Photo By Grady Fontana | 161215-N-IX266-004 CHONBURI PROVINCE, Thailand—Civilian mariner Ryan Blaharski,...... read more read more
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In a sea of children ages three to 12, civilian mariner (CIVMAR) volunteers from USNS Washington Chambers (T-AKE 11), Military Sealift Command Far East (MSCFE) Sailors and local Thai volunteers gathered at the Baan Banglamung public school in Chonburi Province, Thailand, to distribute U.S. Navy Project Handclasp humanitarian items during a community outreach event, Dec 15.
About 230 children received two pallets of items that included complete sporting equipment, toys, English textbooks and school materials.
MSCFE Chaplain Glen Kitzman, a lieutenant commander in the Navy, and Peter Thorand, the tireless 71-year-young president of the Navy League Siam Council, organized the event.
The USNS Washington Chambers provided 18 CIVMAR volunteers and the opportune sealift delivering Project Handclasp items from a warehouse in Naval Base Guam to Sriracha, Thailand.
“Planning this event has been the biggest job I’ve done since 2000,” said Thorand with a sigh of relief and a chuckle. “I’ve never had this much Handclasp items brought into the country.”
Thorand, a Thailand resident, is involved in planning and executing most community relation (COMREL) events in Thailand associated with the U.S. Navy.
The volunteers from the Chambers were all eager to help; however, for one CIVMAR, volunteering with kids held a very deep meaning.
Cecilia Pena, a yeoman storekeeper on the USNS Washington Chambers and 16-year veteran of Military Sealift Command (MSC), is a native of Cavite, Philippines, which she admits was an environment much like here. When she looks at the children in the school, she sees a young Cecilia.
“My heart really goes out to the kids,” said Cecilia. “Some families really can’t afford certain things. Seeing these kids very happy…it makes me teary eyed. Because I love kids”
After an emotional pause, Cecilia explained a Philippine childhood with pressures of helping out her family, holding various jobs and going to school—all at the same time.
“I guess it’s because I really didn’t grow up being a kid,” said the mother of four adult children. “I missed being a kid.”
But beyond her reflection on the past, she views these COMREL events as an opportunity to bring joy.
“It’s a blessing to give,” said Cecilia, whose husband is a retired Senior Chief Petty Officer and a retired 25-year veteran of MSC. “When I can give, it makes me feel great in my heart.”
Chaplain Kitzman shared a similar sentiment.
“My father, who served in the U.S. Navy in the Korean war, taught my brother and me to have a genuine love, concern and compassion for others, said Kitzman. “We’re here to serve; not to be served, but to serve the needs of others.”
The event also allowed the U.S. crew to interact with the local kids. The team played schoolyard games and a friendly game of soccer.
After a strenuous game of soccer, which not surprisingly saw the talented and athletic kids victorious over the CIVMAR team, the school shared a lunch, comprised of local Thai food, with the team.
Despite months of planning and accommodating logistics requirements, the event yielded an overall minimal cost to MSC due to the Project Handclasp donated items and opportune sealift. The Washington Chambers is currently in Thailand conducting a scheduled voyage repair.
“This school is comprised mostly of fishermen and pier workers in Sriracha, so a lot of the parents that are represented here today by their children are the ones who are working with USNS ships when they come in for voyage repair status,” said Kitzman. “So we’re giving back to some of the parents and families that help support our ships.”
Baan Banglamun public school was the first stop in many following COMREL events at various schools in the region and local hospitals that provide low-cost care to the public. Throughout the course of a week, the MSC team will impact four other schools, two hospitals and a center for autistic children.
MSC operates approximately 115 non-combatant, civilian-crewed ships that replenish U.S. Navy ships, conduct specialized missions, strategically preposition combat cargo at sea around the world and move military cargo and supplies used by deployed U.S. forces and coalition partners.
| Date Taken: | 12.16.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 12.16.2016 09:09 |
| Story ID: | 217981 |
| Location: | CHONBURI, TH |
| Web Views: | 441 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Military Sealift Command delivers Handclasp, joy in time for holidays, by Grady Fontana, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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