MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO -- Marine Corps Recruit Depot’s Family Readiness Program held its Spouse Appreciation Spa Day here July 31. The event instructed spouses on dealing with family stress and separation while remembering to put themselves first every once in a while.
The day started with greetings from Erin Vanko, Family Readiness trainer, MCRD San Diego and Maj.Gen. Ronald L. Baily, commanding general, MCRD San Diego and the Western Recruiting Region. The event spilt the spouses into five groups at random. They then went to different stations where they had a class and activities covering topics such as goal setting, reducing stress, health and fitness, do-it-yourself spa treatments, and relaxing with reflexology.
The groups split off at 10 a.m. and spent approximately 25 minutes at each station.
As the groups traveled from station to station, conversations were interrupted with short bursts of laughter.
“These kind of days are all part of the deployment and separation program put together by Headquarters Marine Corps,” said Vanko. “Since we don’t have deployable units here on the depot, we focused more on the separation aspect for the spouses.”
“This is the first (spouse appreciation) event I’ve been to,” said Regina Frausto, wife of Sgt. Hugo Frausto, Company K, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion. “I had a lot of fun and I will definitely come to the next one.”
Frausto and the other spouses were loaded up with information and adivce.
“We want the spouses to walk away with tips on how to take care of themselves,” said Vanko. “It’s important for them to make ‘me time’ while still taking care of their families.”
As the groups talked among each other about stressful situations and how they dealt with them, they also received fitness tips and learned how to make do-it-yourself home spa treatments.
“Today was really informative,” said Frausto. “The tips on taking care of yourself in order to take care of your family were great.” Frausto added that the goal-setting station was a great way to remind her to slow down and get back into the things she loves doing to improve her mood and home life.