Dual-base clothing swap highlights month of military child

Antoinette Ross listened intently at a recent Peterson Spouses Club board meeting when one of her fellow spouses announced some exciting news. She was expecting a new baby, her fourth.Following a round of congratulations, the spouse then announced the news came with a predicament: since her other children were much older, she would need to purchase new baby clothingA light bulb immediately went off inside Ross' head. Why not host a children's clothing swap for area military families?
"Children typically don't wear out their clothes, they outgrow them," Ross said. "I assisted with this type of event while we lived at Patrick Air Force Base and it was a huge success."Ross, wife of Col. James Ross, 50th Space Wing commander, spoke with Kayreen.Crawford, wife of 21st Space Wing Commander, Col. Chris Crawford and together, the group began laying the groundwork for their dual-base effort.Given an enthusiastic go-ahead from wing leaders, the Airman and Family Readiness Centers settled on a time, date and place for the event.
The children's clothing swap hosted by the 50th and 21st Space Wings will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 21 at the Schriever Fitness Center and is open to everyone who has access to the base."There's an added benefit because a lot of people based at Peterson, the U.S. Air Force Academy and Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station have never been out to Schriever," said Christina Stump, community readiness consultant and event organizer. "This is a great opportunity for us to open our door and showcase our base."Since it coincides with the Month of the Military Child, Stump and her fellow A&FRC organizers figured the swap would also be the perfect time and place to host an information fair at the same time. Representatives from the Schriever Health and Wellness Center, Family Advocacy, New Parent Support Program, Peterson Spouses Club and Mothers of Preschoolers will be on hand to provide information about their programs. Kids attending along with their parents can test their skills in an on-site children's maze and bounce castle as well.
"In our conversations, Mrs. Crawford and I spoke about how tough the current economy has been for families and how every little big might help," Ross said. "There are zero costs associated with this event, it helps the environment by recycling clothing and provides a specific benefit to our families."