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ALTON – Riverbend Head Start & Family Services (RHSFS) is honored to celebrate Veteran’s Day at its Essic Robinson Center. During the occasion, we’re hosting an open house. It will be held on Monday, November 11, 2024 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The address is 1802 E. Broadway, Alton IL, 62002.
This year marks the first time that RHSFS is planning a special Veteran’s Day celebration. Two of our Essic Robinson employees, Hannah Hook (U.S. Army) and Mitchell Bushnell-Chamness (U.S. Air Force) collaborated on the idea. In an effort to ensure all of our children at Essic Robinson are included, we will host two-time slots. The early time slot will be at 10:30 a.m., the afternoon time slot will be at 1:30 p.m.
We will have veterans from all over the community visiting with our Head Start students. The children will gather in the main hallway to welcome the veterans during a red carpet “honor walk.” Veterans will then be presented with handmade cards from the students. Each veteran will also be invited into a classroom to read a book to the kids and engage with them about their role in the military. And lastly, we will have a military vehicle for the students to check out and take photos with.
“Serving my community and country was important to me long before I ever joined the military,” says Hannah Hook. “When I returned from Germany, I was determined to figure out how to continue to serve my community. It was not an easy road. Head Start’s mission really brought that part of me alive again and has opened endless doors for me to continue to do so.”
“When I was a teenager, I just knew that I wanted to do something that was bigger than myself,” says Mitchell Bushnell-Chamness. “I wanted to work alongside others while helping people and communities in some sort of capacity, so I decided to join the military. This passion and drive are also what pulled me into social work and Riverbend Head Start.”
Both Hannah Hook and Mitchell Bushnell-Chamness currently work as Family Advocates at Essic Robinson.
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