HSL-48 FRG

This website was created for use of the Family Readiness Group of the HSL-48 Vipers.











The purpose of this website is to keep FRG Members updated on happenings around town, on base, and with our group. We also have some helpful links listed on the right panel and are constantly adding more. Please SUBSCRIBE to receive email feeds when we post.











Contact your FRG President (Kelly Morris), your Vice President (Bethany Stearns) or your HSL-48 Ombudsman, Mandy Dunn please click the appropriate name listed under "Contributors" on the right panel.







FRG Calendar

Monday, May 31, 2010

FRG Meeting Schedule

Hello all!  Per our by-laws, the FRG Meetings will be held on the 3rd Monday of every month.  However, due to scheduling issues, it may become necessary to reschedule a meeting from time to time.  I have talked to the USO and booked their location for the dates below.  Please take notice that the June, October, and December meetings are NOT on the 3rd Monday of the month.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010

All meetings are scheduled for 6-8pm on the date listed.  If, for any reason, one of these meetings has to be rescheduled or cancelled, I will provide ample notice via website and email.  Thank you for your understanding.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Free Photo Books

The USO and RocketLife, have partnered to deliver a heart-warming opportunity for the men and women of the armed forces and their families. The Personal Photo Book program enables troops serving abroad and their families to create 20-page personal photo books and ship them to any APO/FPO address—for free. These full-color, customized photo books are small enough to fit in a soldier’s cargo pockets yet can hold more than 60 photos of loved ones. RocketLife prints the books for free, and the USO pays for the shipping. To get started, visit http://uso.myphotoproducts.com/.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

USO News

JACKSONVILLE AXEMEN RUGBY LEAGUE 2010 SEASON TICKETS
The Jacksonville Axemen Season begins 29 May and your Greater Jacksonville USO has season tickets available for only $20.00 for five matches and children 12 and under is admitted FREE! Tickets are now on sale at Mayport and NAS JAX USO Centers. All home games are played at Hodges Stadium – UNF, parking is free, the Axe Maiden Cheerleaders perform at every game. Please visit www.jaxaxe.com for more details.

USO NIGHT AT ADVENTURE LANDING
To all our friends of the Greater Jax Area USO - it's time for our famous "Adventure Landing Night." Wednesday, June 16, 2010 from 6 pm to 11 pm. Wristbands are ON SALE NOW at your MAYPORT or NAS JAX USO Centers for $2.50. First come, first served.
 
NOTE: This night is for Active Duty and immediate family members ONLY, this includes the National Guard. Not for retirees, friends or relatives visiting from out of town. Please understand that the park can only accommodate 2,000 people. “Season Passes” are not valid for this special day.

To sign-up to receive e-mails with weekly updates from USO, please visit the USO Office.

MWR News

If you were not at the meeting on Monday, you misses a great Guest Speaker from the MWR!  I have posted some of the information given to us below.

Novice Swim Team:  Ages 6-16*
Practice starts Monday, May 24 @ the Base Pool
Monday/Wednesday 6-7pm & Friday (starting June 18) 10-11am
*Child must have completed Level 6 swim lessons or be of equivalent swimming ability

Base Swimming Pool is now open weekends!
Saturdays 11am-6pm, Sundays 1-6pm
Admission Fees:
Active Duty – Free; All Others....Ages 16 & older - $2; Ages 3-15 - $1.50; Ages 2 & under - Free
Season Passes:
$60/each or $120/family

Swim Lessons begin Monday, June 14. 
Register for Session 1 on Friday, June 11 & Saturday, June 12, 8-10am @ the Base Pool

Download the 2010 Aquatics Brochure at www.cnic.navy.mil/Mayport/Recreation

Free Youth Drama Camp
June 21-July 2 / Mon-Fri 1-4pm
Rising 3rd graders to 8th graders
Space is limited to 30 children!
Sign-ups begin Monday, May 24 at the Youth Center.  904-270-5680

Summer Outdoor Movies
Fridays @ Sunset (approx. 8:30pm)
Sea Otter Pavilion
Bring your lawn chairs and/or blankets and bug spray, just in case! Refreshments will beavailable for purchase.
May 28: Tooth Fairy (PG)
June 4:  Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (PG)
June 11:  The Blind Side (PG-13)
June 18:  The Princess and the Frog (G)
June 25:  Where the Wild Things Are (PG)

