Chapels: Holiday services schedule
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Iceland:
Marines COMREL:
A hidden gem!
Italian students connect with Marines
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N A S SIG O N E L L A
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December 9, 2016
Vol. 33 No. 46
Sig’s the Season By Nicole Ybarra NAS Sigonella Public Affairs
NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily – Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella kicked off the holiday season with its annual winter tradition this past weekend, as community members enjoyed two days of activities beginning with the Tree Lighting Ceremony, Friday, Dec. 2. A holiday favorite, the Sigonella community gathered at Midtown in festive clothing and listened to a spirited performance by Sigonella Elementary School students to spread holiday cheer which was followed by a singalong of popular Christmas carols and a laser light show.
The highlight of the night was the illumination of the 35-foot Christmas tree. After the lighting of the tree, a “snow storm” of bubbles rained down from the balcony onto the crowd, with an appearance by Santa and Mrs. Claus to the delight of all the children present. Following the ceremony, the crowd enjoyed hot cocoa, warm apple cider, cookies, and roasted chestnuts. The celebration continued Saturday, Dec. 3 with a day full of holiday activities. Children were able to mail their letters to Santa, burn off some energy in the bouncy houses, and even ice skate. The Boys and Girls Club of America and Keystone partnered with the Toy Industry Foundation to provide 500
toys to the children of Sigonella. Children weren’t the only recipients of gifts. The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS) hosted its Santa’s Helper Workshop, an event which allows children to purchase holiday gifts for their parents with an option to wrap the gift at reasonable prices. Winter Wonderland featured a range of activities, and Santa and Mrs. Claus posed for free photos with the children. The event also featured family-friendly holiday arts and crafts, cookie decorating, and play areas. A free showing of Elf at Midtown 2 Theater was offered while local vendors sold a variety of items in the common area between the food court and the gym,
giving all a chance to purchase unique holiday gifts for loved ones. In addition, free bowling was offered that afternoon to children in the community. “These programs we put on for the community cannot happen without the entire MWR family working together…for the service members, families, and community here in NAS Sigonella,” stated School Liaison Officer, Christopher McKibbin, who headed this year’s “Sig’s the Season” events. McKibbin felt that the event was a great success which resonated in the hearts of the community, bringing together Sig’ Citizens while creating a little piece of home through holiday traditions in Sigonella.
Going the Distance: Swordfish Compete at Long Distance Champs By PO2 REbecca sunderland Swordfish Public Affairs
LIGNANO, Italy – Nine swimmers from the Sigonella Swordfish traveled to Lignano, Italy, to represent their team against the best of the best at the European Forces Swim League (EFSL) Long Distance Championships. “The opportunity to swim in an Olympic training pool against competitors from all over Europe is a hard earned victory every long distance qualifier should be proud of regardless of who takes home gold,” said team Statistician Sallie Davis. Davis is known to shed a tear or two on the pool deck and this season has been no different as she watched her son, C.J., and daughter, Hannah, take home first and third place medals at the meet. Coaches focused on endurance leading up to the grueling two-day event in which their kids swam up to 3,100 meters in the 400 IM, 400 Free, 800 Free and 1500 Free. Sigonella’s head coach, Troy Pepito, took his team to champs excited to see how much they had improved since the start of the season. “I expected to see faster times as they dropped seconds off in their events and they did not disappoint me,” said Pepito. “They left it all in the pool and as a coach I couldn’t ask for more.” Sigonella accumulated bragging rights in the form of 18 top eight finishes, including three gold medals, four silver and three bronze. But the team’s performance in the pool wasn’t the only thing their coach
David Goodwin swims the 400-meter individual medley at Lignano, Italy, during the European Forces Swim League Long Distance Championships. (Photo courtesy of Sigonella Swordfish)
is proud about. At the start of the meet the national anthem is played to kick off the event but this time there was an issue with the system. After a brief pause the teams joined together to sing the anthem accapella style. “In an age where professional athletes that these kids look to as role models are protesting the anthem
of the country we’re all over here serving, it was a proud moment as a coach and father to see such patriotism in our youth,” Pepito said. In the pool and out, the swimmers of the Swordfish gave the community of Sigonella a lot to be proud of as they returned home 2016 EFSL Long Distance champions.