Military kids hang out with the Golden Knights

LAURINBURG —The US Army’s Golden Knights hosted a group of military kids at their hanger at Laurinburg-Maxton Airport to celebrate the end of Military Child Month on Friday.

The Purple Up For Military Kids event was put on for a group of Cumberland County students who have military parents by the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Centerstone in Fayetteville.

On-site event organizer, Sharjuan Burgos, retired US Army major, said these students were given an opportunity that most kids don’t have.

“The Golden Knights are fun,” she said. “What I’d like to do is show them thanks for being a military child. We understand when a service member serves or when a veteran has served that child has served as well. They are very resilient and they go through a lot. A little bit different than what normal kids go through.”

So, Friday morning, 50 students rolled up to the Golden Knights hanger and were treated to live tandem jump demonstrations, static displays, a video game truck, a live DJ, and refreshments. They were led around the hanger by members of the Golden Knights, getting hands-on experience with parachutes and other equipment.

“We wanted to give them a special day and see what it’s like to be a Golden Knight and enjoy,” Burgos said.

In addition to all of the fun events that were planned for the students, several mental health leaders and advocates, community educators, philanthropists, and political leaders were in attendance, including several who did some tandem jumping.

Lisa Eggebeen, regional director at The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinics at Centerstone said it’s important to let military families and children know they aren’t alone. “That’s why it is so important that we recognize military families and military children everywhere and remind them that we are here to support them through all of the ups and downs of military life.”

Burgos said events like Friday’s let the families know that they are here and appreciated.

And partnering with the Golden Knights was a rare opportunity to show the kids something special. “Most people don’t get the opportunity to see something like this. They are spectacular and it’s only one. We wanted to give them a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be able to see this.”

But more than anything else, Burgos said events like this show the kids that they are seen.

“A lot of the times, everything that is given is given to the veterans or to the service member. But the military children are sometimes left in the background and we see you,” she said. “We’re hoping to do this again and we’ve actually gotten the approval to do this again next year with the Golden Knights on a larger level, so next year we should have 100 kids instead of 50.”