Holiday cheer helps ease Hearts Apart

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman William Banton
  • 1st Special Operation Wing Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  The staff of the Airman and Family Readiness Center welcomed the holidays by bringing lots of cheer to Hurlburt members at the Hearts Apart holiday party at the Soundside Club at Hurlburt Field Dec. 12.

The annual holiday party brings together spouses of servicemembers that are currently deployed or on extended TDY.

The party is one of the numerous events that the Hearts Apart morale program sponsors. The event allows spouses to relax and come together with other families and enjoy the season's festivities.

"It's great for people who are looking for things to do," said Kim Van De Walle, military spouse. "[The program] is really good about connecting with kids of deployed members."

Hearts Apart events give families a chance to connect with families who often share the same experiences.

"It's a really tough time, and we want to make sure we can keep in touch with families," said Master Sgt. Natalie Sockman, A&FRC readiness NCO-in-charge.

The program allows children to play with other children while giving spouses the opportunity to talk to other spouses about their experiences.

"For some of the spouses this is their 10th deployment," Sergeant Sockman said. "They were talking to spouses who are going through their first deployment, who are a little sad because they are going to be apart during the holidays."

The club catered to more than 90 people during the event, treating the families to a buffet of traditional holiday foods such as ham, turkey and roast beef.

After dinner, children met Santa Claus and had their picture taken with him. Before they left his sight, Santa handed the children gifts provided through donations to the program.

For more information on Hearts Apart, contact the A&FRC at 884-5441 or visit www.myhurlburt.com.