Resources Help you Plan Fall Events

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1 Uniting Military MWR/Service Professionals Worldwide for 40 Years! I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : In The Zone 2 Resources Help you Plan Fall Events V O L U M E 4 0 O C T O B E R Save the Date for Catersource Coast Guard Offers Innovative Internship NASCAR Star takes a Pit Stop at Base Miami Beach Catersource Associate Member Application New and Renewing Associate Members T H A N K Y O U T O O U R arlier in the week, there E was a chill in the air in Northern Virginia; a sure sign that fall is on the way. It s a beautiful time of the year and one that lends itself to many celebrations and special events. Whether you are hosting a Fall Festival or Oktoberfest at your club or community center, or getting ready for haunted houses on Halloween, I m sure everybody has special events planned for the coming month. Then before you blink, it s quickly on to Thanksgiving, the December holidays, and the start of 2013! There will be lots of opportunities for catering and special events; a great time to impress your regular guests and bringing new guests into your facilities! Your IMCEA Associate Members can help with a variety of products to take your special events to the next level. Be it the latest in menu items, serving pieces, linens, or to-go containers - if you offer holiday meals for pick-up, they ve got you covered! Use the resources provided by the Associate Members to keep your events fresh and make sure you stand out from the crowd. Look up Associate Members online at by name or product type. The new website it a great resource, so please make sure you take the time to explore it and give us your feedback. Our military community deserves the best all year round and especially around the holidays! Semper Fi, IMCEA President Nancy Pasternack, CMCE S T R A T E G I C P A R T N E R S! Your Story Here! romote your events, P announce your achievements, and share the results of your hard work and dedication by contributing an article or photographs to the IMCEA Connections Newsletter! articles with at least two high resolution photographs to Melissa@imcea.org. Submissions must be received no later than the 15 th of the month for publication. See your story here! Find us on Facebook! IMCEA, P.O. Box 7862, Alexandria, VA, (571)

2 P A G E 2 to recruit a New IMCEA Member AND Renew Your Membership! In the Zone By Jessica Ryan, Fort Campbell Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation n August 25, 2012, Fort Campbell, O Kentucky s The Zone celebrated its one year anniversary. The celebration kicked off with a pool tournament and then followed with a day of food specials, give-aways, and live entertainment acts. Patrons had the opportunity to win PlayStation Vitas, receive five or ten dollar food vouchers for The Zone s café, and watch performances from 101Rock, the 101 st Airborne Division rock band, and Shake, Rattle & Roll, a dueling pianos group. Originally known as Froggy s Sports Bar (a contracted concessionaire operator), The Zone underwent a nearly yearlong $720,000 renovation. Fort Campbell, one of the largest U.S. Army garrisons, was in need of a place where Soldiers can escape from stresses of military life. The Zone was designed to accommodate the wants and needs of Soldiers, especially the single or unaccompanied Soldier. Since The Zone is close walking distance from the barracks, it is easily accessible to them. Many people describe The Zone as the ultimate man cave. Unlike many other Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) facilities, all patrons must be at least eighteen years of age to enter the building. In the main area, patrons can sit at one of the nine gaming stations. Each station is equipped with 55 LCD high definition (HD), flat screen televisions and gaming chairs. The gaming chairs have several features, such as built-in speakers and AFM technology vibration, which give players the ability to immerse themselves into the game. Patrons are allowed to bring their own games or borrow one, free of charge, from The Zone s game library which has been sponsored and kept fresh each month by USAA. In addition, there is an arcade area where patrons can play games or shoot pool at one of four billiards tables. The Zone possesses other unique components which embody the ultimate man cave label. Around the main area, the facility has over ten flat screen televisions on the walls as well as five HD projector screens. The numerous televisions and projector screens make The Zone an ideal location for watching major sporting events. Within its first year, The Zone hosted viewing parties for the NFL Super Bowl, NCAA March Madness and UFC Fight Nights. Furthermore, the venue is fully equipped to host live entertainment acts. MWR Special Events such as the Laugh Out Loud Comedy Tour and Operation Rising Star took place at The Zone this year. Special events are often free to attend, although some events have entry fees and VIP opportunities. C O N N E C T I O N S IMCEA, P.O. Box 7862, Alexandria, VA, (571)

3 V O L U M E 4 0 P A G E 3 In addition, commercial sponsorship supports yearlong programming and allows events and perks to be free or at low-cost for patrons. Sponsors such as USAA, University of Phoenix, and Fort Campbell Federal Credit Union generously contribute to The Zone and Special Events. For those looking for a more private viewing experience, there are two movie theater rooms. Patrons can get the full cinema experience without going to the local movie theatre. Each theater room has surround sound system and twelve leather recliners with built-in butt kickers and cup holders. Patrons can bring their own movies to watch or rent a movie from the on-site Insta-Flix machine. Although it is known for its high energy elements, The Zone is also an ideal place for Soldiers to relax. The Zone is a hot spot for Soldiers and civilians to grab lunch or dinner at its café. The café offers a bar area and a menu including tasty appetizers, personal specialty pizzas, sandwiches and adult beverages. On a typical day, many Soldiers will sit in the main area, enjoy a meal and utilize The Zone s free Wi-Fi internet service and internet jukebox. What makes The Zone a unique place is that it distinguishes itself from other similar facilities. The Zone offers an escapism element for much needed rest and relaxation. Patrons will never see any army memorabilia or decorations displayed inside the building. This provides Soldiers the opportunity to temporarily step away from military life in a convenient and safe environment. For more information about The Zone, please visit Save the Date for Catersource 2013! Catersource magazine, the leader in catering industry news and education, is proud to bring you the 2013 Catersource Training & Tradeshow, held annually in Las Vegas. Network with caterers, chefs, event planners, marketers and suppliers in an environment built for learning, sharing and experiencing all the industry has to offer. Join us at The Mirage Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, March 10-13, 2013 for a show you can't afford to miss! IMCEA members receive discounted rates on rooms and registration! Attendee registration coming soon check for updates. Associate members can apply for a discounted trade show booth now - see page 7 for the application. IMCEA, P.O. Box 7862, Alexandria, VA, (571)

