With summer fast approaching and the economy the way it is many people may be staying closer to

home for their vacations. There are many things to do in Western Massachusetts and the following are

just a couple of things that might be interesting. Most of these locations have picnic tables and you can

bring your own lunch while enjoying a nice summer day.

Heritage Park in Holyoke

Holyoke Merry-Go-Round

For more information visit:

www.holyokemerrygoround.org

Holyoke Children's Museum

Located next to the Merry-Go-Round

For more information visit:

www.childrensmuseumholyoke.org

Westfield Children's Museum

Amelia Park Gardens and Ice Rink

For more information visit:

www.ameliaparkmuseum.org

Forest Park Zoo - Springfield

For more information visit:

www.forestparkzoo.org

Lupa Zoo - Ludlow

For more information visit:

www.lupazoo.org

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The Army National Guard and the National Science Center have partnered

to increase math and science proficiency in our nations students.

The link below shows many of the opportunities that are available

through this partnership. There are 5 components and each

component has many opportunities and helpful information.

Army Education Outreach Program (AEOP) offers opportunities for

teens to excel in science through things such as the Science & Engineering

Apprentice Program which is a summer program for High

School Students to apprentice in their field at an Army Research facility.

Accepted students would get a $2000 stipend and be treated as a

research assistant.

Cybermission is a free web-based science, mathematics and

technology tool for grades 6-9.

Planning for Life provides information and links for preparation in academic,

physical, emotional and financial success. Training is available

in many states but not currently in MA. However, there are helpful

links that can be used.

March 2 Success is a free tool to use to improve knowledge and

test scores in Language Arts, Math and Science. Practice tests for

SAT and ACT are available. Registration is free, follow the link on the

top of the website.

About FACE and Forward Mach are programs designed to help

teenagers 16-24 to stay in school or get a GED and further their

success at finding a job.

http://www.nscdiscovery.org/nsc/armylinks.aspx

Looking for “something” for your kids

to do this summer? Check out these

web sites for summer camp

information:

• http://www.masscamp.com/

• http://www.hanscomyouthprograms.com/

main_sublinks.asp?sid=143&id=1

• http://www.mysummercamps.com/search/

CampState/Massachusetts/

• http://www.mysummercamps.com/camps/

massachusetts-ymca-camps.html

• http://www.massachusettssportscamps.com/

Directory.aspx

• http://www.localsportscamps.com/

masscounties.htm#Soccer

• http://camps.addresses.com/yellow-pages/

category:Summer+Camp+-+Camps/

location:hanscom+afb,+MA/20643298/details.

Hersey Park Discount

Military Appreciation Days at HERSHEYPARK run from May to September, when the Park is open to the public. This discount is available to active duty military, reserves, retired military personnel, and members of the National Guard. Guests must purchase tickets or obtain coupons from their base prior to arriving at HERSHEYPARK. If you are not able to obtain discount tickets and/or coupons at your base, please e-mail hersheyparkgroups@hersheypa.com and some will be mailed to you. Prices will be the same all season. For a Regular admission ticket there is a $14 off (savings) coupon For the Jr/Sr admission ticket there is a $4.45 off (savings) coupon. These coupons can be used for the purchase of up to 4 Regular or Jr/Sr admissions. The coupons are good for who ever is with the service guest when they use the coupons to purchase tickets. Thank you for writing, Hershey Entertainment and Resorts

July 15 RI National Guard Night and Other Military Dates for the Newport Gulls, Newport, RI

Recently ranked as the 4th best park in the United States for summer collegiate baseball by Baseball America Magazine, Cardines Field, home of the Newport Gulls of the New England Collegiate Baseball League has a rich history involving the great American Pastime. Here are the following military games for the Newport Gulls, if you have never been it is really fun for the whole family.  Game time starts at 6:35.     Wednesday, July 15 - Rhode Island National Guard Night (See email below from the General Manager of the Newport Gulls, ANY NATIONAL GUARD PERSONNEL WILL HAVE FREE ADMISSION FOR THEM AND THIR FAMILY WITH THEIR MILITARY ID'S) Monday, July 20- Raytheon Military Appreciation Night - Free Admission for Military Personnel Ticket prices are unless noted otherwise Adult $4 Children 13-18 $2 Military ID $2 Seniors $2 Children 12 and under $1

Military Appreciation Night at Fonda Speedway ~ Albany NY July 18

Fonda Speedway in conjunction with BBL Construction Services is hosting a military appreciation day at the Race

Track on July 18th for it's 50 lap modified car race. The races start at 6:00 p.m. All military member and dependents

will receive free entry to the race as well as a catered picnic prior to the race at 4:30 p.m.

