Bremerton, WA (Dec.4, 2004) - How do
you transform the cavernous hangar deck of a thousand-foot aircraft
carrier into Santa's Playland? It's easy:
1. Start with mountains of pretend snow;
2. Add towering balloon sculptures in the shapes of
elves, candy canes, and reindeer;
3. Station Santa at one end of the deck; and finally,
4. Invite toymaker Rick Hartman to build toys and
tell stories before hundreds of delighted children and their families.
That's exactly what happened aboard the USS Carl Vinson
as Rick captivated an audience of sailors and their families with
hands-on toymaking projects and spellbinding stories from around
the world.
"What an incredible honor it is to be here,"
Rick said. "I'm delighted to be part of the festivities and
help bring some holiday cheer to families that are often separated
for months on end."
Rick's visit was arranged by the Navy's Morale, Welfare
and Recreation Division, which supports social and community activities
at U.S. Navy facilities worldwide.
The USS Carl Vinson is a 1,040-foot, Nimitz-class
carrier that's home to nearly 6,000 crew members. Commanded by Capt.
Chip Miller, the ship returned to its homeport of Bremerton, Wash.,
Oct. 12 following months at sea. |
Children react with delight to a performance of
"Toys to the World" aboard the USS Carl Vinson.
Capt. Chip Miller (far R) joins Rick and a crew of volunteers aboard
the USS Carl Vinson.
Official US Navy file photo of USS Carl Vinson.
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