Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families coming to Holloman

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kasey Close
  • 49th Wing Public Affairs
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  The Sesame Street/United Services Organization Experience for Military Families is rolling onto U.S. military installations across the country in Elmo and friends' new tricked out bus.

The tour will visit Holloman with shows at the Domenici Fitness and Sports Center Sept. 16 at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., and Sept. 17 at 5 p.m.

"This is a great chance for the entire Holloman AFB community to come together and enjoy some wholesome family entertainment," said Phillip Haddock, 49th Force Support Squadron Community Activities Center manager and base-wide event coordinator. "I foresee this event being a fantastic experience for the 49th Wing, the Holloman AFB community, and especially for the kids as they are really who this showcase event is geared toward. The entire USO tour staff is excited about coming here, and the word about the event is spreading fast."

The tour's stateside return is complete with a fresh new look and a brand new character named Katie - a military child who, with the help of her Sesame pals, learns to deal with her fears and excitement about relocating after her parent's deployment, according to http://www.uso.org/sesame . Created exclusively for this tour, Katie was first introduced to military families in April 2011 by First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden at a Joining Forces rally in Columbus, Ohio.

"The USO is very excited to partner again with Sesame Workshop as we return the tour to the U.S. with a fresh new look, theme and character," said Sloan Gibson, USO president and chief executive officer. "Our nation's military community is our top priority, especially our youngest heroes. Elmo's new friend Katie helps military kids just like her learn how to make new friends wherever they are."

This 30-minute character performance lets military children know they are not alone and provides special giveaways and outreach materials to military families who attend, emphasizing the importance of adjusting to change and the power of friendship.

"The Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families is near and dear to the heart of Sesame Workshop, and we are thrilled to call the USO our partner on this adventure," said H. Melvin Ming, Sesame Workshop President and CEO. "Our goal is to reach as many military children and their families as we can with Elmo and Katie's messages of hope and resilience. And as we begin our sixth phase of this tour, we are proud to see the growing number of troops and their families reached by this effort."

The Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families made its debut in July 2008 to help families deal with the challenges of deployment and homecomings. Since the tour's inception four years ago, the tour has taken its message to more than 248,000 troops and military families, and performed 433 shows on 131 military bases in 33 states and eleven countries, according to http://www.uso.org/sesame.

For more information about the event, contact the Community Activities Center at 572-7476.