The 2010 Base Golf Championship has been rescheduled for June 12-13, 2010 @Windy Harbor Golf Club
Info? (904) 270-5380

Information was also provided on Vehicle Services, Sports and Fitness, Childcare and Youth, Entertainment, Outdoor Fun, Pets, and Computer Labs.  For this information, please visit the MWR Office on base for this handout.  You can also receive the weekly MWR Mayport Info Blast by sending an E-Mail to stephanie.edwards2@navy.mil with "Add to Info Blast" in the subject line.  Become a Fan of "MWR Naval Station Mayport, Florida" on Facebook.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Welcome New Viper

On behalf of the Viper Family, I would like to Congratulate Lorenzo and Shirley Ramirez on the birth of their 2nd son, Aydian. Baby Aydian was born May 17th. Both Mom and Baby are doing well. Congratulations to the Ramirez Family and Welcome to the World (and the Viper Family), Aydian!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

May 17 Meeting

Thank you all for a GREAT meeting on Monday!  We received a lot of helpful information from our guest speaker (Stephanie from MWR) and got a lot accomplished!  I will post the meeting minutes once they are available.  I will also email the link of the photos once they are uploaded, to everyone that was at the meeting.  Thanks again for all of your support!

Monday, May 17, 2010

Meeting Today!

Don't forget our May Meeting is TODAY (May 17) at the USO from 6-8pm.  There will be a Father's Day Craft for the kids, a Potluck for all (bring your recipe, we can make copies there), voting for the board members, presentation of the by-laws, and we will be discussing the next meeting and fundraiser.  Come join us! 

For those of you that have a deployed Sailor, don't forget you can order free boxes from the Post Office (link listed under Helpful Military Related Links Section to the right).  I will also have a few boxes with me today if you need one right away.

Welcome New Viper

On behalf of the Viper Family, I would like to Congratulate Amanda Jacobsen on the birth of her daughter Adalyn. Baby Adalyn was born May 14th. Both Mom and Baby are doing well. Congratulations to the Jacobsen Family and Welcome to the World (and the Viper Family), Adalyn!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Moe's Fundraiser - Thank you!

THANK YOU to everyone that helped with today's Fundraiser at Moe's. Your help with planning, creating and passing out flyers, creating and holding posters, volunteering to work tonight, and showing up to support us is appreciated! I'm not sure how much money was raised, yet, but will let you know once I find out. Thank you again! I hope everyone had a great night! I'm sorry I wasn't there, but had to work. I hope to see you all at our meeting on Monday!

USO News

SESAME STREET / USO EXPERIENCE
The Sesame Street Experience for the military families will be coming to a base near you. You must pick up tickets from the base you're attending the show at. The schedules and ticket information are as follows:

Base: Kings Bay
Date: Saturday June 5
Show times: 2pm and 5pm
Location: Gym
Tickets will be available next week at the CDC, Youth Center and ITT.

Base: NAS Jacksonville
Date: Sunday June 6
Show time: 2pm
Location: Hangar 117
Tickets are available now at the ITT, CDC, Youth Center, and the NAS Jax USO Center

Base: Naval Station Mayport
Date: Thursday June 10
Show times: 5pm and 7:30pm
Location: Gym
The two shows will be on a first come first serve basis no tickets will be passed out. This will be bleacher and floor seating only. Please watch the Mayport Mirror for more information.

 
DISCOUNT TICKETS FOR COUNTRY THROWDOWN 2010
If you are looking for a great deal on tickets to The Country Throwdown at Metropolitan Park this Sunday May 16th we have it for you. Military discount tickets are available at ticketmaster. Go to ticketmaster.com use password JAXUSO to receive $10.00 tickets. Please note that with the fees the ticket price will be $14.25. Military ID is required and children 10 and under are free. Gates open at Noon. Please visit http://www.countrythrowdown.com/ for more information. We do not have tickets at the Centers for sale, you must purchase online only.

 
MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL/USO TEAM UP DURING MONTH OF MAY
Moe’s Southwest Grill is teaming up with The Greater Jacksonville Area USO during the month of May (Military Appreciation Month) to raise funds to send “Goodie Boxes” to our local Florida troops currently overseas defending our freedoms. This promotion will conclude on May 31st Memorial Day. Each “Goodie Box” that is sent from the Jacksonville Market will be mailed directly to troops from the Jacksonville area. Moe’s Southwest Grill's goal is to donate as many boxes as number of troops currently deployed from the Jacksonville market. Each package costs $12.50 in postage. Moe’s will match your donation dollar for dollar to support your USO!

