NORWICH – The Norwich American Legion Auxillary, in collaboration with Cornell Cooperative Extension, is sponsoring a program titled Operation: Military Kids, which reaches out to children whose world is turned upside down when a military parent is deployed.

The mission of the program is to show support for such children and military families by creating a local network of available services and resources in the county. The event is set to take place from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 21 at the American Legion Post 189, 29 Sheldon St. in Norwich.

According to local Operation: Military Kids coordinator Mary Lou McAvoy, kids of military families are too often overlooked in Chenango County. “There are many of these children in our own backyards and we want to give them our understanding and support,” she said.

McAvoy, along with other volunteers at the Legion Auxillary, is currently asking for help in identifying military children and their families. Additionally, the organization is seeking donations of child-friendly items to add to Hero Packs (small gift packages filled with toys, games, post cards, journals and books, or any other item to salute a military child for their strength and sacrifice while a parent is deployed).