Chrysler Museum of Art and Hampton Roads Museums Support Military Families
Wed, 07/21/2010 - 12:56 | 
Steph H-N New M...
As a military brat, some of my earliest memories of summer vacation involved my parents dragging me to museums around the world. And yes, at times I felt dragged, particularly when I was 12-15 years
old and spending time with my parents was akin to being water boarded in my adolescent angst ridden head.
In hindsight, however, it was pretty darn cool.
Fast forward to summer vacations with my kids. I have two "high energy" boys. I use the quotes because sometimes simply energetic doesn't quite cut it as a description. Imagine a 4 year old (Holden) and a 5 year old (Hollis) chasing each other around in circles and screaming at top volume. Now picture that for 2 hours or so in a public place filled with fragile and expensive objects and art, where you aren't supposed to touch anything.
Have a migraine yet?
Over the years my husband and I have taken the boys to lots of museums. We've traveled up to the Smithsonian in D.C. pretty frequently. The Natural History Museum, both Air and Space Museums, the American History Museum, all were loved by H&H. We've been regular visitors to the USS Wisconsin and Nauticus, the Portsmouth Children's Museum and similar kid-friendly venues. But I've never been brave enough to try an art museum with Hurricane Hollis and Hurricane Holden.
I've been selling my kids short.
Tags: Don't Touch ANYTHING! A Morning at the Chrysler Museum of Art
Mon, 07/12/2010 - 23:39 | Guest Contributor
by Michelle Galvez
Before entering the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Va. Thursday, my kids were strenuously warned to use their inside voices, walking feet and look with their eyes, but not with their hands. I truly enjoy introducing my children to art and culture but I was a bit nervous about the potential for too-up close and personal interaction between them and the priceless and breakable masterpieces inside. I needn’t have worried because between the red, white and blue cupcakes and jobs as museum detectives, my kids were engaged and behaved.
The occasion was the local Hampton Roads celebration of the Blue Star Museums program with more than 850 museums across America offering free admission to military personnel and their families this summer as a Blue Star Families initiative between the National Endowment for the Arts and participating museums. Thursday’s event included comments by U.S. Senator Mark Warner, Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim, and Rear Admiral Mark Boensel, Commander Navy Region Mid-Atlantic.
They welcomed the military families in the audience by talking about their appreciation for the sacrifices made by military members and the need for communities to support their families through programs like Blue Star Museums. Boensel said how important these initiatives are not just for families but for overall mission readiness of the military. “When our service members can do their jobs because the community is taking care of our families then readiness stays up,” he said.
My Visit with Senator Warner
Mon, 08/10/2009 - 02:00 | Steph H-N New M...
Please welcome guest poster and BSF daughter, Sophie. Sophie attended our meeting with Senator Mark Warner of Virginia in D.C. earlier this year. Sophie is a proud Marine Daughter and about to enter 6th grade.
Sophie drew the award winning piece to the left and it was displayed in the U.S. Capitol building earlier this year.
On May 13, 2009, my mother and I visited Senator Warner. We were there with about 8 other people. The reason for our presence was because we were part of a group called Blue Star Families. We were talking to Senator Warner because he was going to visit troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and wanted to talk to military families first to learn about our issues.
I was very excited (as you can guess) to be meeting a Senator. When we got there we waited for Senator Warner and other members of our group. When he came I was surprised for I didn’t expect a Senator to be so energetic and full of sympathy. He kept saying he couldn’t believe how people haven’t done more to help military families all ready. Then we started talking.
