PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. (March 1, 2022) – The Sizzling Chocolate Hike on the Presidio of Monterey on Feb. 26 highlighted how the set up’s Directorate of Household and Morale, Welfare and Recreation helps the well-being of the neighborhood.

“It’s all about health, enjoyable, friendship and meals,” stated Nicole Dansby, hike organizer and supervisor of the directorate’s Value Health Middle. “We’re getting our households and our service members on the market. They’re going to go on a pleasant 2.1-mile hike, come again and luxuriate in some good sizzling chocolate and s’mores and simply calm down.”

The help didn’t cease there, nevertheless. Personnel arrange video games for individuals to play on Value Discipline and staffed informational cubicles to let individuals learn about FMWR’s Military Group Service, Baby and Youth Providers, Youth Sports activities and extra. In the meantime, volunteers from Higher Alternatives for Single Service Members, which additionally falls underneath the directorate, offered refreshments and directed hikers on the course.

Col. Varman Chhoeung, commander of U.S. Military Garrison Presidio of Monterey, kicked off the hike by informing individuals of FMWR initiatives and inspired everybody to go to the ACS desk to study extra about donating to Military Emergency Reduction, a nonprofit that has helped Troopers with monetary emergencies and extra since 1942.

“Whenever you consider DFMWR you consider the health club and also you consider Outside Rec, however there’s much more to what the MWR staff does,” Chhoeung stated.

About 100 hikers registered for the free hike, which included two 2.1-mile routes by way of the Huckleberry Hill Nature Protect. One route was a steeper problem course, and the opposite was a better household route. The protect is often solely open by way of the Metropolis of Monterey’s Veterans Park, however set up officers opened a gate on the set up to supply entry from PoM.

Hikers included a mixture of service members from the Protection Language Institute International Language Middle on PoM and the Naval Put up Graduate Faculty in Monterey, relations and civilian personnel. Chhoeung and Command Sgt. Maj. Joe Traylor, USAG PoM senior enlisted advisor, hiked the course collectively, as did Lt. Col. Matthew Upperman, commander of the 229th Navy Intelligence Battalion, and Command Sgt. Maj. Lourdes Barragan, the battalion’s senior enlisted advisor.

Organizers began teams of hikers in waves to scale back congestion on the paths, and the primary wave consisted of a gaggle of eight language college students from the Military, Navy and Air Drive.

One in all them, Seaman Apprentice Riley Ridep, assigned to the Navy’s Data Warfare Coaching Command, stated many within the group determined to take part after listening to about it by way of a BOSS consultant.

Ridep stated he loves mountain climbing and particularly loved mountain climbing within the nature protect, partially as a result of it reminded him of residence in Virginia. “It’s fairly just like the Appalachian Mountains,” he stated.

In one other group, Spc. Nafisa Kabir, assigned to the 229th MI Bn., accomplished the problem route together with her husband, associates, and 3-month-old cat Princess Fiona, who rode in a particular see-through backpack with massive holes for air flow.

“The recent chocolate enticed me for positive,” Kabir stated. “My associates are right here, my husband’s right here, so it’s a enjoyable outing. It was steeper than I anticipated it to be, nevertheless it’s enjoyable and the climate is very nice immediately too.”

Seaman Joel Anderson, BOSS president at PoM, stated about 15 BOSS volunteers helped with concessions and directing hikers on the course. They introduced the group’s fireplace pit to the concession stand to ensure the marshmallows for the s’mores have been fire-roasted and contemporary, he stated.

The concession stand proceeds supported the BOSS program, Anderson stated, and he appreciated all of the group’s hardworking volunteers.