1. family and parenting
2. children

Quarterly DONOR UPDATE
Issue 2 Volume 6
Summer 2014
When Jodi Riley’s husband deployed to Afghanistan with the Army National Guard in 2008, she knew it would be a challenge to keep her kids’ minds off of their father being half a world away. Fortunately, he learned about the Our Military Kids program soon after deploying and passed the information along to Jodi.
Logan, now 13, received a grant for football and baseball, and Jillian, now 9, participated in gymnastics with her grant.
“Staying busy helped them not think about it,” Jodie explained. “I own a dance studio too, so between that and their activities, it helped them get through all of the deployment-­related stress. I have a big support system here, too, because my family lives nearby.”
The grants kept Logan and Jillian in a social environment and gave them something to look forward WRHDFKZHHN,WZDVVXFKDSRVLWLYHLQÀXHQFHLQWKHLU
lives that Jodi decided she wanted to give back to Our Military Kids.
As the owner of The Performing Arts Academy dance studio in Illinois, she knew she had a platform to help. Back in 2009, Jodi organized WKH¿UVWEHQH¿W
performance to include all of her dancers from the studio’s two locations. $IWHUKHU¿UVW
and second attempts at the event, Jodi knew she needed some assistance in making the EHQH¿WSHUIRUPDQFHDVXFFHVV
“One of the parents at my studio works at Northern Illinois University, which is also my alma mater. She suggested teaming up with Military Support Services – a group on campus. They were able to help us out free of charge and without much notice.”
Military Student Services helped book a venue on campus for Jodi and her dancers to use for the EHQH¿WSHUIRUPDQFH)URPVWDUWWR¿QLVKWKHHQWLUH
production was planned in just two months. The hour-­
long show included ballet, jazz, and contemporary jazz performances. “The father of one of our dancers is currently deployed overseas and she received a grant from Our Military Kids to take classes at my studio, so it was an extra special part of the performance for all of us.”
The Performing Arts Academy raised $600 for Our Military Kids and plans to do it again next year in a larger space. Our Military Kids is grateful to grant recipient families who go out of their way to give back, PDNLQJLWSRVVLEOHIRURWKHUFKLOGUHQWREHQH¿WIURPWKH
program.
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www.OurMilitaryKids.org
Cherese Mari Laulhere was a special young lady. Her name was French for “beloved” – and that she was, by her family, friends, and anyone she was able to touch in her short but active life.
She was born in Long Beach, California in 1974 to Larry and Chris Laulhere. Cherese was an active and happy child. She began singing and dancing at a young age and was a member of her local Brownies and Girl Scout troops in elementary school. When high school came around, she honed her athletic abilities on her school’s track and tennis teams, began hiking, and even Cherese Mari Laulhere Foundation to participated in a triathlon. Activities were continue her legacy.
a big part of her life.
“Our daughter always was very compassionate and wanting to help less fortunate people, children, and animals,” Chris explained. “She had a huge heart. She kept a journal when she was on this trip, and in reading it, we saw the one thing that hit her most was when they went to the children’s orphanages. She also volunteered her time to help She even mentioned a those less fortunate, getting involved little girl who was hanging with the charity PAWS/LA, which means on to her – she wanted to Pets Are Wonderful Support / For People bring her home!”
Living with HIV/AIDS / Los Angeles. She After reading the entire journal, there was always employed, working as a was not a single doubt in the minds of restaurant hostess, in a deli, babysitting, Chris and Larry, nor their son, Todd, KHOSLQJ LQ D OHJDO RI¿FH DQG HYHQWXDOO\
and his wife, Tere. They all decided the in the family construction business.
foundation would focus on helping the After graduating high school with same causes that were important to honors, Cherese attended Cypress Cherese.
College for two years before transferring “We are trying to carry out her hopes to UCLA. She immersed herself in and dreams that she would have done education and always looked for if she was alive today.”
opportunities to broaden her horizons. :KHQ &KULV ¿UVW KHDUG DERXW
When she found out about the Semester at Sea program, she knew it was the Our Military Kids, she knew it was opportunity of a lifetime. During the a cause that would have resonated spring semester, the ship would take with Cherese, given her extensive her to Venezuela, Brazil, South Africa, LQYROYHPHQW LQ VSRUWV DQG ¿QH DUWV
Kenya, India, Vietnam, the Philippines, programs as a child.
Hong Kong, and Japan.
“She would be happy that she is always stop to think about the kids of our service members and what they are battling within their lives. The grants you give to children can be really life changing for them.”
“
Cherese was tragically killed in a bus crash in India, and didn’t make it through the journey. While the experience was incredibly painful for Larry and Chris, they knew they needed to keep their daughter’s spirit alive. They founded the helping kids participate in whatever they were passionate about,” Chris said. “Whether it’s camp, art, a dance class – these things will help children and their families. And that is something she would be pleased about. You don’t .”
Our Military Kids is very grateful to have received a $10,000 donation from the Cherese Mari Laulhere Foundation. To read more about Cherese’s story, visit www.
cherese.org.
Although Cherese’s death has changed the circumstances of her family’s world forever, they learned to celebrate her life in a healthy way by keeping her memory alive. They bring happiness and joy into the lives of military children during a stressful period, allowing them to experience childhood to its fullest.
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welcome to Jeannine Fesler, who joined the Our Military Kids staff as a
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As an Air Force veteran and current military spouse, Jeannine understands
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The Bulldog Fest is an all-­day lacrosse tournament that takes place in eastern Ohio. Both club and high school teams from the area compete while raising money for charity. This year, they selected Our Military Kids as WKH EHQH¿FLDU\ 7KH WRXUQDPHQW UDLVHG PRUH
than $3,000. Thank you to the organizers and participants!
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The 5K race is an annual event where students, faculty, and their friends and family run for charity. They also raised $3,000 for Our Military Kids. We are grateful for the efforts that went into making these events such great successes. :LWK RXU DYHUDJH JUDQW DZDUG UHDFKLQJ HDFK IXQGUDLVHU EHQH¿WWHG VHYHQ PLOLWDU\
children.
www.OurMilitaryKids.org
2014 Star Supporters
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Target
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AT&T
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Microsoft
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