HandsOn Central Ohio Service Project- A Welcome Home for our Ohio National Guard

On April 10, children and their parents attended HandsOn Central Ohio’s Safety and Service project to make “Welcome Home” cards for a Guard unit currently deployed to Iraq. As part of their service project, the children made over 100 cards for returning service members. The unit is expected to return home next month.

Sergeant Christopher Fowler Stentz, a two time combat veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan and member of the Ohio National Guard , was the guest speaker. SGT Stentz is also the recipient of a Meritorious Service Medal, Purple Heart and numerous Army Achievement medals . He spoke to the children about the history and stateside natural disaster missions customarily taken care of by the Guard.

HandsOn of Central Ohio has recently applied for an AmeriCorps/VetCorps planning grant, in partnership with the Cleveland American Veterans Association. The grant would address the needs and gaps in services offered to returning veterans and military families in the community.