Each year at a luncheon in Washington, D.C., the Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) presents awards to individuals and branches whose efforts best exemplify the ASYMCA mission of enriching the quality of life of military personnel and their families. At this year’s awards luncheon, sponsored by General Dynamics, the ASYMCA also announced winners of its annual art and essay contests for children of military families.

ASYMCA Military Family Congressional Champion Award
Every year, ASYMCA recognizes a lawmaker who advances public policies that improve the quality of life for America’s military families. This year, ASYMCA honors Rep. John Carter R-TX for his outstanding commitment to meeting the needs of America’s military families.

As a member of the House Military Quality of Life Subcommittee, Rep. John Carter (R-TX) works to ensure military personnel and their families’ needs are being provided for to the greatest extent possible. In 2006, he introduced the Military Spouses Employment Act in 2006, which would expand the Workforce Opportunity Tax Credit to provide employers with tax incentives to hire qualified military spouses. Rep. Carter is reintroducing the bill in this Congress to help level the playing field for military spouses and prevent them from being penalized for frequent moves.

Volunteer of the Year
Founder of Washington D.C. based non-profit, The Clothing Recycling Company, Moses Robbins was named Volunteer of the Year for his contributions to the Back Door Boutique program in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Since 2004, he and his wife Sarah have sent a shipment of clothes and other items to the Camp Lejeune ASYMCA every six weeks for enlisted families in need. Mr. Robbins generous donations have expanded the program to now operate every other week, rather than just once a month.

Raytheon Program Achievement Awards
The Raytheon Program Achievement Awards honor the Best New Program, Best Use of Volunteers and Most Innovative Improvement. Raytheon provides a grant of $10,000 for the Best New Program and $4,500 to each of the other winners.

Click here to download an application for the 2008 Raytheon Program Achievement Awards.

Winners of the 2007 Raytheon Program Achievement Awards:

• Best New Program — Lawton/Fort Sill ASYMCA received this honor for “Operation Childwatch,” which is a childcare program. Through this program, parents are able to attend family education and wellness classes that help them deal with deployment and re-integration upon their return.

• Best Use of Volunteers — This award was presented to San Diego ASYMCA for its “Military Volunteer” program, which organizes groups of active duty military personnel from all service branches to volunteer in the community. About 350 volunteers each year provide over 3,500 hours of community service.

• Most Innovative Improvement — Fort Bragg/Pope Air Force Base ASYMCA won this award for its “Artist in Residence” program, which promotes the arts literacy and character education. The visiting authors, storytellers and illustrators motivate and inspire students to think creatively and encourage them to do their best, in and out of school.

Community YMCA Awards
Community YMCAs often serve families of the National Guard and Reserves who frequently are not located on or near major military installations and do not have the support structure available to active duty military. For facilities that serve these and other military families in need, ASYMCA presents awards to community YMCAs across the country. These awards are also sponsored by Raytheon.

• Greater Johnstown Community YMCA — Johnstown, PA
• Huntington YMCA — Huntington, NY
• West Bay Family YMCA — North Kingston, RI
•YMCA of Michiana — South Bend, IN
• Akron Area YMCA — Akron, OH
• YMCA of Burlington County — Mt. Laurel, NJ

ASYMCA Art and Essay Contests
ASYMCA’s annual art and essay contests ask children (grades 1-12) of active duty or retired military personnel to submit artwork that best illustrates their military families, or essays about they are proud of their military families.

First-place winners in the art contest from each branch of service are awarded a $500 U.S. savings bond; second-place winners receive a $100 U.S. savings bond. All winning artwork will be featured on a poster for Military Family Month (November). The art contest is sponsored by GEICO.

Click here to see artwork by 2007 art contest winners.

In the essay contest, first-place winners in grades 1-8 receive a $500 U.S. savings bond; second-place winners receive a $100 U.S. savings bond. First-place winners in grades 9-12 receive a $1,000 U.S. savings bond; second-place winners receive a $200 U.S. savings bond; and two $100 U.S. savings bonds will be awarded for essays of honorable mention. The essay contest is sponsored by Lockheed Martin.

Click here to read winning pieces from the 2007 essay contest.

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