UGA Cooperative Extension
Sumter County Extension Office:
4-H Youth Development
OMK L/RSN
(Operation: Military Kids Local/Regional Support Network)
Program Information
Sumter and Lee County Youth and Adults are invited to take part!
Sumter and Lee County 4-H Programs received a $20,000 grant from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Operation: Military Kids and the DoD-USDA Partnership: Child Youth Deployment Support Project at Kansas State University.
Through partnerships with local organizations, community leaders and volunteers, the Sumter-Lee area is forming an OMK Regional Support Network that aim to:
- Reach military youth who are in the deployment cycle (particularly those who live off base and installation)
- Connect with organizations, agencies and other support systems in the community.
- Help build the community capacity to respond to the specific needs of military families experiencing deployment.
Military youth are invited to participate in OMK activities and events!
Adult and youth volunteers and community agencies are invited to join the network!
Events
Speak Out for Military Kids (military and non-military)
SOMK is open to all military and non-military youth in grades 9th through 12th in Sumter and Lee Counties. Monthly stimulations will prepare youth in developing public speaking and communication skills to advocate awareness of issues faced by geographically dispersed military youth and families from all branches of The United States Armed Forces in Sumter and Lee Counties.
Experience OMK (military youth)
All Sumter and Lee Counties military youth in grades K- 12th are invited to our monthly events. Each event has an activity structured using the 4-H Experiential Learning Model where youth are helped to discover what they are learning as part of their experiences to help them in other life situations.
Local/Regional Support Network Meeting
Next Meeting: Thursday, May 3, 2012, 5:45 - 6:45 PM
Members of the community are invited to congregate and identify ways to support military families- especially the youth, during the deployment of a parent. Meeting will take place at the Sumter County Agricultural Center Auditorium.
Month of Military Child Celebration
Saturday, April 14, 2012 in Americus, GA
All Sumter and Lee County military youth are invited to this fun delebratory event of being a military child with games, face painting, balloon animals and good ol' American food.
Georgia Celebrates Iraq Veterans and Their Families
Saturday, June 16, 2012 in Rome, Georgia
A welcome home celebration for all Georgia military service members that have served in Iraq. It is time to express our deep gratitude and appreciation as Georgians and as a community to those who served our country and to the families of these brave service members. This event will kick off with a parade through downtown Rome followed by live music, food, and family activities. Special Guest will be Governor Nathan Deal, Congressman Phil Gingrey and Congressman Tom Graves. Veterans Affairs of Atlanta will also attend. For more information contact Abbie Salmon (706) 857-0744 asalmon3@uga.edu
CAMPS:
Camp Corral-July 15-20, 2012 at Wahsega 4-H Center
Camp Corral will be holding a military youth summer camp at Wahsega 4-H Center (Dahlonega, GA) on July 15-20, 2012 Camp is open to military youth of all branches and all components but priority will be give to those children of brave soldiers who have been injured or fallen. Camp Corral is FREE and open to youth ages 8-15 years old. Please visit Camp Corral to Register: http://www.campcorral.org/
Contact Us
For more information or questions, please contact OMK Program Assistant, April Bowen at aprilb@uga.edu or (229) 924-4476.
