DATE: January 5, 2018 9:26:02 PM CST

Fort Leonard Wood report for the week of Jan. 8

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Jan. 5, 2018) – The following Fort Leonard Wood announcements are for the week of Jan. 8 through 12.

Jan. 8

Fort Leonard Wood Tax Center to open

The Fort Leonard Wood Tax Center will be open Jan. 8 to April 17, 2018, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. The Fort Leonard Wood Tax Center is located at 316 Missouri Avenue, Building 315, between the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence Headquarters building and the hospital.  Appointments can be made by calling 573.596.1040.

Jan. 8

Installation Volunteer Corps office seeking nominations for Volunteer of the Year

The Installation Volunteer Corps office is seeking nominations for Volunteer of the Year 2017, for military, retiree, civilian, family, youth, and Family Readiness Shining Star volunteers. Two new awards added this year are the World of Excellence and Exemplary Service award.  Selectee must be a registered volunteer on Fort Leonard Wood with hours certified in Army One Source / Volunteer Management Information System for 2017. Nominee must have certified volunteer service that shows they have given back to the Fort Leonard Wood community and surrounding areas. If you have a volunteer that has gone above and beyond to support the Fort Leonard Wood mission and the community, please submit a nomination packet for them.  The individuals selected for Volunteer of Year will be recognized at the Annual Installation Volunteer Award ceremony in April 2018. Packets are available from the Installation Volunteer Corps Coordinator. Please call 573.596.0212 for more information. The deadline for submission is Feb. 17, 2018.

Jan. 8

Eliminate clutter in the new year

Is one of your New Year’s goals to eliminate clutter? Donations of clothing, furniture, household items, and pet supplies are welcome at the Fort Leonard Wood Thrift Shop. The Thrift Shop is open to the public and no military ID is required to shop. Proceeds from the Thrift Shop allow the organization to make financial contributions to local community organizations, award individual scholarships and provide outreach assistance to referred families. The Thrift Shop is located at Building 493 on Replacement Avenue. http://www.flwthriftshop.embarqspace.com/

Jan. 18

Health Promotion Team Education Series continues in January

General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital’s Health Promotion Team Education Series continues in Jan. with “Upping Your Metabolism” at noon Jan. 18, in the MEDDAC Classroom. Education series workshops are held on the third Thursday of the month. February’s Education Series, which is slated to be held at noon Feb. 15, is scheduled to address the topic of stress management.

Jan. 18

Mad Scientist S.T.E.M. Lab coming to Bruce C. Clarke Library

The Mad Scientist S.T.E.M. Lab will be coming to the Bruce C. Clarke Library Jan. 18th from 3:30 to 5 p.m. The library staff will be putting out new S.T.E.M. projects, science experiments, building kits, and robotics for children of all ages to use. There will be snacks, videos, science demonstrations, and more. The Bruce C. Clarke Library plans to hold a creative event for kids every third Thursday of the month. The S.T.E.M. activities are free to attend and open to the public. Please call 573.563.4113 for more information.

Jan. 22 

Installation Strategic Sustainability Plan General Session

The Installation Strategic Sustainability Plan General Session will be held from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Jan. 22, at Danner Hall Auditorium. Fort Leonard Wood uses limited resources such as land, water and energy. Sustainability means managing all these resources in a way that will best support the mission by improving the quality of life in military communities, protecting resources and reducing operational costs. The ISSP addresses how Fort Leonard Wood can remain a viable and successful installation well into the future by working with stakeholders to formulate the ISSP. This meeting is open to all military, civilians, enterprise partners and family members. For more information, contact Brock Lercher at 573.563.5138.

Winter Safety public service announcement

A winter storm occurs when there is significant precipitation and the temperature is low enough that precipitation forms as sleet or snow, or when rain turns to ice. A winter storm can range from freezing rain and ice, to moderate snowfall over a few hours, to a blizzard that lasts for several days. Many winter storms are accompanied by dangerously low temperatures. Winter storms can cause power outages that last for days. They can limit critical community services such as public transportation, child care, health programs and schools. Before snowstorms and extreme cold:

  • Make a Family Communications Plan. Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to know how you will contact one another, how you will get back together and what you will do in case of an emergency.
  • Make an emergency kit for at least three days of self-sufficiency.
  • Keep space heater safety in mind: Use electric space heaters with automatic shut-off switches and non-glowing elements. Remember to keep all heat sources at least three feet away from furniture and drapes.
  • Prepare your home:
    • Make sure your home is well insulated and that you have weather stripping around your doors and window sills to keep the warm air inside.
    • Make sure you have a working carbon monoxide detector.
    • Keep fire extinguishers on hand, and make sure everyone in your house knows how to use them. House fires pose an additional risk, as more people turn to alternate heating sources without taking the necessary safety precautions.
    • Learn how to shut off water valves (in case a pipe bursts).
    • Insulate your home by installing storm windows or covering windows with plastic from the inside to keep cold air out.
  • Hire a contractor to check the structural ability of the roof to sustain unusually heavy weight from the accumulation of snow – or water, if drains on flat roofs do not work.
    • If you have a wood burning fireplace, consider storing wood to keep you warm if winter weather knocks out your heat. Also, make sure you have your chimney cleaned and inspected every year.
    • Have at least one of the following heat sources in case the power goes out:
      • Extra blankets, sleeping bags and warm winter coats.
      • Fireplace or wood-burning stove with plenty of dry firewood, or a gas log fireplace.

Read the full “Snowstorms and Extreme Cold” article online at https://www.ready.gov/winter-weather.

For more information, contact the Fort Leonard Wood Public Affairs Office at 573.563.4145.