MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- On November 16, the Sony USA Foundation provided approximately 85 families of deployed Miramar Marines and sailors the opportunity to video tape a holiday message to mail overseas.
The foundation set up and decorated three private recording booths at the L.I.N.K.S. House and provided all equipment to record and send video messages.
“Last year my boss (a retired Marine) and I sat down and said, ‘There’s gotta be more we can do,” said Edward P. Wallace Jr., director of community affairs and vice president of Sony USA Foundation. “There’s gotta be a little bit we can do to bring some relief to the troops during the holidays.”
Wallace and his team set up three cameras and helped families create 20 minute films.
“It’s a simple thing for us to do. It’s the least we can do,” said Wallace.
Michaelyn Thompson brought her five-year-old son, Tachiini Thompson, and her two-year-old daughter, Nabahe Edwards, to show their father a skit they preformed at a Navajo Nation baby pageant.
After Tachiini lip-synched a Johnny Cash song, Nabahe became camera shy and Michaelyn had to fill the rest of the video with conversation.
“This is the longest twenty minutes,” said Michaelyn, wife of Sgt. William Edwards, a motor transport operator with Marine Wing Support Squadron 373 in Camp Taquaddum, Iraq. “I don’t know what to say. It’s not like you’re here,” she added reluctantly. Like many of the deployed service members, her husband would miss out on the most important days of the year.
“This is your birthday present, Christmas present, our anniversary present, Valentines present, let’s see, what else…” Michaelyn said.
Kelly Munoz walked in the L.I.N.K.S. House juggling her cocker spaniel, Choco; her four-year-old daughter, Brittany; and her two-year-old son, Brent, who suffers from a form of autism.
“I know you’re gonna come in a lil’ while, but I just wanted to say ‘hi’,” said Brittany as she stole the remote microphone from her mother. “Sometimes I’ll come to visit but sometimes you come to visit too, okay? We miss you and I love you – here’s my mommy.”
Kelly hoped she could keep Brent awake long enough to show his “Papi” the new words he learned after his father left.
“We just want you to know that we’ll be thinking about you,” said Kelly, when she couldn’t get Brent to stay awake. “We want you to know you are our hero. I’m trying to be strong for you,” she added, choking back her tears. At the coaxing of her daughter she added, “And there’s chocolate syrup in the refrigerator that we can’t open.”
Sony plans on continuing the holiday videos each year until there is no longer a need, according to Wallace.
Similar events are scheduled to be held Nov. 30 at the Armed Forces YMCA at Murphy Canyon.
Disclaimer: Photos can be found at:
http://192.156.19.109/marinelink/image1.nsf/LookupAdmin/20061127185256
http://192.156.19.109/marinelink/image1.nsf/LookupAdmin/20061127185127