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Art Contest (See Attachement)

From: Wilson, Anne H Civ USAF AFMC 66 MSS/DPF <Anne.Wilson@hanscom.af.mil> Sent: Fri, Jun 19, 2009 9:55 am Subject: American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Art Contest CHICAGO, March 4, 2009 - The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) inviteschildren to enter a national art contest with a chance to win a trip to Washington, DC, this year. The contest is open to boys and girls in three groups, grades 3-5, 6-8 and9-12, and the theme is "Protecting Children from Tobacco Smoke."Group winners and their parents/guardians will be invited to a presentationceremony before several thousand pediatricians at the 2009 AAP National Conference & Exhibition in Washington, DC, on Saturday, October 17.  Each first-place winner will receive $500 and up to $1,000 for travel-related expenses. The three second-place winners will each receive $250. The six winners' schools will be awarded matching cash amounts. Winners will have their artwork featured on the AAP Web site and in promotional materials.  "There are still far too many young people who smoke and many pick up this deadly habit while they are at school," warns AAP President David Tayloe, Jr, MD, FAAP. "This is an opportunity for children to exercise their creative side to alert other children - and parents - to the dangers of tobacco and second-hand smoke."  This year's contest is an initiative of the AAP's Julius B. Richmond Center, supported by the Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute, and dedicated to the elimination of children's exposure to tobacco and secondhand smoke.  To enter, children should submit an original piece of artwork to: National Art Contest, American Academy of Pediatrics, 141, Northwest Point Boulevard, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007.  Rules, official entry forms and consent forms must accompany all entries and are available online at http://www.aap.org . Entries must be postmarked by July 31, 2009.  Winning entries will be selected by a panel of judges including pediatricians, and announced in the summer.  Important Notes:   1RRules indicate "Participants must be students attending a public or private school or be homeschooled. In the event a winner is homeschooled, the matching amount will be donated to a school or a homeschooling program of their choice in the U.S.” 2.  If an Air Force base program should have winners, please ensure the guidelines for acceptance of funds are followed IAW AFI 34-201.  Overseas participants are not currently eligible but reconsideration has been requested for next year.  Additional rules/regulations are listed on http://www.aap.org/artcontest/rulesandregulations.pdf.   Anne Wilson Supervisory Work/Life Consultant Airman & Family Readiness Center Hanscom AFB  anne.wilson@hanscom.af.mil TEL: 781-377-4222 FAX: 781-377-8239 DSN 478

Events for August

The Newport Commissary is holding

another "Roadshow" from Friday 31 July

through Sunday 2 August on the

Massachusetts Military Reservation,

Buzzards Bay, MA.

If you hold an Active Military ID card, Retired ID card,

Reserve/National Guard ID card, you are welcome to

partake in this SALE. Authorized Commissary Patrons

Only.

Pre-sale orders must be placed by Monday June 15,

2009 and can be e-mailed to kim.rossi@deca.mil or

steven.furtado@deca.mil or faxed to the commissary at

(401) 841-2113.

All pre-sale orders must include the following information:

Name, Unit, Home Address, Phone, and e-mail

(if applicable)

Orders will be filled and delivered to the Port Security

Unit Maintenance Hangar located on Turpentine Road.

Product will be available for pick up on July 31st from

0900 - 1800 and August 1-2

from 0900 -1700. Plenty of

other "Case Lot" sales items

will be available at the sale

throughout the weekend at

the PSU Hangar.

For presale information contact

Richard Norhold at the

Newport DECA by email

Richard.Norhold@deca.mil.

