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TOKYO – USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) and
embarked Seventh Fleet staff Sailors volunteered to help improve the
a local Tokyo school Aug. 4 during a community relations project.
The Tokyo YMCA International School (TYIS) offers North
American-style classes from kindergarten to sixth grade for students
and teachers from many cultures, guided by the principles of the
YMCA.
Sailors worked alongside TYIS staff and students in painting the
school's library, classrooms, computer rooms and hallways of the
school.
“The school needed some painting really bad,” said Kevin Maxfield,
program director for the school. Blue Ridge worked with YMCA last
year, and Maxfield said he knew he could count on the ship's help
again.
“I now know if we ever need help from the Blue Ridge, we can get
it.” said Maxfield. “It strengthens the bond with the Navy, the
community, and the friendships between countries.”
Information Systems Technician 3rd Class Elizabeth Gordon, a Sailor
attached to Blue Ridge, was one of 38 Sailors who traveled from
Yokosuka to Tokyo to volunteer in the community.
“Interacting with the children and teaching them how to paint was
lots of fun,” Gordon said. “Growing up, I was always working with
kids at the YMCA.”
Blue Ridge is commanded by Capt. Thom W. Burke and serves under
Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group 7/Task Force 76, the Navy’s
only forward-deployed amphibious force. Blue Ridge is the flagship
for Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet. Task Force 76 is headquartered at
White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, Japan, with an operating
detachment in Sasebo, Japan. |
