KADENA AIR BASE, OKINAWA, Japan – -- The North Island Officer Spouses Club hosted a community paint project with the local Coupii Fashion Art Group Oct. 26 at the Kadena Marina.
The CFAG is a local non-profit organization that helps raise awareness about disabilities and the people who have them. They hold events to help their members build friendships and share knowledge about living with a disability. The NIOSC is an organization dedicated to helping military spouses build friendships and immerse themselves in the culture of their host nation. The two groups came together during this event to foster those friendships.
“Our purpose is to build camaraderie and to promote friendship with the local community,” said Sandy Carter, the president of the NIOSC. “Today, we painted a mural to be placed outside of Camp Courtney’s gate. While this is our first event with the Coupii non-profit group, we are planning for more in the future.”
Participants at the event painted with a rainbow of colors for everyone to choose from and were encouraged to paint anything they wanted onto it. The finished banner was a colorful picture of happy faces, hearts and a multitude of flowers.
“It is great for us all to come together,” said Sgt Maj. Mario Marquez, the sergeant major of III Marine Expeditionary Force. “Seeing all the smiles here today, everyone getting spattered with paint and laughing, is human kindness being displayed. All this shows a successful bond and it just started. It makes me proud.”
The banner will be placed outside Camp Courtney’s main gate to symbolize the friendship between the local and military communities.