The Exchange is taking the celebration of our youngest heroes online during Month of the Military Child.
The Exchange merchandising team has spent months preparing ways to salute military kids around the globe in April. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, however, the team needed to reimagine the celebration in a virtual format.
“We didn’t want to let military kids down or have the pandemic cancel their special month,” Exchange Disney Coordinator Jennifer Wooten said. “There are so many great resources on the Exchange’s Hub page, we thought, ‘Hey, let’s take the celebration online.’”
With the help of the Corporate Communication Team, the Exchange’s Month of the Military Child Hub page has become the center of the celebration with downloadable activity and coloring pages and a special shout-out video from the XKids.
The Exchange’s Month of the Military Child team, which includes Wooten, Division Merchandise Manager Daniel Koglin and Buyers Julia Butterfield and Ann Marie Flint, as well as Advertising and Promotions Specialist Brandon Crowder from Corporate Communication, worked with vendors to turn planned in-store events into online challenges. Military kids can share Lego masterpieces they’ve built and Play-Doh creations they’ve sculpted to enter contests online for chances to win prizes.
Dande, the military child travel troll, was originally intended to connect military kids on social media in their travels around the world. Under the new circumstances, Dande, like most military families, is under travel restrictions, so kids can post how they’re keeping busy while social distancing and remote learning with the #brat_patroll hashtag.
“The Exchange is leaning forward to salute our youngest heroes,” Wooten said. “They deserve to be recognized, thanked and celebrated for all they do.”
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