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Stout Field military warms hands, hearts

By Spc. William E. Henry

INDIANAPOLIS-Four students at the Stout Field Elementary School received a surprise Thursday.

Indiana Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbarger, presented the students with winter coats along with the adjutant general's coin.

The students were part of a program National Guard employees, state and federal, from the Stout Field area participate in called Warm Hands, Warm Hearts.

The program helps provide new coats, hats and gloves for children who may need them and might otherwise go without.

Over the last three years it has provided about 40 coats and about 120 hats and gloves to students attending the school according to Stout Field Elementary School home and school advisor, Casey Foust.

Stout Field Elementary student, Charlie Trejo, is presented a coin by Indiana Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbarger there. The adjutant general brought coats, hats and gloves for the Warm Hands, Warm Hearts program that provides students at the school with winter supplies who might not have them already. Indiana National Guard photo by Spc. William E. Henry, Indiana Army National Guard.

Foust said this is her third year participating in the program with the National Guard and believes it made a difference in many children's lives throughout the winter months.

"These kids get excited about the coats and for the kids to be able to go outside and play and not get cold it just makes a huge difference," said Foust.

Foust explained some families working to get by may be strained for the extra money to purchase coats. So she and other faculty members keep a good lookout for those students who may not have a good winter coat.

Indiana Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbager, helps Dylan Leever, a student of Stout Field Elementary School, with his new coat. The Warm Hands, Warm Hearts program is funded by donations from National Guardsmen, state and federal workers at Stout Field locations to help students of the Stout Field Elementary School get coats, hats and gloves who might not have them already. Indiana National Guard photo by Spc. William E. Henry, Indiana Army National Guard.

"If the families don't have to buy a coat that's more money they can use to buy other things they need," she said.

"These coats are from all of us in the National Guard," explained Maj. Gen. Umbarger to the students.

The adjutant general expressed his concern about the children in the community.

"This is kind of like our school, being that it is right next door to us," said Maj. Gen. Umbarger.