Division 13 & 23 Kiwanians Support our Troops

by Robert Elsass

Steve Staples (left) president of the Grafton Kiwanis Club, was only one of a team of Kiwanis volunteers who served as hosts at the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport USO Service Center on December 17-19. Historically, the weekend before Christmas is an extremely heavy travel day for members of the US Armed Forces as those who can take leave to visit loved ones at Christmas. It's also the weekend that many military training schools have ended their courses for the fall and these military members are also moving to visit family or on to new assignments. The USO at the NN/Wmbg airport was open around the clock from Friday morning through Sunday night to support these troops. Members of Capital District Divisions 23 and 13 have provided volunteer manpower to this USO Center for a number of years and 2010 was no exception.

Clubs in these Divisions on the Virginia Peninsula also provide ongoing volunteer support to the USO Center on evenings and weekends throughout the year. The USO is not part of the U.S. government, but is a nonprofit, congressionally chartered, private organization. The USO relies on the generosity of individuals, organizations and corporations to support its activities. Millions of times each year at thousands of locations around the world, the USO lifts the spirits of America's troops and their families. For more information, visit www.USO.org.