BACKpack-To-School Bash
by U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Rachel Coates
July 22, 2024 The 23rd Force Support Squadron Freedom One Fitness Center and Military and Family Readiness Center hosted this year’s BACKpack-To-School Bash at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia on July 19, 2024. 
July 19, 2024 - U.S. Air Force Airmen and Military and Family Readiness Center members, assigned to Moody Air Force Base, hand backpacks and school supplies to children during the BACKpack-To-School Bash at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. The event brought families and their children together for an activity-packed day and sent children home with a backpack full of donated school supplies, ensuring they're ready for the new school year. (Image created by USA Patriotism! from U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Rachel Coates.)
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The event brought families and their children together for an activity-packed day and sent kids home with a backpack full of donated school supplies, ensuring they're ready for the new school year.
“We aimed to have this event be something that you can come to and ‘let your hair down.’ Where the kids could burn off energy, get some school supplies and know that everything is going to be alright,” said Tech. Sgt. Crystal Pyle, 23rd FSS MFRC readiness noncommissioned officer. “There’s also a financial burden that comes with getting kids back to school and things aren’t getting any cheaper, so we’re glad that we can hopefully alleviate some of these costs.”
With the help of donations from the local community, and the assistance from several volunteers, the backpacks were filled with notebooks, binders, pencils, glue, etc.
Alongside the distribution of school supplies for the children, a MFRC booth was available for parents to seek information and access resources, offering them the assistance they need from the Moody AFB community.
“The volunteers did their thing and talked with the parents to ensure that they have the resources to feel supported. Sometimes [parents] can feel isolated or get caught up in their day to day, so this event allows them to build that connectedness with the installation and also with each other,” Pyle added.
This emphasis on fostering a supportive and connected community extended beyond the parents. The children were able to enjoy a water slide, bouncy houses, inflatable obstacle courses, a dunk tank, refreshments, food and more. 
July 19, 2024 - Kids of airmen having fun on a water slide during the BACKpack-To-School Bash at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. The 23rd Force Support Squadron Freedom One Fitness Center and Military and Family Readiness Center hosted this year’s BACKpack-to-school Bash to support the community and prepare kids for the new school year. (Image created by USA Patriotism! from U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Rachel Coates.)
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“I know for a kid, they see the back-To-School commercials and worry about their summer coming to an end, so we had this event that was fun and supportive for the kids and their families to have an entertaining field day,” said Master Sgt. Bryon Weston, 23rd FSS MFRC noncommissioned officer in charge.
The BACKpack-To-School Bash not only provided essential school supplies but also fostered a strong sense of community for military families at Moody AFB. Events like these demonstrate the 23rd Force Support Squadron's and the Military and Family Readiness Center's commitment to supporting service members and their families.
“I think we had a really great turn out ... All the families and children looked like they we’re having fun an interacting and everyone got a backpack,” Pyle said. “We’re beyond grateful to all our volunteers and donors because without them this event wouldn’t have been possible. Everything that went into today was worth it to see our Moody community having fun and building connections.” Our Valiant Troops | I Am The One | Veterans | Citizens Like Us U.S. Air Force | Air National Guard | U.S. Air Force Gifts | U.S. Department of Defense |
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