4 Coast Guard Offers Innovative Internship Submitted by Robert Davis, CPRP s a first for the Coast Guard A Morale, Well-Being, and Recreation (MWR) program, Lisa Liz Jarashow, a hearing impaired recreation major from Gallaudet University in Washington, DC, recently completed a highly successful MWR internship with the Coast Guard at its Base Miami Beach MWR operation. Gallaudet University is a world renowned leader in liberal education and career development for deaf and hard of hearing students. After an exhaustive effort to find a location to complete her internship as part of her education curriculum, Jarashow found herself on the Coast Guard s MWR website: and learned of potential internship opportunities. An adventuresome individual with a dream of eventually working in recreation management on a cruise ship, Jarashow contacted Bob Davis, MWR Internship Coordinator at the Coast Guard Community Services Command. Through an interpreter, Davis was able to explain the application process for the Coast Guard internship program. Within weeks, Davis, working with Casey Malloy, MWR Director at Coast Guard Base Miami Beach, was able to place her as an intern in the command s MWR program. Mr. Malloy worked closely with Liz before her arrival, ensuring that he could meet her communication needs. Fortunately, he had some proficiency in sign language and another college intern at Base Miami Beach during the same period, Lauren Caminiti from Temple University, also had experience with sign language, making Jarashow s internship that much easier! Liz was nervous when she started her internship as she was not familiar with the military, but in true Coast Guard fashion, she was warmly embraced by Base Miami Beach personnel as one of their Shipmates. During her internship with Malloy, she got hands on experience in a myriad of MWR and recreational responsibilities including exposure to athletics facilities, food and beverage operations, marketing, Information, Tickets, and Tours (ITT), and event planning. Since 2002, when the Coast Guard MWR internship started, Davis has placed 152 interns in Coast Guard MWR programs around the Service. The Coast Guard maintains affiliation agreements with over 50 colleges and universities to place MWR interns. Interested students may contact Mr. Robert Davis at Robert.L.Davis@uscg.mil to learn about potential internship opportunities. IMCEA, P.O. Box 7862, Alexandria, VA, (571)

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6 NASCAR Star Takes a Pit-Stop at Base Miami Beach Submitted by Gary Scheer omestead-miami Speedway H and the United States Coast Guard Seventh District Regional Morale, Well-Being and Recreation Office (MWR) teamed up on September 11 th to help recognize those who provide for the general safety, security, and interests of the citizens of the United States. Chase for The NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifier, Matt Kenseth, was honored to spend the day at Coast Guard Base Miami Beach, Florida paying tribute to Coast Guard personnel while taking part in the NASCAR's Chase Across America media tour. The 2012 Daytona 500 winner and 2003 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion had the opportunity to eat with the crews of this Coast Guard command. After the meal, a moment of silence was observed for the fallen victims of the attacks on September 11, After the tribute, Kenseth participated in a questions and answer session, answering a full range of questions from the upcoming Chase to his personal driving skills off the track! Kenseth was more than willing to take pictures with any individuals who requested photos. While doing so, he signed anything and everything that was asked, including NASCAR memorabilia! The Coast Guard Cutter DIAMONDBACK, an 87-foot Patrol Boat, did not disappoint Kenseth. The crew got him underway where he was handed the controls to demonstrate his man overboard recovery skills. Kenseth s only concern was not to run over Oscar, the man overboard mannequin. Kenseth also got to maneuver a small boat, which he was able to test drive in open water. When Homestead-Miami Speedway officials asked how he felt, he replied, The day was great. It was neat to learn more about the Coast Guard. I really enjoyed getting to see the machines, and getting to know the people behind the boats and equipment the men and women of the Coast Guard work really hard - they take their job seriously. I really didn't understand all the things they did or work and preparation that goes into what they do." The visit by Kenseth did not go unappreciated. Boatswain Mate First Class (BM1) Anthony Kaminski stated, It is nice to have people who want to give back to the military like Matt is doing along with NASCAR and Homestead-Miami Speedway. We enjoy it because they can see how we live and what we do every day. Overall, the day was a great success for both the United States Coast Guard as well as NASCAR driver Matt Kenseth. IMCEA, P.O. Box 7862, Alexandria, VA, (571)

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8 IMCEA and the National Restaurant Association have partnered to provide IMCEA members with ServSafe Food Safety and ServSafe Alcohol online training and certification at a special discounted price. The ServSafe food safety and ServSafe Alcohol online courses allow you to take training on your own schedule and spend less time away from the operation, at a lower overall training cost. Click here for more info From flavorful breakfast sausages to savory dinner roasts, Rose Packing delivers pork products unmatched in quality, versatility, value and convenience. Program Updates Military Community and Family Policy Weekly enewsletter: Joint Family Support Assistance Program (JFSAP) Newsletter: American Logistics Association Weekly Executive briefing: Fully cooked and RICH IN PROTEIN, our lean and tender heat-and-serve meats satisfy the biggest appetites and offer a delicious taste of home. Serve our men and women in uniform the very best. Serve them Rose Packing products. For More Information Contact Nick Ledanski nickledanski@rosepacking.com IMCEA, P.O. Box 7862, Alexandria, VA, (571)

9 Welcome New and Renewing Associate Members IMCEA Corporate Sponsors: Platinum Gold Silver IMCEA, P.O. Box 7862, Alexandria, VA, (571)

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