Families of deployed Airmen warm up to Hearts Apart holiday party

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Joe McFadden
  • 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
Hearts Apart morale program members organized an annual holiday party to help families adjust to seperation from deployments Dec. 4 at Hurlburt Field.

With this year designated as the Year of the Air Force Family, many people understand that deployments are a way of military life and there are times when Airmen are seperated from their family members.

"We know the sacrifices they make, and we don't want them to be alone for the holidays," said Kelly Childs, a community readiness consultant at the Airman and Family Readiness Center. "Here you can get together, share and meet someone in the same situation that you are in."

Children are the big focus during the holiday season, Mrs. Childs said. Many of them are directly affected by deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and experience a parent deploy for several months at a time.

"We talk to parents about coping with holiday stressors like a spouse being deployed," she said. "People can feel socially isolated, and we want to make sure that everyone is taken care of and not feel different."

Mrs. Childs coordinated with the chapel and library to carry out this year's party. Throughout the year, the program sponsored a series of monthly gatherings for spouses and children of deployed members.

"Our goal is to find out about the people's needs and do things for each one of them," Mrs. Childs said.

With more than 150 people in attendance, this year's party was so large that organizers moved it from the Airman and Family Readiness Center to the chapel. Families were treated to a potluck banquet.

After the meal, children had their picture taken with Santa Claus and received gifts purchased with donations to the program. Library staff also offered an arts and craft station where children made ornaments and greeting cards with construction paper and glitter.

Scott Hepworth, a civilian working at the Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., golf course, took his two teenage children to the event. His wife, Tech. Sgt. Ramona Hepworth, from the 823rd RED HORSE Squadron, is deployed and will not be home for the holidays. This week's event was Mr. Hepworth's first holiday party with the program.

"In most cases like this, the spouses are predominantly female, but it's nice to have people here who know what you've been through with the kids being busy in school and parents being busy with the kids," he said.

Mercedes Garcia is the wife of Staff Sgt. Matthew Chandler, also from the 823rd RED HORSE Squadron and mother of three children. She said she enjoyed taking her daughters to the monthly events.

"My kids got a kick out of going to the movie theater for food and a movie last month. I give this program an A+," she said. 

The program not only supports Air Force families, but also any Department of Defense card holder in the area with members serving on remote or deployed tours.

Ursula Chambers' husband, Army Sgt. 1st Class Harry Chambers, is currently serving a remote tour in South Korea. A regular at the monthly functions, she brought her two sons to the party, who looked forward to visiting with Santa Claus after they finished their meal.

"Whenever it's time for another event, it's a good marker that another month has gone by and my husband will soon be home," she said. 

Hearts Apart provides information and resources to assist members and their families to be as prepared as possible for deployments, remote assignments and for natural disasters.