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REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE – Several U.S. Navy Sailors assigned to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) volunteered to give back to the Singapore public by conducting community relation (COMREL) projects, March 22, 2024.
One of the COMRELs Theodore Roosevelt Sailors attended was at Willing Hearts to help prepare food for those who are either unable to commute to get food or can’t afford food. Willing Hearts is run by volunteers and staff that operate a soup kitchen. The kitchen prepares and distributes approximately 7,000 daily meals to more than 70 locations year-round. Beneficiaries include the elderly, disabled, low-income families, poverty-stricken families, and migrant workers in Singapore.
“We took care of people who needed assistance,” said U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Brian Kirschenbaum, one of five chaplains onboard. “Some of us were asked to move various items for them, while others helped with food preparation. Looking around, it’s pretty amazing that we had a positive impact on everyone here.”
Following the event, Lt. j.g. John Bondhus, a chaplain assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, spoke on the overall outcome of the COMREL event.
“We had Sailors work in a kitchen packaging food for elderly residents that can’t come and get food or don’t have those who can provide meals for them,” said Bondhus. “We also had a number of Sailors loading a truck full of donations to be sent to impoverished communities in the surrounding area.”
Another COMREL Sailors volunteered for was providing entertainment and spending time with special needs children at the Genesis School for Special Education. Genesis is a child-centered family-oriented program providing full-time and resource educational services to students with special needs.
Chief Logistics Specialist Ola Adebanjo, from Queens, New York, volunteered to help out at Genesis and spoke on his time playing with the children.
“I have never been in the midst of such wonderful kids in my life,” said Adebanjo. “My eyes were opened when I attended the COMREL, and I got to see how well the children are cared for and how sweet they were.”
Adebanjo explained that he learned a lot about the staff and himself by attending the COMREL.
“We did a lot of dancing and a lot of talking. I met some wonderful kids, and met some wonderful teachers,” said Adebanjo. “The teachers were so kind. They explained that none of them were there for the pay; they were all there for the love of the kids. That is something I hope to do more in the future by giving back to the community.”
Adebanjo went on to say that everyone should try to volunteer for COMRELs.
“I would recommend that people do a lot of COMRELs because it is a great way to give back to children, schools and the community in general,” said Adebanjo. “It is a very fulfilling feeling knowing you did something good for someone out of the kindness out of your own heart.”
| Date Taken: | 03.22.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 05.04.2024 04:50 |
| Story ID: | 470315 |
| Location: | SG |
| Web Views: | 42 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Helping Hands: Singapore Edition, by PO3 Richard Tinker, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
