By Michelle Criqui

Eight-year-old Tiian is an avid dancer and gymnast who loves to learn new skills. Since she was two years old, Tiian has taken classes in jazz, ballet and tap, and began taking part in competitions at age five. Now, Tiian competes in the XCEL Gymnastics program at a grade seven level, and has won All-Around in every meet this year.

Tiian knows how important gymnastics is to her. So when it came time to celebrate her eighth — and “Golden” — birthday, Tiian and her family decided that, in lieu of gifts, they would collect donations to Our Military Kids so that other kids might get a chance to experience gymnastics as well.

“We went looking for a charitable organization and could not have been more pleased to find your website and to discover your mission is so reflective of the parts of life that are so loved by our daughter,” Tisa said.

At her birthday party, Tiian’s friends donated $125 toward grants that will pay for an activity like gymnastics or baseball for military children when their parent is deployed or recovering from injuries. Some of her friends donated online as well.

“Our daughter is at an age where she can appreciate the costs of gymnastics,” Tisa said. Tisa went on to explain that she wants Tiian to understand the importance of giving back at a young age, so that it stays with her as she gets older.

These donations might also directly benefit military children in Tiian’s home state of Minnesota, as the 347th Regional Support Group with the Minnesota National Guard deploys several units to serve overseas throughout 2018. This year alone, Our Military Kids has given out 16 grants to Minnesotan military children.

“May this be a small token of gratitude,” Tisa said. “For all you do to lift up children and to give them amazing opportunities.”

Angela Burton, Executive Director of Our Military Kids, said Tiian’s efforts on behalf of military kids are incredibly generous.

“We are so honored that Tiian and her family reached out to Our Military Kids,” Burton said. “She knows how important gymnastics are in her life and she wanted to share that with another child. What an amazing gift she has given.”

By Michelle Criqui

Military kids are trendsetters!

During the Winter Olympics last month, we learned that many of our OMK Stars have quite the athletic prowess, and take part in a wide array of fascinating competitive endeavors. Two sisters from Wisconsin stood out, competing as world-class log rollers who were recently ranked eighth and tenth in the world in Women’s Professional Logrolling, according to the U.S. Log Rolling Association.

Then, in February 2018, Our Military Kids granted another young athlete — also a Wisconsin native — our first-ever grant for log rolling lessons. So what makes this sport stand out?

Balancing on opposite ends of a cedar log, sisters and globally-ranked professional log rollers Maggie and Haley Penning enter into a competition of quick feet and impressive stability as they attempt to knock the other off and into the water.

After nearly a minute of matched skill, Haley, 17, splashes water into the air with her foot, in an attempt to distract her sister. The move ultimately works, and Maggie, 19, slips off into the water, leaving Haley victorious 一 at least for this match.

Maggie and Haley began taking log rolling lessons when they were just eight and six years old, respectively. Less than three years later, in the fall of 2009, their father deployed to Kuwait, and the Penning sisters each received an Our Military Kids grant for ski lessons, which they took during the off-season for log rolling.

“It is an honor to serve these talented kids while their father serves our country,” Angela Burton, Executive Director at Our Military Kids, said.

Maggie credits the “tightknit military community” as a great source of support during this difficult time for her family. They received extra help during Christmastime from their friends and neighbors, and with the help from their Our Military Kids grants, the sisters were able to compete on their school’s ski team during the winter and in in log rolling competitions during the summer.

But why log rolling?

“It’s kind of a big deal in our hometown,” Maggie said. “Everyone’s tried it there.”

The Pennings hail from Hayward, Wisc., home of the annual Lumberjack World
Championships. This event draws around 3,000 spectators from every year, and features such outdoorsy challenges as wood chopping, sawing, pole climbing and, of course, log rolling.

Hayward hosted its first Lumberjack World Championships in 1960, and has since had competitors from a variety of states, as well as Canada, Australia, New Zealand.

“A lot of kids grow up log rolling here,” Samantha Hadley, vice president of the U.S. Log Rolling Association, said. “The sport grows a bit each year.”

