MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- “When Daddy gets back, we’re going on a date to McDonald’s, and Mommy can’t come with,” said the 3-year-old daughter of Capt. Rob Corl with Operations and Training Section, Headquarters Battalion, 2nd Marine Division.

The Key Volunteers took action to make this Father’s Day a little brighter for some fathers deployed to Iraq.  Key Volunteers worked to bring children of deployed service members closer to their fathers in Iraq.

Key Volunteers for Operations and Logistics and Embarkation Section, Headquarters Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, hosted a Father’s Day card making potluck at the Camp Lejeune Protestant Chapel Annex, here May 19.

Family members of the deployed Marines and sailors gathered at the chapel from 3 until 6 p.m. to make cards, handmade banners, eat and most importantly, enjoy each other’s company.

All of the supplies needed for the cards was provided, and the children used stickers, stamps, markers and other items. They assembled the cards and put encouraging personal messages on them. Lastly, they dropped their cards off in the mail box. 

The children also gathered around to add their tiny handprints to the banners. They chose their favorite color, dipped their hands in the paint and added their mark to the banner of their father’s unit. Some children also signed the banners, or their mothers signed the banners for them.

The event required a lot of planning. The planning ensured the cards would most likely make it to Iraq before Father’s Day, June 17.

“It took quite a bit of time to set this up,” said Veronica Lundin, a Key Volunteer with 2nd Marine Division. “We had to get the supplies, send out emails, find a room and get the banners together.”

Key volunteers began planning the event months ago.

“We’ve been talking about this since Valentine’s Day,” said Anne Corl, a Key Volunteer with 2nd Marine Division.

The Father’s Day event was really for the kids. The children made the cards to feel close to their fathers even though they are far away.