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Show Volume XXX Issue XI The Ogden Valley News Page 11 August 15, 2023 Volunteer and Make a Difference: Wolf Creek Foundation’s 42st Military Family Retreat For over a decade, the Wolf Creek Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit agency, has been supporting military families through the generosity of this community. Whether being deployed or returning from deployment, separation brings stress and anxiety to a military family which is often difficult to overcome. Through a partnership with Hill Air Force Base and Summit/Powder Mountain, the Wolf Creek Foundation sponsors weekend retreats twice a year, where our military families relax, reconnect, and develop much needed skills that help the entire family cope with deployments. Meals, lodging, and entertainment, along with dedicated programming for adults and children, are offered at no cost to families. This program has held Best Practice status within the Air Force since 2008 and several bases from around the U.S. are working to create something similar for their families. One of the unique qualities of this program is what is does for the children. Several base organizations along with Air Force child development specialists take over Snowcrest Jr. High with a myriad of activities along with focused programming to help these children deal with the inherent fear and uneasiness that comes with a parent’s deployment. The parents are offered three training sessions that thoroughly deal with the issues that arise during a spouse’s deployment as well as reintegration when the spouse returns. Several seasoned officers have reported that in their 25- to 30-year careers, they have never been offered anything as beneficial to their families as this program. During a Typical Retreat… • Each family receives a complimentary family photo. Many of these photos as well as pictures taken during the weekend have ended up in an airman’s helmet while on deployment. • Each child receives a teddy bear that has a voicebox for the deploying parent to record a message for their son or daughter. • Families have time to reconnect with each other in a way that is not normally possible. They can choose to participate in the daily recreation opportunities or simply spend time with each other. • Some come to a retreat after their spouse has already deployed. This is always particularly poignant. We have a great DJ that gets everyone up on the dance 昀氀oor and the “Daddy/Daughter” dance is very emotional for everyone on sta昀昀. • Families have opportunities to connect with each other and the spouse left behind leaves with a support system in place. Base commanders and Chapel sta昀昀 spend time getting to know the families during each retreat and families leave with the knowledge that they are not alone. • One of the unique qualities of this program is the lodging. Families stay in luxury second homes and condominiums that have largely been donated by the homeowners. Most of these families could not a昀昀ord a weekend in this type of accommodation and the fact that the homeowner has donated it to them makes it even more meaningful. Your Opportunity to Make a Difference We are looking for volunteers to help serve at some of the meals during the next retreat taking place September 8 - 10, 2023. Your only commitment will be for one meal during that weekend. All of the meals are buffet style so a volunteer’s main responsibility will be serving occasional beverages, clearing tables and resetting for the next meal. We are looking for 6-8 volunteers per meal. The real benefit of volunteering at this event will be interacting with the retreat participants. When you talk to these families you truly become aware of the sacrifice that the whole family makes for the freedom that we take for granted. We invite you to thank these airmen and their families. To volunteer, please call Sue Munson at 801-388-7596. We look forward to seeing you at the next retreat! RED CROSS cont. from page 1 past two months. The Red Cross supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood, needing to collect about 12,500 blood and 3,000 platelet donations daily to meet demand. “This summer’s decline in donations can strain the supply, meaning hospitals might not have what they need to save lives,” said Dr. Kelley. “And any one of us—family member, neighbor, close friend—could need a life-saving blood transfusion or treatment following a cancer diagnosis.” Give Now. Help Save Lives - Schedule a donor appointment by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org, or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-7332767). Donors of all blood types are needed— particularly type O, the blood group hospitals use most. • Approximately six blood products per minute are necessary for cancer treatment. • Chemotherapy often results in low blood counts, a major side e昀昀ect that can impair bone marrow, decrease red blood cell and platelet production, and potentially lead to severe infections or bleeding. • Cancer can also necessitate blood and platelet transfusions due to internal bleeding or by hindering the body’s ability to produce blood cells. Cancer patients need treatment, and the blood supply must keep up. This summer the American Red Cross has seen a concerning shortfall of about 50,000 donations over the Healthy Lawns Use Less Water A healthy lawn doesn’t require as much water as one that is struggling to survive. To insure as healthy a lawn as possible, keep the following in mind: 1. Aerate the lawn at least once in the spring. More often helps water and oxygen penetrate better. 2. Mow the lawn higher—between 2½ and 3 inches tall. This is especially important as the weather warms. 3. Fertilize the lawn and keep it thick. As a general rule, it’s recommend to fertilize on these holidays: Memorial Day, Pioneer Day, Labor Day, and Halloween. 4. Water deeply and infrequently. Train your lawn now to develop better and larger roots by watering deeper and less often, allowing the roots to grow downward to 昀椀nd water. Weber State Recognized as National Leader in Sustainability Ogden’s Weber State University is being recognized for its success in proactive efforts to become carbon neutral by 2040, a decade ahead of its original goal. The American Association of State Colleges and Universities selected WSU to receive the 2023 AASCU Excellence & Innovation Award for Sustainability and Sustainable Development. The university earned the honor specifically for its 5-point Carbon Neutrality Strategy initiative, selected by the awards committee for its outstanding results and potential to serve as a model for other institutions. “We’re extremely proud of this achievement,” said Brad Mortensen, WSU president. “We’re ten years ahead of schedule in reaching our carbon neutral goal, but we’re even more excited that our model is catching the eye of other institutions across the country who take sustainability seriously and are looking to replicate our success here in Utah.” In 2007, Weber State formalized its dedication to sustainability by signing the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, aiming to eliminate emissions and become carbon neutral by 2050—now moved to 2040. As of last year, Weber has cut electricity consumption by 35%, natural gas consumption by 43%, and total greenhouse gas emissions by 42%, saving over $21 million. By 2038, WSU anticipates having converted every building to all-electric systems. WSU has also incorporated sustainability across its curriculum, with key faculty and staff sharing the knowledge and skills students need to contribute to sustainable communities and providing opportunities to learn more, even outside the classroom. Weber also works with community partners to boost sustainable practices, helping residents reduce their emissions and carbon footprints by utilizing the same strategies implemented on WSU campuses. The university also hosts the Intermountain Sustainability Summit, and cohosts Utah Climate Action Week and Solve Climate by 2030 events each year. “Our sustainability work has garnered a lot of attention because we’ve significantly cut our greenhouse gas emissions, saved millions, and we have a detailed strategy for transitioning our campuses to carbon neutral by 2040,” said Jennifer Bodine, WSU sustainability manager. “We all win when we share best practices, so we’re thrilled to get the word out and see more people follow suit.” AASCU will formally recognize WSU’s achievements at a ceremony this November. Last month, Mortensen joined Justin Owen, WSU energy manager, and Jacob Cain, operations director, to present Weber State’s key successes at AASCU’s Sustainability Solutions Symposium in Washington, D.C. 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