Family Fun and Fitness Fair draws crowds

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Omari Bernard
  • JBER Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  More than 2,000 military and family members came together for the third annual Family Fun and Fitness Information Fair and Easter Eggstravaganza Saturday at the Buckner Physical Fitness Center on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

Base volunteers scattered more than 30,000 Easter eggs containing candy and stickers in the Buckner parking lot for an egg hunt.

Community support agencies also set up stations for families to learn more about available resources in a fun setting.

Events included a Security Forces dog demonstration, dancing and martial arts displays.
Community support and resilience booths included those from the chaplains, JBER Polar Bowl, the base library, and Anchorage Parks and Recreation.

"It is meant to be an interactive fair," said Sara Tansey, event coordinator with the 673d Aerospace Medicine Squadron. "It's basically to assist families, giving them opportunities to get out and be active, preventing isolation.

"Every booth has something to do. There are therapy dogs, horseback riding, obstacle courses and face painting, as well as other things," Tansey said.

A key pillar of Airman, Soldier and family resiliency is social wellness - and learning about things to do during a lighthearted recreational event supports that, according to organizers.

"The families have fun and that's the main part," said Anthea Acosta, relocations readiness program manager for the Military and Family Readiness Center. "It's getting them out of their houses."

An Air Force senior noncommissioned officer at the event with his family said he was pleasantly surprised at the turnout.

"The kids just kept coming," said Air Force Master Sgt. Travis Beck, 673d Contracting Squadron. "It was awesome!"

Alaska and JBER have plenty for families to do, Tansey said.

"On any day there are lots of activities going on. New families on JBER may not know what is available. There is more to Alaska than just pretty mountains," she said. "Realize you can hike those mountains; that different equipment is [at the Outdoor Recreation facilities] that you can rent and use.

"Maybe you didn't know that you can take horseback riding lessons on base or that there are Boy Scout [troops] up here."

The event, part of the Month of the Military Child, is scheduled for the Saturday before Easter each year and is open to all families with installation access.

"I like helping people, and knowing that all these kids will have big smiles on their faces the day before Easter means a lot to me," Acosta said. "I think it's very important to have a community event that specifically caters to the military family. Not only do they get to have fun, but they get to see everything the installation has to offer."