What Is A “USO Goodie Box”?

Greater Jacksonville Area USO Goodie Boxes provide a “touch of home” and everyday items Americans take for granted. We fill boxes full of requested items from military units deployed overseas, from every service, including our Florida National Guard. Items include: Phone cards, baby wipes, eye drops, chap stick/lip balm, foot powder, hand sanitizer, drink mixes, wet wipes, tooth brushes/paste, various snacks and books, to name a few. From emails we receive, these boxes are anxiously anticipated and ravaged upon delivery by the troops. As one Marine Lieutenant Colonel aptly stated: USO JAX is a friend from the homeland and your boxes raise my Marines morale and put smiles on their faces.” And these are Marines involved in some of the heaviest and brutal fighting in Afghanistan.

How You Can Help…

Moe’s Southwest Grill and the Greater Jacksonville Area USO offer three easy ways to collect donations for these “Goodie Boxes”.

There will be a website created that will allow people to purchase a care package in their name and pay for the postage online

In store the care packages will be on display for the entire promotion term for people to donate for the entire postage of the box to be shipped to the troops. By doing this people would have the options to write a personal message to the troops as well as leave contact info for the troops to contact them and thank them for their donations.

Seeing that some people might not be able to afford to donate the full $12.50 for the shipping of a entire box, Moe’s Southwest Grill will be offering at the check out line the options to donate to the Greater Jacksonville Area USO on top of their purchase during the month (Minimum of $1). If the customer chooses to do so they then have the opportunity to fill out their name on a paper printed flag with the “Help on the Homefront” USO logo on it and then Moe’s will post the flag to the wall for display during the entire month.


BUILD-A-BEAR WORKING WITH THE USO
Build-A-Bear Workshop Salutes U.S. Troops in Celebration of Military Appreciation Month. Build-A-Bear Workshop®, the interactive entertainment retailer of customized stuffed animals, announced today that it is celebrating Military Appreciation Month by supporting Local USO and offering troops and their families a 20% military discount on their purchase (coupons are available at all Three Greater Jacksonville USO Centers). The Build-A-Bear Workshop Foundation will invite Guests to donate $1 at checkout registers May 3 through June 7 in any Build-A-Bear Workshop retail location in the United States to support Local USO Centers. For more information please visit http://www.buildabear.com/. There is a store in Jacksonville at The Avenues Mall (10300 Southside Blvd).

IA Family Fun Event

ATTENTION IA FAMILIES!

MWR is sponsoring a Pool Party for IA Families!

Friday, May 14, 2010 at the NS Mayport Aquatics Center from 6:30pm to 8:30pm
The event includes:
2 hours of swimming, use of the facility and life guards, free pizza, water and soda.  Food will be limited to first come, first served.

If it rains, the event will be moved to the Mayport Bowling Center.

To register call: The Fleet and Family Support Center at (904) 270-6600 ext 1701 or ext 1723.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

New Links Added

I just added a new section on the right side of the website, listing Jacksonville Area Links.  Enjoy!

Friday, May 7, 2010

You Are Appreciated

Today is Military Spouse Appreciation Day.  I'd like to take a moment and thank you all for everything you do for your Sailor, the Command, and the FRG.  You are appreciated.  Thank you!

Sunday is Mother's Day.  I hope all of the Moms have a great weekend with your kids!  It's hard to feel appreciated when your husband isn't home to celebrate you, take some time to celebrate yourself, even if all you have time for is 15 minutes with a cup of coffee.

Happy Military Spouse Appreciation Day to all Military Wives and Happy Mother's Day to all Moms!

Atlantis Launch

The Shuttle Atlantis (STS-132), is scheduled to launch from Kennedy Space Center on Friday, May 14th at 2.20 PM.  For more information on the launch, please visit the Kennedy Space Center website.  For a list of off-site locations to view the launch, please visit the NASA website.

Thank you, Sarah Banta, for the shuttle and website information!

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Welcome New Viper

On behalf of the Viper Family, I would like to Congratulate Anthony and Stephanie Brandon on the birth of their child, baby Kayla. Kayla was born April 30th. Both Mom and Baby are doing well. Congratulations to the Brandon Family and Welcome to the World (and the Viper Family), Kayla!