“Open, relaxed, outside fun!” That in a nutshell is how U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st class Joe Relethford described Sunnylands’ second annual Family Day for Blue Star Families in early April.
Relethford, who is stationed at the naval base in Coronado with his wife Lindsey and their four children, was among the dozens of military family members from throughout Southern California who attended the event.
“Military is part of our community,” said Sunnylands Center & Gardens Director Michaeleen Gallagher. “The Annenbergs always had a diplomatic mindset, and they were always looking to connect people. This is another way of reaching out to our community.”
Maggie Meza, executive director of Blue Star Families of Southern California, said the organization strives to connect military families with others in their community. “This event gives families an opportunity to create memories,” she said.
Along with bird walks, games, and arts and crafts, the families were invited to interact with other Coachella Valley cultural institutions, such as the La Quinta Museum and Cabot’s Pueblo Museum, that set up display tables in the gardens. “It’s a great way to have an introduction to these families,” said Cindy Burreson, CEO of the Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert. The museum offers military families an admissions discount of 10 percent.
Emily Suddath, a mother of four whose husband is a chaplain at a Navy hospital at the 29 Palms Marine base, said she’s appreciative of the effort to provide a special experience for military families. “It’s a treat to come out this way,” she said.
