Eager to lend a helping hand while Marines from Camp Pendleton fight for freedom overseas, the San Diego Fine Woodworkers Association (SDFWA) helped out the only way they knew how – with their hands. An official project of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Unmet Needs Program, the group is now putting the finishing touches on an elaborate wooden play area built exclusively for the children of military personnel stationed at the base.
The Camp Pendleton project represents a unique partnership between a national charity, a generous corporate benefactor, a grassroots local group and local sponsors. That partnership was inspired by the determination and bravery demonstrated by the spouses and children left at home when a loved one goes to war.
“This project is a perfect example that everyone can contribute in some unique way in the defense of our military families here at home,” says Chris Connington of Vermont American Power Tool Accessories. “The current military deployments in Iraq, Afghanistan and beyond are placing a significant financial and emotional strain on the families left behind, but, as companies and individuals, there are countless things we can do to help make our military families’ lives a little better until their loved ones return home,” Connington says.
Vermont American helped launch the Unmet Needs Program last year with a $1.25 million corporate pledge to the VFW Foundation (the 501c3 non-profit affiliate of the VFW). The company also provided the tools and accessories to get the Camp Pendleton playground started.
“Projects like this would not be possible without the support of numerous companies and individuals, including the SDFWA, DixieLine Lumber and Home Center, the VFW Foundation and VFW members, Camp Pendleton employees who volunteered labor, created blue prints, and helped coordinate the entire project, Workbench Magazine and many others,” Connington says.
Members of the SDFWA began working on the new playground for Camp Pendleton three months ago. Since then, its members have volunteered hundreds of man-hours to complete the job. The SDFWA is no stranger to helping military families, having built and donated toys for San Diego area military bases and charity organizations for years.
“This project has become a real source of joy and pride for our members” says Ed Gladney, president of the SDFWA. “Many of our members are retired military, so it was not hard to find volunteers for this project. We’re very glad to have been able to support a few of the nation’s military families in this special way. We also appreciate all the support we received from the base during construction. A lot of people came together and pitched in to make this happen.”
The new playground, ultimately, will become a resource for the base’s Department of Children, Youth and Teen Programs. Led by Camp Pendleton’s Trish Spencer, the department is responsible for offering stimulating recreational and educational opportunities for the hundreds of children currently living on or being served by the base.
“Periods of deployment are especially stressful for military children,” says Spencer. “So we have to work that much harder to make sure our programs and services are entertaining and engaging in a positive way. The new playground and this partnership with the Unmet Needs Program are two wonderful steps toward achieving that objective.”
The completed playground will be dedicated during a ceremony April 30 at Camp Pendleton. Actor and author R. Lee Ermey is scheduled to serve as master of ceremonies. Ermey is best known for his roles in “Full Metal Jacket,” “Seven,” “Mississippi Burning,” and “Saving Silverman.” He currently serves as host of “Mail Call” on The History Channel and recently published the book Mail Call, which is based on his experiences as host of the show. Representatives from Camp Pendleton, the VFW, Vermont American and the SDFWA will also be on hand to recognize volunteers and sponsors and to help unveil the finished project.
The final blueprints, which were created by the SDFWA and Camp Pendleton personnel, will be posted on the Unmet Needs Program website and will be available for other groups who may wish to volunteer to build on bases across the country. Photographs from the Camp Pendleton project are available at www.sdfwa.org and www.unmetneeds.com. Project plans are also available from Workbench Magazine at http://plansnow.com/playhous.html.
ABOUT THE UNMET NEEDS PROGRAM
Administered through the Veterans of Foreign Wars Foundation, the Unmet Needs Program helps military families meet unexpected financial challenges that are further complicated by a family member's deployment. In addition to the playground project in San Diego, more than 300 military families nationwide have received grants that have helped to defray the costs of unexpected home or auto repairs, mortgage payments, child care and medical expenses, groceries and more – with over $450,000 distributed in just the first 10 months of the program.
The Unmet Needs Program was established in June of 2004 as a partnership between Vermont American and the VFW. In addition to Vermont American’s financial backing, the company continues to support the Unmet Needs Program through aggressive national advertising and promotional efforts, as well as retailer programs across the country.
Individuals can participate in a number of ways, including:
• Purchasing Vermont American products, as a portion of each product purchased goes to support the program
• Visit www.unmetneeds.com and donate online, as 100% of your donation goes directly to our military families (a small portion of the Vermont American donation takes care of all administrative costs)
• Visit www.unmetneeds.com and donate your skill.
• Mail donations to the Unmet Needs Program, VFW Foundation, 406 West 34th Street, Room 514, Kansas City, MO, 64111
Families in need can visit www.unmetneeds.com or call 1-866-789-NEED (1-866-789-6333) to request assistance.