Members of the U.S. military community watch a baseball game earlier this year in Daegu, South Korea, with local youngsters taking part in a 19th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) program of activities with U.S. servicemembers. That program has evolved into Soldiers for Children. (Dana Pugh / Courtesy of U.S. Army)
PYEONGTAEK, South Korea — A group of South Korean youngsters with no parents soon will have volunteer big brothers and sisters who’d like nothing better than to go for ice cream or pizza and just have a few laughs.
The kids live in Daegu, where the Army’s 19th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) is teaming up with Keimyung University and Daegu city to launch the Soldiers for Children program.
Ten children, ages 7 to 12, are to take part. City officials have selected the kids from the city’s list of disadvantaged children, said Capt. Seuk-hwan Son, a 19th ESC spokesman.
Each of the children lives with a grandparent who serves as guardian, but the kids are without parents because of death, divorce, abandonment, mental illness, or other causes, Son said.
The mentors can provide the children with at least a measure of attention, mentoring and a sense there are people who care about them, he said.
The program will form the participants into 10 groups, each with one child and at least two adult mentors, one of whom will be a bilingual Keimyung student “to provide that bridge between the children and the soldiers,” Son said.
The U.S. military community mentor may be a servicemember or civilian.
Each group’s mentors will set up their own schedules for getting together with their assigned children.
Larger-scale events also will be scheduled, put together by program sponsors and civic organizations. Those could include taking the children to concerts or other cultural events.
“We’re going to start with 10 groups for now,” and those volunteering will be encouraged to continue their mentorship for as long as they can while on the peninsula, Son said.
The 19th ESC is asking mentors to commit to the program “for at least six months” if possible, Son said, noting that most servicemembers serve one-year tours in South Korea.
The unit will continue seeking volunteers, he said.
Daegu Mayor Kim Bum-il, 19th ESC commander Brig. Gen. Raymond V. Mason, and Keimyung University president Lee Jin-woo, were to sign a memorandum of cooperation for the program on Saturday, Son said.
Those wanting to volunteer for the program can call the 19th ESC public affairs office at DSN 768-6684 or DSN 768-7477.
