Fort Bliss, El Paso communities join forces for Day of Service
A student from Team Mission Early College High School picks up trash, weeds and debris during a Fort Bliss Army Volunteer Corps Day of Service project Sept. 8. In honor of the 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance, MECHS was one of many organizations that participated in 20 different projects that focused on giving back and bettering the El Paso community. Photo by Capt. Leticia Ortiz, 24th Press Camp Headquarters.
Sgt. Terence Ewings,
24th Press Camp Headquarters:
Fort Bliss Soldiers joined El Paso volunteers for an array of community service projects around the city Sept. 8 in honor of the 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance.
The Fort Bliss Army Volunteer Corps coordinated and supervised the volunteers throughout the day as they worked to clean, build and better the El Paso community in commemoration of the events of Sept. 11, 2001.
“In honor of the National Day of Service, we are volunteering to not only make a difference, but to honor and remember those who were affected by the terrorist attacks on 9/11,” said Sgt. Desiree Hernandez, a supply sergeant and squad leader assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 86th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, 15th Sustainment Brigade.
Throughout the day, participants worked together and volunteered their services at different areas around El Paso such as the Humane Society, Adult Protective Services Center and the El Paso Zoo.
While volunteering at the Humane Society, Hernandez and other Soldiers from her company worked to remove debris, growth and weeds from a water collection area located behind the facility for the future construction of a dog park.
First Lt. Crystal Irving, the unit strength manager for 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, holds up a garbage bag while Sgt. 1st Class Patricia Coleman, a senior-enlisted adviser assigned to 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st AD, prepares to dispose of weeds and other debris during a Fort Bliss Army Volunteer Corps project at the El Paso Zoo Sept. 8. Photo by Sgt. Terence Ewings, 24th Press Camp Headquarters.
“I like being able to give back to the community we’re living in,” said Hernandez. “The El Paso community is always reaching out and supporting us as Soldiers, so it’s nice to be able to lend our services to them too.”
Like most of the day’s projects, it was not uncommon to see civilian organizations and military units working hand in hand to complete their assigned volunteer tasks; some organizations had members present who were representing both groups during the event.
Sgt. 1st Class Patricia Coleman, a senior-enlisted adviser assigned to the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, was representing both Team Bliss and the University of Texas at El Paso’s Zeta Phi Beta Sorority.
Spc. Deira Taylor, a supply specialist assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 86th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, 15th Sustainment Brigade, disposes of weeds, trash and other debris Sept. 8. Photo by Sgt. Terence Ewings, 24th Press Camp Headquarters.
“Like most sororities we believe it is highly important to give back, and we try to volunteer as often as possible,” said Coleman.
Volunteers from Coleman’s military unit and members of the sorority helped in a spring-cleaning project at the El Paso Zoo. Both organizations worked together to clean and refurbish service areas to make the zoo a safer and cleaner place for the entire El Paso community.
“It was very unique and exciting to have both groups seamlessly work together for a good cause,” said Coleman. “We also had a lot of fun doing it.”
To volunteer for future events that support the Fort Bliss and El Paso community, visit www.blissmwr.com/volunteer or sign up at Fort Bliss ACS at 2494 Ricker Road.
Short URL: http://fbmonitor.com/?p=15643
