Operation Homefront, MacDill A&FRC team up Published Aug. 12, 2011 By Airman 1st Class Michael Ellis 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- While budgets decline as summer vacations rise, and worries of obtaining adequate amounts of back to school supplies parade through the minds of parents, the MacDill Air Force Base Airman & Family Readiness Center and Operation Homefront worked together to provide more than 600 backpacks and schools supplies to military children, Aug. 6 during the first "Back to School Fair." "This year is the first year we've done a joint event and so far it's a great success," said Elizabeth Waters, A&FRC director. Families were instructed to go online and register in order to receive the free backpacks stuffed with school supplies from Operation Homefront. "Even if they didn't register, or didn't even know they had to register, we wanted to make sure every child received a bag," said Waters. So MacDill's A&FRC set up a second room piled high with backpacks to meet the needs of all the military families who attended. Backpacks and additional school supplies were donated via Friends of Military Families. Additional funds were received from a CAF Grant. Also at the Back to School Fair, parents got information about health and wellness, safety, local school programs, after-school programs and special needs programs. From school supplies to bouncy castles, a huge waterslide and fresh paint on children's faces, this year's Back to School Fair was a memorable event.