will these new laws impact kids, specifically teens who will likely encounter these substances through friends, at parties or in other social situations? What can parents do to prevent their teens from abusing alcohol and marijuana?

The Thurston County drug prevention non-profit TOGETHER! is offering a free workshop for parents aimed at answering these questions. Experts in the fields of substance abuse, parenting, prevention and law enforcement will weigh in on what parents need to know.

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Filed under: Kids, Community, Olympia,

April 16, 2014 at 9:32am

The difficult road to building a military family

An image of Heidi Burger, wife of Sgt. 1st Class Carlos Burger, and a teddy bear that honors his son, Gabriel, who died last November from pregnancy complications. Photo credit: Sgt. 1st Class Carlos M. Burger II, 11th Public Affairs Detachment

FORT HOOD, Texas - My story isn't unique in the military. In fact, it's more common than people know.

This week has been a hard Army week for me. It's not about being deployed for the fifth time or recovering from the media event we conducted yesterday morning or even dealing with young Soldiers that don't quite seem to understand the concept of the term "professional development."

As I sit behind my desk, I look at the beautifully expensive photo of my wife from Glamour Shots and the tiny cotton teddy bear with the red bow tie next to it and realize that my son, Gabriel, would be born this week.

That is to say he would have been, if he hadn't died five months ago. My son died last November due to a premature labor. The teddy bear the nurses put next to his tiny body is all I have left to even know he ever existed.

Service members and their families sign up to support and defend our great country. It's an honorable profession and wonderful experience that many, myself included, wouldn't change for anything. But some Service members sacrifice more than others. Some sacrifice the time and effort to build families of their own.


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Filed under: Military, Health, In Their Words, Kids,

February 16, 2014 at 11:35am

Live-Blogging: The Salute to Military Kids

Military kids from the South Sound are enjoying a free day of fun at Pierce College in Lakewood.

Military children make up a very special part of our region's population. Although young, these brave sons and daughters stand in steadfast support of their military parents through moves and deployments. To honor their unique contributions and sacrifices on behalf of the South Sound, The Ranger and Northwest Airlifter, with support from child car seat manufacturer Diono, have planned a free day of fun for the military kids at Pierce College. Old McDebbie's Petting Zoo, The Reptile Man, a gym full of inflatable toys, Starbucks treats, A Princess Party with hair designs, a Home Depot building craft center, games, prizes, a kids' game show, the Pierce College's Planetarium and much more will be available to the military dependents.

There are a lot of things more important than following live-blogging of our Salute To Military Kids event today at Pierce College - but none of them are things you have to do today. That's right, we're doing us some live-blogging.

11 a.m.: Doors are open at the Pierce College Health Education Building. The whole building and nearby parking lots are loaded with stuff to do. A bit disappointed the weight room is closed. Today was chest and triceps day.

11:05 a.m.: The kids have found the At A Simple Wish princesses.

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About this blog

News and entertainment from Joint Base Lewis-McChord’s most awesome weekly newspapers - The Ranger, Northwest Airlifter and Weekly Volcano.

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