The Virgin Islands Adjutant General Major General Renaldo Rivera awarded 12 honorees in recognition of their service with the Family Program Office during the Virgin Islands National Guard Family Program Office’s Annual Family Program Workshop on Saturday, July 21.
The workshop was held on St. Croix, at the Divi Carina Bay Beach Resort. A separate workshop was also held for the service members on St. Thomas at the Sugar Bay Beach Resort on Sunday, July 22.
More than 100 Family Readiness Group volunteers, military point of contacts and family members attended the Family Program Workshop, where the honorees were awarded trophies and plaques by Major General Rivera and State Family Program Director Linda Todman.
“It was a fantastic event and a great program for our service members and families,” said Merlisa George-Plante, the 104th Troop Command Battalion Family Readiness support assistant.
During the workshop, 12 Family Readiness Group individuals, units or families were recognized for their efforts throughout the last 12 months of service with the Family Programs Office.
Some of this year’s volunteers who were honored were Lt. Col. Richard Kemp, 786th Combat Sustainment Support Battalioncommander, as Commander of the Year; 661st Military Police Law and Order Detachment as FRG of the Year; and Family of the Year, Vernon and Frances Monsanto.
In addition to the awards ceremony, the guests were treated to presentations by Hal Runkel, founder of the ScreamFree Workshop, and his associate Kelvin Teamer.
“The ScreamFree Workshop was introduced to the Virgin Island Family Program Office at the National Volunteer Workshop earlier this year,” Plante said.
This year’s workshop theme was "How to Live a ScreamFree Life," where Runkel and Teamer discussed topics such as a scream-free marriage, Scream-free parenting skills, and exercising scream-free leadership.
