Family picnic welcomes new Sheppard families Published July 22, 2016 By Senior Airman Kyle Gese 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- New families were welcomed to Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, with a summer family picnic, July 20, 2016, held at the Youth Center by the 82nd Force Support Squadron. The picnic was filled with food, fun, tours and information booths; packed with everything Airmen and their families need to know about the community. “This was all about bringing our families together to meet with our helping agencies and to meet with our community, so our new families can transition more easily,” said Lisa Stone, 82nd FSS deputy. The primary focus was placed on helping children adjust to their new surroundings, make friends, learn about the community and see first-hand what Sheppard has to offer them, but with all the parents corralled, Sheppard’s helping agencies greeted and welcomed them to their new home too. “We have representatives from different schools and different clubs, such as Boys and Girl Scouts. We also advertised our FSS activities and what to do to get involved,” Stone said. “We wanted to find a way to reach out and have some of our youth center ambassadors meet with children new to the base.” Some of the new families in attendance arrived a few months, or as recent as a few weeks ago, and flooded the halls of the Youth Center to learn about their new surroundings. “This is a great opportunity for the entire family, not just the active duty member, to get out, meet new people, learn some things about the base and what services the base has to offer,” said Senior Master Sgt. Wade Clegg, 82nd Operations Support Squadron chief air traffic controller, who arrived here a few weeks ago. “I just found out all the good things that Sheppard Air Force Base and Wichita Falls has to offer … I can’t wait to see what the future has to offer us here at Sheppard.” The goal of the family picnic was for children to make friends and help lessen the anxiety they may have with a permanent change of assignment. “It was our goal that no child would go to school the first day, not having met someone,” Stone said.