More civilians can help support military families

Supporting our nation's military families and children, especially those families in which a loved one is deployed, represents a new direction for our Military Care Ministry of The Church of the Cross, Bluffton.

We have become "friends" of the Beaufort Chapter of Blue Star Families. Blue Star Families (www.bluestarfam.org) is a national organization dedicated to enhancing the role of the military spouse through leadership activities that promote family strength, community cohesion and bridging the military and civilian communities.

In this capacity of bridging, we had the privilege of attending the Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Laurel Bay Tri-Command, and of being a "reader" for Books on Bases. Books on Bases is an initiative of Blue Star Families that recently distributed 1,500 new books to area schools, libraries and directly to military children. Some of the sites included the Beaufort County Library, Coosa Elementary School, EC Montessori School, Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort and Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island libraries, and Laurel Bay schools.

This holiday season, let us recognize military families, many sustained by single parents and young children who voice their pride in their parents who serve. An important mission of Blue Star Families, and one our ministry embraces, is strengthening the bridge between our civilian and military communities.

Nancy Vineburgh

Bluffton