Our Heroes’ Tree The Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University MFRI at Purdue University ALA Federal and Military Libraries Roundtable Does your library want to host Our Heroes’ Tree in your facility around Veterans Day this year? Questions? Contact Nancy Faget [email_address]

Our Heroes’ Tree The Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University MFRI at Purdue University

Our Heroes’ Tree The Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University What is MFRI? The Military Family Research Institute is a research and outreach organization based at Purdue University, funded by the Lilly Endowment, the Office of Military Community and Family Policy in the Department of Defense, and others. Guided by the belief that discovery, learning, and engagement are essential components of a strong research and outreach program, our goal is to create meaningful relationships that bring organizations together in support of military families. Our mission is to conduct studies that provide insight into the experiences of military members and their families, and to design and implement outreach activities that assist military families in Indiana and beyond. MFRI strives to proactively build relationships with partners in both the military and civilian communities.

The Military Family Research Institute is a research and outreach organization

based at Purdue University, funded by the Lilly Endowment, the Office of Military Community and Family Policy in the Department of Defense, and others.

Guided by the belief that discovery, learning, and engagement are essential components of a strong research and outreach program, our goal is to create meaningful relationships that bring organizations together in support of military families.

Our mission is to conduct studies that provide insight into the experiences of military members and their families, and to design and implement outreach activities that assist military families in Indiana and beyond. MFRI strives to proactively build relationships with partners in both the military and civilian communities.

Our Heroes’ Tree The Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University Our Heroes’ Tree ℠ Frequently Asked Questions What is the Our Heroes’ Tree℠ program? Marlene Lee and Stephanie Pickup co-founded Our Heroes’ Tree℠ in 2005 to honor the service and sacrifice of our nation’s military families. Our Heroes’ Tree consists of community members (groups or individuals) creating handmade ornaments honoring service members from past and present wars, conflicts and peacetime operations. These ornaments are then placed on a tree. Stories about individual service members can also be submitted and displayed in a binder near the tree. With several thousand Hoosier military members currently deployed overseas, the Military Family Research Institute (MFRI) at Purdue University saw this program as a means to pay special tribute to these families in the state of Indiana. The program seeks to bring groups of people or individuals together to recognize military service in Indiana and to increase availability of resources in communities to support veterans, service members and their families.

Our Heroes’ Tree The Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University Started in Indiana libraries

Our Heroes’ Tree The Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University Branching out beyond the State of Indiana MFRI approached ALA Federal and Armed Forces Libraries Roundtable to ask if the federal libraries wanted to participate in 2009. MFRI would be interested in feedback from librarians to help them enhance and improve their resource kits, reading lists, and bibliographies for future years. MFRI has secured funding to ship resource kits to any federal library that wants to participate in 2009. MFRI staff have connections to the office of the First Lady and will approach the White House about hosting a Heroes’ Tree.

Our Heroes’ Tree The Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University Resource Kit Contents Our Heroes’ Tree Contents of Resource Kits (provided to the library to support the program) How to Help Military Families publications are intended to start a conversation with different segments of the local community on how they can support and interact with military families Five circulation items for the library collection with lesson plans focusing on experiences of military children and families Ideas for outreach and marketing the project ( posters, bookmarks, fliers, press releases, suggestions for hosting a workshops for patrons who want to create ornaments) Age specific educational curriculum from the History Channel ( True Story of Veterans Day DVD and Take a Vet to School program) Flags and ribbon to decorate your Heroes’ Tree Directions to upload the physical ornaments Evaluation form and return envelope

How to Help Military Families publications are intended to start a conversation with different segments of the local community on how they can support and interact with military families

Five circulation items for the library collection with lesson plans focusing on experiences of military children and families

Ideas for outreach and marketing the project ( posters, bookmarks, fliers, press releases, suggestions for hosting a workshops for patrons who want to create ornaments)

Age specific educational curriculum from the History Channel ( True Story of Veterans Day DVD and Take a Vet to School program)

Flags and ribbon to decorate your Heroes’ Tree

Directions to upload the physical ornaments

Evaluation form and return envelope

Our Heroes’ Tree The Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University One example of Resource Kit contents CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES associated with popular literature

Our Heroes’ Tree The Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University Sample Lesson Plan

Our Heroes’ Tree The Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University Steps to participate Register at www.cfs.purdue.edu/mfri to participate. ALA FAFLRT will help to promote the project and participating libraries Sign up by August to ensure your library receives all resource items. Resource kits will arrive by about October 1 Create a space, a wall, a bulletin board, or bring in a tree so the library has a place where tributes to Our Heroes can be displayed Evaluate the program, send virtual images to MFRI

Our Heroes’ Tree The Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University Last year’s brochure (MFRI can tweak for federal libraries)