I recently had the opportunity to return to the Naval Academy. I was invited to see Sugar Bear’s classmate make history as the first Marine Corps officer to become Superintendent. It was a special day, time with friends, and I definitely felt Sugar Bear’s presence. I will never need a reminder of why we formed the Sugar Bear Foundation in his honor, but Annapolis always provides a renewal of what was important to Sugar Bear and why I am so blessed to have the opportunity to continue his legacy.
Shortly after returning from Maryland, another classmate offered us a fundraising event in San Diego. This was also a great reunion and chance to share our work. Thank you to the BellyUp, BETAMAXX, and friends who attended this event, as well as the local companies that supported us.
And we have more reasons to be grateful. Thank you to the Marine Corps Aviation Association for their recent grant. I love attending the Symposium each year, and their support not only helps us sustain our programming but also enables us to launch new initiatives to help meet the evolving needs of our families. We could not do this without MCAA.
We are very excited to share our three RF-LAMBDA Memorial Scholarship recipients. RF-LAMBDA is changing lives with this scholarship, and their yearly grant provides educational funding that enables us to provide our tutoring, college consulting, workshops, and other special programs. We are most grateful for all they do and the opportunities they give our families.
We have several upcoming events and new opportunities to share with our families that we encourage you to check out and attend.
First, our yearly Virtual College Planning Q&A event will be held on October 5th. If you have a middle school student (yes, middle school), then you should attend as Juliet Hawk will discuss the planning process for applying to college, review timelines, and give advice. This year, we will focus the session more on Q&A time. Juliet will answer your questions that you submit to Admin@TheSugarBearFoundation.org in advance of the session, even if you can’t attend. Please RSVP and submit your questions by Friday, October 3rd. Additionally, families will receive Juliet’s planning guide.
Next up is a special Virtual Financial Q&A session with Erica Brophy on October 20th. Erica, a Gold Star Spouse and creator of Gold Star Family Resources, is a Certified Financial Coach, holds an MBA, and has extensive financial experience. Erica is an expert in practical and simplified resources that she loves sharing with our families. You won’t want to miss this session. Please RSVP and submit your questions by Friday, October 17th, to Admin@TheSugarBearFoundation.org.
For our San Diego families, we have already begun planning the RF-LAMBDA Holiday Open House, which will be held Saturday, December 6th. This is always a fun event, and our RF-LAMBDA family goes above and beyond to provide a special time. Reach out and let us know if you can attend!
Our families now have access to IXL Science in addition to Math and ELA subscriptions. They also have a special opportunity to receive a free, yearly subscription to Highlights magazine or the monthly I Can Read Book Club. We believe these opportunities, along with our other programs, provide much-needed educational support that is truly impactful. Please contact us to learn more.
Thank you to all of our friends, our Team, our Board, and the incredible organizations and companies whose generosity enables us to continue Sugar Bear’s legacy of service.
Jennifer Carazo
Gold Star Wife/President
