Posted at: 07/28/2010 6:46 PM
Updated at: 07/28/2010 7:02 PM
By: Ellery McCardle
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Email to a FriendMinnesota’s First Lady Supporting Troops
(ABC 6 NEWS) -- More than 500 Minnesota National Guard citizen-soldiers and airmen are currently deployed world-wide. And in times of deployment, it can put extra strain on military families.
Now First Lady Mary Pawlenty is expanding her reach to Minnesota families in that situation.
When a family member deploys there are obvious changes.
"There's lots of stress because it's a one-parent home now, all of a sudden 'how do I take care of the kids, what about the finances?'" Says Kenn Roehl, Chairman of the Southeast Minnesota Chapter of Beyond the Yellow Ribbon.
Something Julene Horstman experienced.
"Military families typically don't have a large network of people to turn to when their spouse is deployed so it's very important to have that comfort to know they have someone there to turn to when they need someone the most," she says.
First Lady Mary Pawlenty is expanding that comfort by integrating her Military Family Care Initiative with Beyond the Yellow Ribbon.
An online tool that links registered organizations to families with a deployed or reserved member.
A way of showing respect to families through actions, not just words.
"Somebody that can help shovel the snow, provide child care or just help fix a car if it's broken," says Roehl.
And now it's not just organizations that can help.
"This website will allow for businesses to provide those free or discounted services online in a way that's easy for families to find," says Pawlenty.
An announcement that's comforting for Julene and her husband Sergeant First Class Frank Horstman.
"If programs like this weren't put into place, there'd be a lot more struggles on deployments, there'd be a lot more concern back home," he says.
"It's wonderful to know there's somewhere to turn to when someone needs help," says Julene Horstman.
Beyond the Yellow Ribbon is overseen by the Minnesota National Guard.
The governor and First Lady also made today's announcement in St. Paul, Duluth, Moorhead and St. Cloud.
