AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy — The calendar — and the weather — say the beginning of summer is still more than a month away.
But the U.S. Air Forces in Europe’s Extreme Summer program is off to an early start, officially kicking off June 1. But an appearance Wednesday by Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald at Aviano qualifies for points for those who got the chance to meet with him.
That’s also true for those stationed at Ghedi Air Base, where Fitzgerald was scheduled to visit Thursday, as well as RAF Lakenheath (Saturday), Lajes Field (Monday) and Moron Air Base (May 25).
Mandy Smith-Nethercott, charged with marketing the Extreme Summer program, said more than 4,000 people have already signed up — earning more bonus points — during early registration. That’s compared to about 7,000 who participated during the entire course of the program last year. So officials hope to get 12,000 people from Air Force communities entered this year.
That might mean those interested in winning prizes face more competition.
But Smith-Nethercott said picking up at least some points is easy.
“There’s probably two or three things a week you’re already doing and you’ll just get points for them,” she said.
The entire point system is explained on the program’s Web site: www.extremesummer.com.
One of the goals behind the program is to get young airmen and families out of their homes.
“It’s an absolutely wonderful way to get out and do things you might not have done before,” she said. And earn points for it.
Some prizes will be given to monthly winners. Others will go to overall winners when program ends Aug. 31. Up for grabs: trips to Lake Tahoe, Disney World, a NASCAR race in Atlanta or the Armed Forces Recreation Center at Garmisch, Germany. A 2005 Jeep Wrangler heads the list of prizes that officials say total more than $150,000.
Smith-Nethercott said the program originally was designed for the kids of active-duty airmen. But airmen and civilians have categories as well.
Fitzgerald was the first celebrity visitor to participate in this year’s program. Also set: “Survivor: Vanuatu” contestant (and Army drill sergeant) Lea Masters in June, storytellers James Bowen and Gaye Teipel in July and costumed crime fighter Batman in August.
By then, the weather may have warmed up enough to make it an extremely hot summer. Especially for whomever’s in that Batman suit.
