Hearts Apart builds families’ resiliency

  • Published
  • By By Staff Sgt. Nick Wilson
  • 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  While Airmen serve on the frontlines, dependents and spouses back home often look for ways to ease the stress that comes along with their loved ones being gone.

To help lighten the load for military families, the Whiteman Air Force Base Airman and Family Readiness Center offers the Hearts Apart program. This month's Hearts Apart event was held at the Chartreuse Moose, a pottery design shop in Warrensburg, Mo., June 10.

"Hearts Apart is an event we hold monthly that builds resiliency among family members who have an Airman that is currently deployed or at a remote location," said Senior Master Sgt. Mona Wendzillo, 509th Force Support Squadron Airman and Family Readiness Center NCO in charge. "We're bringing military spouses with like-minded situations together. They're missing their spouses and this provides an outlet for them to get together at a social event."

Wendzillo said events like Hearts Apart help show military dependents that the Air Force cares about them.

"Military spouses are an extremely important part of the mission," Wendzillo said. "We appreciate the support they provide to their military members."

One unique aspect of Hearts Apart is that each monthly Hearts Apart event takes place at a different location.

"We try to think outside the box for Hearts Apart events," Wendzillo said. "In addition to pottery, we've done pampering parties, potlucks and bingo. We'd also like to try to go to movies and Kansas City Royals games."

Wendzillo said one thing that makes Hearts Apart important is the fact that the military takes care of families.

"We care about these families because they are a high priority to us," Wendzillo said. "Their well-being is important to us. These events bring people together as a family because the Air Force is a family."

The family members that attend Hearts Apart events on a regular basis provide a major source of motivation for Wendzillo in her planning and organizing of these opportunities.

"When spouses and dependents come to Hearts Apart events because of repeat deployments, it's so important to me to make each and every one of them feel like they are important," Wendzillo said. "Whether we have two people show up or 32 people show up, they're still important to us and we still want to do that event for them."

With more than 30 participants at this most recent event, Wendzillo said the overall turnout was a good one.

"I thought the Chartreuse Moose had a great showing of both parents and their children working to create their artistic masterpieces," said Amy Creighton, 509th Bomb Wing Hearts Apart volunteer. "I love working with children, and am always glad to help out with the Airman and Family Readiness Center events."

A major benefit of the Hearts Apart program is that it helps families take their minds off their stressful situation and allows them to focus on something fun and positive, said Senior Airman Staci Cooper, 509th Operations Support Squadron Hearts Apart volunteer.

"Events like this are important because it gets to support families that are missing their loved ones," Cooper said. "The event helped with morale because we were intermingling and getting to know one other while having a great time."

In addition to the morale booster Hearts Apart provides, the event also relieves parents from the stress that could possibly come along with having to pay for an event for the entire family, Wendzillo said.

"I think they really like the idea of having something they don't have to plan," Wendzillo said. "All they have to do is show up."

Wendzillo said there are also Hearts Apart events that temporarily separate children from parents, so mothers and fathers have some time to unwind from being alone with the children.

"Sometimes we'll have game nights where our child monitors will take care of the 'kiddos' so the parents can decompress," Wendzillo said. "We've also had military family and life consultants come to events to talk to children and parents."

Wendzillo said that most deployed Airmen are happy to see that their families are being taken care of by the base and their units while they are overseas.

"The spouse that is away feels good when their family is actually participating in those activities," Wendzillo said. "Some people come back and say, 'Wow my spouse had so much fun with the Hearts Apart.'"

Overall, the monthly Hearts Apart events are one way the Airmen and Family Readiness Center builds resiliency by sustaining families while loved ones are gone, said Wendzillo.

"The A&FRC gives families a great opportunity to experience what the community has to offer, as well as a chance to make new friends," Creighton said. "This was an evening of fun, laughter, and smiles for everyone that attended, including me. And that is ALWAYS good for morale and the human spirit!"