HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – The Hanscom AFB Chaplain Corps will host a Strong Bonds retreat for active duty military families at Great Wolf Lodge, Fitchburg, Massachusetts, Aug. 28 to 30.
Strong Bonds is a chaplain-led program designed to build resilience and increase readiness through relationship education and skills training. The retreat will give Hanscom AFB families a chance to unplug, reconnect and forge a path to a flourishing family while having fun together.
“We often devalue the theology of fun,” said Capt. Tra’Vorus Weaver, a Massachusetts Air National Guard chaplain and retreat coordinator. “It is important to unplug and have fun together. Constructive, healthy fun is refreshing.”
Military life comes with unique stressors, including deployments, frequent moves and temporary duty assignments away from home. These challenges can strain relationships and contribute to communication breakdowns.
During the Strong Bonds retreat, families will participate in activities designed to teach relationship skills and empower them to build and sustain healthy interactions with one another.
“In their own way, military spouses and kids serve, too,” Weaver said. “This retreat is a way to invest in the family as a whole.”
Weaver said resiliency is built by navigating difficult situations and hopes families leave the retreat with skills to consistently hit home runs despite life’s curveballs.
“A flourishing family is a resilient family,” said Weaver. “We hope they leave at the end of the weekend feeling refreshed, renewed and with tools in place to flourish.”