Friday, April 25, 2014 –

Delaware Military 4-H and state partners including all branches of the service, local businesses and organizations will join us in celebrating PURPLE UP! FOR MILITARY KIDS from
9 am – 4 p.m. at the UDEL Paradee Center at 69 Transportation Circle, Dover, DE 19901 and at the Dover Air Base Youth Center from 9 PM – 12 MIDNIGHT.

In 1968 former Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger established April as the month of the Military Child. Throughout the month of April military youth will have the opportunity to participate in FREE programming, including a Teen Weekender, Kite Festival, Easter Egg Hunt, and a free week of camp during spring break. Military Teens will also participate in Operation Megaphone Teen Lock In on April 25 (9 pm) to April 26 (6 am). For more information about FREE programming for military youth in Delaware contact delawaremilitary4h@gmail.com

Those in the community can help show their support of the military youth and the sacrifices they make by wearing purple on APRIL 25 and taking a picture of the sports teams, scouts, schools, youth organizations, clubs, afterschool programs, businesses, etc. dressed in purple and send it to us at delawaremilitary4h@gmail.com with a statement giving us permission to use their picture to share with others the support of Military youth in Delaware. The youth plan on making a YouTube video of all of their supporters and share this on their Facebook page.

Community volunteers working in Delaware to make the PURPLE UP! For Military Kids Program a success are seeking individuals, businesses or organizations to donate items that will be given to the youth in attendance at our PURPLE UP! FOR MILITARY KIDS events on that day.

Since Delaware Military Youth programs serve the military youth throughout the whole year, there are numerous opportunities for you to be part of our initiative by volunteering or donating funds for numerous programs supporting military youth from helping to provide daycare when military youth are attending drill weekends to providing water bottles and t-shirts for youth camps. Contact delalwaremilitary4h@gmail.com for more information on opportunities to help military youth or call Rhonda Martell
at 302-730-4000.