Second Lady of the United States Usha Vance partnered with Blue Star Families, The Walt Disney Company and the 6th Air Refueling Wing to host a children's summer reading event at MacDill Air Force Base June 16th.
About 125 children of military members attended the event, which is part of Vance's second annual Summer Reading Challenge. The event was held to encourage military children to read as part of a nationwide literacy initiative. The initiative is tied to America's upcoming 250th anniversary celebration and aims to encourage school-aged children to read during their summer vacation.
"What an honor to meet many of the brave military families who have sacrificed so much in the service of our country," Vance said. "Navigating parenting on a military base comes with its own unique challenges, so I am thrilled to partner with and support parents as they help their kids learn and grow over the summer. Our service members and their families empower future generations to lead flourishing lives - a goal I also hope to accomplish through my childhood literacy initiatives."
The 6th Air Refueling Wing leadership also joined the Second Lady to foster a positive reading experience. Col. Edward Szczepanik, 6th ARW commander, joined her in reading "Goodnight, Bruce" by Ryan T. Higgins.
"I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the Second Lady of the United States, Blue Star Families, The Walt Disney Company, and the many volunteers and partners who made this event possible," Szczepanik said. "Your commitment to promoting literacy and creating meaningful opportunities for military children and families is making a positive impact at MacDill and beyond. Events like this provide key support to the families that make the mission and defense of our nation possible."
Attendees received books during the event, helping to expand access to reading materials and promote educational opportunities for military-connected youth. Children also participated in family-friendly activities and interacted with Mickey Mouse as part of the celebration.
Blue Star Families leadership, including Kathy Roth-Douquet, the organization's chief executive officer and co-founder, also joined Vance and spent time engaging with children and parents throughout the event. The visit highlighted the importance of literacy and community support for military families who often navigate unique challenges associated with military life, including frequent moves, school transitions and family separations during deployments.
"We are deeply grateful to Second Lady Usha Vance for shining a national spotlight on military children and the families who serve alongside our service members every day," said Roth-Douquet. "Through Blue Star Books and the longstanding support of The Walt Disney Company, we help provide comfort, stability, and a love of learning for military children navigating deployments and frequent moves. When military families thrive, our service members can focus on the mission, strengthening the readiness of our All-Volunteer Force."
Her visit to MacDill AFB also coincides with a longstanding partnership between Blue Star Families and The Walt Disney Company through the Blue Star Books program, which has provided hundreds of thousands of books to military-connected children since its launch in 2011.
Earlier this year, Blue Star Families and The Walt Disney Company announced an expansion of the initiative as part of Disney's nationwide efforts to celebrate America's 250th anniversary.
The MacDill AFB event reflected a shared commitment among military leaders, nonprofit organizations, and private-sector partners to support military families and invest in the next generation through education and literacy.
As families departed with new books in hand, the event underscored the enduring mission of Blue Star Families and its partners: strengthening military families through connection, opportunity and community support.
"I love anything Blue Star Families," said Whitney Rouse, a military spouse. "They're so amazing at every duty station we've been to. These [events] foster a community where we can meet new people, make friends and have that support that we don't have anymore because our families are back where we left them."
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