Tag Archives: Sesame Street

The Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families heads stateside PLUS a New Initiative from Sesame Workshop

Posted on March 30, 2010 by | 1 Comment

Young fans embraced their favorite furry red monster during a performance of the Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families at RAF Mildenhall in England September 8, 2009. (USO Photo by Fred Greaves)

If you’re a regular blog reader, you’ve probably heard about and seen pictures from The Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families tour that travel around the world.  Across nine countries and 76 military bases, thousands of military kids and their parents have enjoyed the performances of Elmo, Grover, Cookie Monster, Rosita and Zoe, beloved characters from the award-winning television series.

We’re thrilled to announce that The Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families is back in the U.S. after an around-the-world tour.  The show, which is exclusively for military families, kicks off its second swing through the U.S. on April 17, at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

“There is no denying the positive impact this tour is having on our nation’s military community,” said Sloan Gibson, USO president.  ”We listen to our troops and understand the challenges they face at home, and are proud to call Sesame Workshop our partner in helping to ease the daily stresses on military families.”  Bookmark this page for updated tour schedules and more.

The tour serves as an extension of traditional USO entertainment tours and a continuation of Sesame Workshop’s award-winning Talk, Listen, Connect initiative – which provides vital resources and emotional support to military families with young children coping with challenging transitions in their lives.

This partnership has been wonderful for the USO, as well as Sesame Workshop.  In his latest blog post, Sesame Workshop’s President and CEO Gary E. Knell has this to say: “One of the most rewarding parts about being here at Sesame Workshop is the honest ability to make a difference in this world. Five years ago, I was outraged at the lack of resources available to military families. Today, I’m proud that Sesame Street is able to help.”

Now, we’re proud to announce a new installment in this initiative, When Families Grieve, which will kick-off nationally with a one-hour televised special hosted by Katie Couric and airing on PBS stations (check local listings).  Beginning April 15, the multimedia, bi-lingual (English and Spanish) outreach kit will be available at www.sesamestreet.org/grief.

Outreach kits on the previous three installments of Talk, Listen, Connect are available on their website currently, and continue to make a difference in the lives of military children everywhere.  So set your DVRs, bookmark the website, and take a moment to watch a short video on last’s years unveiling of the “Deployments” kit…

more about “Sesame Workshop and DoD Premiere Newe…“, posted with vodpod

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The Sesame Street/USO Experience Travels to Korea

Posted on February 20, 2010 by | 2 Comments

(l-r) Grover, Cookie Monster, Elmo, Zoe, and Rosita dance hand-in-hand during a performance of the USO/Sesame Street Experience for Military Families at Osan Air Base in South Korea, February 12, 2010. (USO PHOTO BY FRED GREAVES)

(l-r) Cookie Monster, Rosita, Elmo, Zoe and Grover greet fans of all ages during a performance of the USO/Sesame Street Experience for Military Families at Osan Air Base in South Korea, February 12, 2010. (USO PHOTO BY FRED GREAVES)

Maj Matthew McAlister reads a Sesame Street book with his daugher Chloe, 5, before the start of the USO/Sesame Street Experience for Military Families at USAG Yongsan in South Korea, February 10, 2010. McAlister is originally from Sough Paris, Maine. (USO PHOTO BY FRED GREAVES)

The children of service members scream and wave as the muppets came onstage during a performance of the USO/Sesame Street Experience for Military Families at USAG Yongsan in South Korea, February 10, 2010. (USO PHOTO BY FRED GREAVES)

Elmo look-alike Jackson Pack, 22 mos, eagerly awaits the start of the USO/Sesame Street Experience for Military Families at USAG Yongsan in South Korea, February 10, 2010. Jackson attended the show with his father Sgt Jaon Pack from Rock Hill, South Carolina. (USO PHOTO BY FRED GREAVES)

(l-r) Cookie Monster, Zoe, Rosita, Elmo and Grover pose for a photo with audience members in the background following a performance of the USO/Sesame Street Experience for Military Families at USAG Yongsan in South Korea, February 10, 2010. (USO PHOTO BY FRED GREAVES)

Zoe greets a young fan in the audience during a performance of the USO/Sesame Street Experience for Military Families at USAG Yongsan in South Korea, February 10, 2010. (USO PHOTO BY FRED GREAVES)

Service members and their families fill the gym in anticipation of the start of the USO/Sesame Street Experience for Military Families at USAG Yongsan in South Korea, February 10, 2010. (USO PHOTO BY FRED GREAVES)

The children of US service members scream and wave as Elmo took to the stage at the start of the USO/Sesame Street Experience for Military Families at USAG Humphreys in South Korea February 9, 2010. (USO PHOTO BY FRED GREAVES)

(l-r muppets) Grover, Cookie Monster, Rosita, Elmo and Zoe pose for a photo with service members and their children following a performance of the USO/Sesame Street Experience for Military Families at USAG Humphreys in South Korea February 9, 2010. (USO PHOTO BY FRED GREAVES)

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Posted in Families, Pacific, Programs

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The Sesame Street/USO Experience Visits Osan!

Posted on February 18, 2010 by | 2 Comments

"...and, in conclusion, THAT is how you get to Sesame Street!" Maj Matthew McAlister reads a Sesame Street book with his daugher Chloe, 5, before the start of the USO/Sesame Street Experience for Military Families at USAG Yongsan in South Korea, February 10, 2010.(USO Photo by Fred Greaves)

The USO and Sesame Workshop have partnered again for phase III of “The Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families” – a free traveling USO tour featuring five of America’s favorite Muppets. The tour has traveled to 13 military installations in Japan, Korea and Guam over the course of two months, delivering family friendly shows tailored specifically for military families.  To date, the tour has performed a whopping 154 shows and entertained more than 105,700 military families!!!

