Spouses, the BUZZ is here!

  • Published
  • By Lee Anne Hensley
  • Hilltop Times staff
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah --  SpouseBUZZ Live is happening this Saturday at the Davis Conference Center in Layton as one of the kick-off events happening prior to Air Force Week Salt Lake City 2009, which starts the following Monday, June 1.

Saturday's SBL event will offer military spouses of all military branches an opportunity for fun and fellowship with their peers as well as with experienced leaders.

The Hill Air Force Base Airman and Family Readiness Center teamed up with Military.com to bring the free, interactive and high-energy event to the area to benefit all military spouses assigned to the surrounding area.

Registrations and sign-ins will start at 8:30 a.m. in the Eclipse Ballroom at the conference center. Opening remarks will begin after 9 a.m. and will be delivered by Maj. Gen. Kathleen Close, Ogden Air Logistics Center commander, and Military.com's Director of Community Outreach, Vince Patton, who also served as the Coast Guard's eighth Master Chief Petty Officer.

Following their remarks will be a relaxed panel discussion among all military spouses with topics including "A humorous look at the Milspouse experience" and "Making the most of the Milspouse experience." Each panel session is designed to be motivational and informative, allowing time for spouses to share their stories and ask the panel of SpouseBUZZ authors their questions.

USAA will sponsor a "diamond dig" during the event, where spouses can sort through a box full of cubic zirconia to find and keep the hidden real diamond. Additional prizes will be given away at the end of the event, including a wine chiller and a vacuum cleaner. Additionally, each pre-registered attendee will receive a tote bag full of donated items and a commemorative program complete with blank pages for gathering contact information as they network with businesses and military spouses.

Light refreshments will be available during the event, which is scheduled to go until 3 p.m.

In between and after the panel sessions, attendees will be free to visit the vendor booths which include such military friendly organizations as Military OneSource, Military Matters, Blue Star Mothers and Soldiers' Angels.

So far there are more than 500 spouses registered for the free event, according to Tech. Sgt. Jennifer Lyon, Family Readiness non-commissioned officer in charge and coordinator for the SBL event.

"We are honored to have Hill Air Force Base host this amazing event in our area that recognizes our military spouses," Lyon said. "We've known how wonderful our military spouses are and it's time for them to get the public recognition they deserve."

Utah is one of six military communities that SBL has headlined in the past two years, with California and Virginia being the only other tour stops in 2009.

For more information about the May 30 event, contact Lyon at (801) 777-4681.