Press Release
☷Baby Palooza draws Fort Drum Soldiers family members to Post Exchange
U.S. Army ( By Press Release office)
Apr 28,2022
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The Fort Drum Soldier and Family Readiness Division hosted Baby Palooza at the Post Exchange on April 27 , offering family members access to a variety of resources from on - post and off - post organizations and services . ( Photo by Mike Strasser , Fort Drum Garrison Public Affairs ) Members of the Fort Drum Fire and Emergency Services share information with community members April 27 at the Post Exchange during the annual Baby Palooza . ( Photo by Mike Strasser , Fort Drum Garrison Public Affairs ) The Fort Drum Soldier and Family Readiness Division hosted Baby Palooza at the Post Exchange on April 27 , offering family members access to a variety of resources from on - post and off - post organizations and services . ( Photo by Mike Strasser , Fort Drum Garrison Public Affairs ) Elijah Tezeno , outreach coordinator with the Fort Drum Soldier and Family Readiness Division , shares upcoming events with community members April 27 during Baby Palooza at the Post Exchange . One of the events that the Fort Drum SFRD is hosting is Military Spouse Appreciation Day on May 6 at the Family Resource Center . ( Photo by Mike Strasser , Fort Drum Garrison Public Affairs ) The Fort Drum Soldier and Family Readiness Division hosted Baby Palooza at the Post Exchange on April 27 , offering family members access to a variety of resources from on - post and off - post organizations and services . ( Photo by Mike Strasser , Fort Drum Garrison Public Affairs ) FORT DRUM , N . Y . ( April 27 , 2022 ) - - Instead of shopping aisle to aisle at the Post Exchange on April 27 , Fort Drum community members were going booth to booth and collecting bundles of information at the annual Baby Palooza event . Baby Palooza gathers representatives from on - post and off - post organizations to answer questions and provide resource material to military family members . Nicole Wetzel , a family development program educator with Fort Drum Family Advocacy Program , said that Baby Palooza is in its 10th year and it is an event that keeps growing . “This is always going to be a necessary resource because people are always going to need information , and this makes it easier for them , ” she said . “Whether it’s your first child or your fifth , you can find something here . Also , information can change and new things are being offered all of the time , and so we want to keep the community informed . ” Off - post organizations represented at Baby Palooza ranged from Jefferson County Public Health Service , North Country Family Health Center and River Hospital to The Child Advocacy Center of Northern New York and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department . Among the Fort Drum organization and program representatives in attendance were Fort Drum Fire and Emergency Services , Army Public Health Nursing , New Parent Support Program , School Support Services and the Military and Family Life Counseling ( MFLC ) Program . Angela Matuella explained how she and other MFLCs at Fort Drum help military families overcome challenges by providing free face - to - face counseling to on issues such as family relationships , parenting and managing stress . “We provide short - term , problem - solving therapy , ” she said . “It’s completely confidential , which is very attractive to Soldiers . ” Soldiers meet with an MFLC as part of in - processing when they arrive at Fort Drum . “We introduce every Soldier to the program and tell them which MFLCs support their unit , ” she said . “Whether they are single or married , we are there to support them . ” MFLCs can meet Soldiers and spouses wherever they feel most comfortable , and they are also available to military children at Child and Youth Services program and at local schools . Wetzel said that the Fort Drum Soldier and Family Readiness Division is constantly looking for different ways to reach out to community members . “We always want to tell our military families what we do and what we have to offer , ” she said . “Every time we have a family event like Baby Palooza or a Safety Luau , that’s an opportunity for us to share resources . And it makes me happy when we see so many people here , getting that information . ” Photos from the 2022 Baby Palooza are available at www . flickr . com/photos/drum10thmountain/albums/72177720298445944 . To learn more about the Fort Drum Soldier and Family Readiness Division , visit www . facebook . com/FortDrumSFRD .
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