MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. -- Marines with 3rd Battalion 11th Marine Regiment, took time to volunteer at the Friendly Hills Elementary School for the school's Fall Festival in Joshua Tree, Calif., Oct. 26. Marines have been volunteering at Friendly Hills Elementary School for the past several years. This year six Marines participated in the school’s Fall Festival preparing food and interacting with students and parents.
“It's always good to have the Marines here,” said Juliana Beaston, treasurer, Friendly Hills Elementary Association. “They're role models for the kids and they help out a lot here.”
The Marines took this opportunity to show the community the Corps is about more than war and weapons.
“We're out here showing the Marine Corps’ good side,” said Sgt. Jason Leblanc, section chief, Battery K, 3/11. “Events like this give us an opportunity to give back to the community and do good things.”
The school’s annual festival fundraiser is a time where students and parents dress in Halloween costumes to have fun, play games, socialize and raise money for the school.
“We do several fundraisers every year, but this is our fun one,” Beaston said. “When the Marines come out for this event the kids really respond to it. We have a lot of students in military families.”
The event, is also an opportunity for the Marines to get to know their community and for the community to know them.
“I think that it’s important for us to get out here and show the community that we’re not just about blowing stuff up,” said Pfc. Jonathan Vargas, cannoneer, Battery K, 3/11. “I enjoy giving back to the community and I’ve seen a lot of cool costumes.”