In the warmer months, log rollers do most of their training on land. According to Maggie, this includes uphill runs to strengthen their legs, and core workouts to improve their balance. In the water, athletes use soccer cleats that have been ground down and embellished with metal spikes to practice on shorter logs.

“It’s a big mental sport,” Maggie said. “Once you just get the hang of it physically, you just have to get past it mentally when you’re in competitions.”

When Maggie was 14, she won her first world title, for the U-13 Girls Division. Then, at age 16, she won a Semi-Pro world title, which allowed her to officially become one of the youngest professional log rollers.

“I just kind of saw how it goes and took my time adjusting,” said Maggie. “But I started getting the hang of it with all those professionals.”

Haley won her first world title when she was only seven in the U-10 Girls Division. She went on to win a world title for the U-12 Girls Division, and then went professional after winning a third world title just last year, at age 16.

According to the U.S. Log Rolling Association, Maggie is now ranked eighth in the world in professional Women’s Log Rolling, and Haley is tenth.

“It was exciting to see that Haley was ranked so high after her first year pro,” Maggie said.

The sisters’ ultimate goal? To see the sport they love gain global recognition at the Olympics.

“We are trying to spread the world about the sport we love and watch it grow,” Maggie said.

Not only does it take undeniable athletic ability to compete, but the sport is also “enthralling to watch,” according to Hadley, who agreed that log rolling has great potential to become a contender in the Summer Olympics.

Maggie cited the men’s log rolling competitions as being particularly riveting, as spectators often cannot even see the log under their feet because it sinks so low in the water during the commotion.

Additionally, Maggie said that recent innovations in log rolling, such as the creation of synthetic logs that are more easily transported, have made it a much more viable sport for international, Olympic competition.

“Society is becoming more open to unique sports,” Hadley said. “It’s just a matter of growing, getting the word out and spreading the log rolling love.”

No matter what the future holds for this fascinating sport and the determined log rollers who continue in its tradition, Our Military Kids is in their corner all the way.

Life as a military kid can certainly be a balancing act. But for these resilient young athletes, it’s just another day on the water.

By Michelle Criqui

From patriotic bows in red, white and blue, to camouflage purses made of uniforms from each branch of the military, Fashionista Dreams has you covered for the Month of the Military Child.

Fashionista Dreams is an online, handmade boutique that opened shop in January 2018. The store features a variety of clothing items and accessories for children, adults and dolls alike 一 all carefully crafted by 12-year-old Alyssa Cotter, an aspiring fashion designer and proud military kid.

During April’s Month of the Military Child, Cotter has decided to give 100 percent of her shop’s proceeds to Our Military Kids, as well as feature unique designs with a military flair.

“I chose Our Military Kids because they give grants to military kids to help them achieve their dreams,” Cotter said.

Growing up in the military lifestyle, Cotter lived across the country on military bases such as Fort Bragg and Fort Campbell, and now calls sunny Oahu, Hawaii home. Her mother taught her how to sew when she was six years old, and she quickly picked up a self-described “passion for fashion” that led her to open a shop of her own.

At the moment, Cotter’s favorite designs to make are purses and pencil skirts, and her top-sellers are her beanies, especially during the last few winter months. On her website, Cotter emphasizes that each Fashionista Dreams product is completely customizable, and can be always be altered according to each customer’s specific needs.

Although she said she gets many creative ideas from Pinterest, Cotter also pulls inspiration from established fashion designers and consultants, such as Vera Wang and Tim Gunn.

“I love that they put their own twist on their different items, and their personality shows through what they make,” Cotter said.

Life as a military kid has also played a role in inspiring design ideas, as showcased in Cotter’s latest military-themed products as Fashionista Dreams celebrates the Month of the Military Child. For this young fashionista, the best part about being a military kid was “moving around and getting to experience new cultures and history.”

Throughout the month, all proceeds from Cotter’s shop will benefit her fellow military kids who are facing difficult deployments and coping with combat-wounded parents. Every handmade purse, bow, apron and doll dress will help provide activity grants to children so that they can do what they love and feel the support of their community.

When it comes to inspiring other military kids in the pursuit of their goals, Cotter has one piece of advice: “Dream big!”

You can check out Alyssa Cotter’s shop by clicking here!