2009 Family Program Multi-Component Workshop

August 7 to 9, 2009

The Family Program Office is excited to announce that the 2009 State Family

Program Workshop will include Volunteers from all Massachusetts Military

Components. This year’s workshop will be the first multi-component training hosted

by the Massachusetts National Guard Family Program. The dates of the Annual Training will be Friday 7 August to

Sunday 9 August, 2009. This year’s training is themed, Communication & Collaboration: The Power of Team.

The Workshop will be held at the Southbridge Executive Management Training Center, located at 14 Mechanic Street,

Southbridge, MA.

The workshop is designed to provide Family Readiness Volunteers an opportunity to network with other volunteers,

learn the latest policies and procedures, as well as develop additional professional skills.

In conjunction with the Volunteer Training, the Family Program Office will also be hosting a 1-day Command Training

on Saturday, 8 August from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Registration and additional materials will be provided to all current volunteers. If you are interested in becoming more

involved in your Family Readiness Group please feel free to contact Lisa Potito for more information on attending and

becoming involved. Lisa can be reached by email at Lisa.Potitio@us.army.mil or by phone at 508-233-7231.

The Cape Cod Spouses Organization

invites military families of the

Massachusetts Military Reservation

to their annual Ice Cream

Social on AUG15 from 11AM -

2PM at the Chapel Grounds.

Come for the ice cream - stay for

the fun!

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Harvard University Announcement—Offer for FREE Tuition if Eligible

Harvard University announced over the weekend that from now on undergraduate students from

low-income families will pay no tuition. In making the announcement, Harvard's president Lawrence H.

Summers said, "When only ten percent of the students in elite higher education come from families in

the lower half of the income distribution, we are not doing enough. We are not doing enough in bringing

elite higher education to the lower half of the income distribution."

If you know of a family earning less than $60,000 a year with an honor 20

student graduating from high school soon, Harvard University wants to pay the

tuition. The prestigious university recently announced that from now on undergraduate

students from low-income families can go to Harvard for free, no tuition

and no student loans!

To find out more about Harvard offering free tuition for families making less than

$60,000 a year, visit Harvard's financial aid website at:

http://www.fao.fas.harvard.edu/ or call the school's financial aid office at

(617)495-1581.

Please note: A small work study program is required or a small portion (less than $5000) a year to be paid by student through a

part time job or work study.

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iCanAchieve is a 12-month program for teens ages 13 to 18 that will support their weight management efforts. It

focuses on helping teens make behavioral changes that will allow them to set and achieve their goals. The program,

based on scientifically proven methods, includes telephonic health coaching, a health assessment, online tools, and

educational information.

Your son or daughter will have access to a variety of online content to support weight

management, including:

• Food diary

• Step tracker

• Articles and personal success stories of teen weight management

• Educational information

• Recipes to promote healthy eating

Message board that lets your teen post questions and comments to the coach and

receive a private, personal response. Have your teen call 800-342-9647 to complete their registration.

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My Military Kids Grants

This is a great resource for deploying National Guard and

Reserve families.

My Military Kids offers grants up to $500.00 to each

child for an extra curricular activity of their choice, to include

sports, fine arts, or tutoring. Grants are also available

to children of severely injured service members. You can

visit their website at www.ourmilitarykids.org.

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Armed Services YMCA and Department of Defense Outreach Initiative

Family members of deployed Guard/Reserve that are or will be deployed for at least 6 months are able to obtain a family

membership to a participating YMCA. A copy of deployment orders and a valid military ID must be presented in order to

participate. Families will be authorized to use the YMCA facility in the 3 months pre-deployment, during deployment and 3

months post-deployment up to 18 months. Contact Military OneSource at www.militaryonesource.com or 800-342-9647 for

more information, to confirm eligibility and receive an eligibility form.

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Check Out these Discounts….

All active and retired military personnel receive a one time only free multi-day admission pass to

either the Disneyland Resort in Southern California or the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando,

Florida. Special military rates for resort hotels and family or friend passes also available until

December 23, 2009. Redemption certificates available at Hanscom Air Force Base ITT Office or

Newport Naval ITT Office. Certificates must be requested in person. For more information on this

great deal, call 714-956-6424 for Disneyland information or visit Disney World’s website:

www.disneyworld.com.