This program is an extension of Sesame Workshop’s Talk, Listen, Connect program, a military outreach initiative launched in 2006, providing support and resources for military families with young children experiencing the effects of deployment, multiple deployments, and/or a parent’s return home changed due to a combat-related injury.

We hope you’ll enjoy this video from their latest visit – to Osan, Japan – and look for an exclusive photo essay on the blog this weekend!

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Kon’nichiwa, Minasan! The Sesame Street/USO Experience Continues in Japan!

Posted on January 26, 2010 by | 3 Comments

The Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families – Phase III – continues to tour the Pacific region.  Click here to see the complete schedule and click here to read about their visit to Yokosuka!

Elmo greets fans during a performance of the USO/Sesame Street Experience for Military Families at Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan, January 21, 2010. (USO Photo by Fred Greaves)

(l-r) Jayvion King, 1, his mom Natalie King, Aubriana King, 4, and Madison Rickard, 3, react to various degrees as Elmo took the stage during a performance of the USO/Sesame Street Experience for Military Families at Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan, January 21, 2010. (USO Photo by Fred Greaves)

Elmo (r), Rosita (c) and Cookie Monster (l) greet fans from the stage during a performance of the USO/Sesame Street Experience for Military Families at Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan, January 21, 2010. (USO Photo by Fred Greaves)

Cooke Monster greets his fans during a performance of the USO/Sesame Street Experience for Military Families at Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan, January 21, 2010. (USO Photo by Fred Greaves)

Elmo greets fans during a performance of the USO/Sesame Street Experience for Military Families at Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan, January 21, 2010. (USO Photo by Fred Greaves)

Cookie Monster (c) leaps in the air while dancing with Rosita (l) and Elmo (r) during a performance of the USO/Sesame Street Experience for Military Families at Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan, January 21, 2010. (USO Photo by Fred Greaves)

Excited children wave to the Sesame Street characters onstage during a performance of the USO/Sesame Street Experience for Military Families at Atsugi Naval Air Field in Japan, January 19, 2010. (USO Photo by Fred Greaves)

Rosita hugs audience members during a performance of the USO/Sesame Street Experience for Military Families at Atsugi Naval Air Field in Japan, January 19, 2010. (USO Photo by Fred Greaves)

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Posted in Celebrity Entertainment, Centers, Families, Pacific

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The Sesame Street/USO Experience Tours Atsugi Naval Air Field

Posted on January 19, 2010 by | 1 Comment

(l-r)Sesame Street characters Cookie Monster, Zoe, Grover, Rosita, and Elmo pose for a photo with service members and their children following a performance of the USO/Sesame Street Experience for Military Families at Atsugi Naval Air Field in Japan, January 19, 2010. (USO Photo by Fred Greaves)

Excited children wave to the Sesame Street characters onstage during a performance of the USO/Sesame Street Experience for Military Families at Atsugi Naval Air Field in Japan, January 19, 2010. (USO Photo by Fred Greaves)

(l-r) Elmo, Zoe, Cookie Monster, Grover, and Rosita dance together onstage during a performance of the USO/Sesame Street Experience for Military Families at Atsugi Naval Air Field in Japan, January 19, 2010. (USO Photo by Fred Greaves)

Cookie Monster greets some of his young fans during a performance of the USO/Sesame Street Experience for Military Families at Atsugi Naval Air Field in Japan, January 19, 2010. (USO Photo by Fred Greaves)

(l-r) Grover, Zoe, Rosita, Cookie Monster, and Elmo interact with the audience during a performance of the USO/Sesame Street Experience for Military Families at Atsugi Naval Air Field in Japan, January 19, 2010. (USO Photo by Fred Greaves)

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New Family Centers at Bethesda and Fort Belvoir

Posted on January 9, 2010 by | 2 Comments

The Sesame Street/USO Experience visits Fort Belvoir and (l-r) Sloan Gibson, CEO and President of the USO; service member and his daughter; and Gary Knell, President and CEO of Sesame Workshop, enjoyed the show

As Samantha L. Quigley of American Forces Press Service is reporting, the USO will build new Family Centers at both the National Naval Medical Center at Bethesda, MD, and at Fort Belvoir in Virginia.  We are proud to support our wounded troops and their families in this way.  Below is an excerpt from the report.  Click here to read the full story.

“USO officials plan to build family centers at the National Naval Medical Center at Bethesda, Md., and Fort Belvoir, Va., to continue the USO’s tradition of bringing troops a piece of home.

The project was inspired by the Army Community Services center at Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, said Sloan Gibson, USO Inc. president, who toured the facility in March. He said he got to thinking about construction under way at Bethesda and Fort Belvoir for new military medical facilities and decided the new facilities needed similar centers.

The 25,000 square-foot facility at Bethesda will feature phone banks and computer banks where people can stay in touch with home, as well as places to get together and watch movies and football games and for troops and their families to play video games.

“We want to have a huge kitchen, because we’ve learned from [Brooke] in particular … that that winds up being a real gathering place,” Gibson said. “It’s a very important part of creating that environment that makes people feel very much like they’re at home.”

USO officials also want to include a major training facility, as many of the wounded warriors and their families end up spending months — and sometimes years — at the medical facilities…”

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