VANCOUVER, Wash. Joining the national effort to connect military kids with the children of other active military families in their community, Washington State University Extension has launched Operation Military Kids Vancouver. Developed by local community and military organizations and Peggy Gresham, WSU Extension regional team coordinator, OMK Vancouver will serve the needs of youth from the National Guard, Army Reserve and other military families living in civilian communities and experiencing deployment.
Through its partnership with the WSU Extension 4-H Youth Development Program, OMK will offer military youth in Vancouver the opportunity to connect through educational activities, summer camps, community volunteering and traditional 4-H club programs. This programming will encourage military youth to form relationships and develop valuable life skills that will assist them with the challenges facing their families before as well as after deployment.
Although Vancouver is not directly connected to a military base, the National Guard and Reserve families, veterans and former military kids living in the area understand the necessity for such a program in Vancouver.
Wendy Houser, a former navy child whose father was stationed in multiple cities before settling in Vancouver, could not help but brim with excitement at the possibilities OMK brings to current Vancouver military family children.
In the other cities my father was stationed, I was able to connect with kids and activities specifically for military kids. It made moving to Vancouver a really tough adjustment. When I heard about Operation Military Kids launching in Vancouver though, I got very emotional. I am so excited this area will finally be filling a big need for military kids, said Houser.
OMK has already begun to connect military kids and create an impact in the community. In April, the youth of OMK celebrated National Month of the Military Child by donning purple, the color representing all services, and meeting with the Vancouver city council and county commissioners to speak about their experiences as military kids and ask citizens to show their support by wearing purple on April 13. Designated as the first annual Purple Up Day! OMK saw a widespread level of community appreciation and involvement.
Operation Military Kids Vancouver was excited to discover the very strong community appreciation for our military service members, said Gresham. We have been welcomed by a diverse group of organizations, agencies and community leaders supportive of our effort to reach the youth living in our area who do not have access to the resources available in communities surrounding military installations with an awareness of the impact on a suddenly military family experiencing deployment.
For those interested in learning more about OMK Vancouver, please visit the Facebook page or contact Peggy Gresham at OMK.Vancouver@gmail.com. To make connections outside of Vancouver, visit for a list of communities involved with OMK.
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MEDIA CONTACTS
Lindsay Herling, Associate Director of Development, 360-546-9173, lherling@vancouver.wsu.edu
Brenda Alling, Office of Marketing and Communications, 360-546-9601, brenda_alling@vancouver.wsu.edu