Building successful stepfamilies focus of conference
Millions of people are in a stepfamily relationship, and the Chapel program at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is sponsoring a mini conference to help up to 150 couples achieve the most successful blended families they can. The conference, scheduled for March 29-30 at Vineyard Church, 4051 Indian Ripple Road, Beavercreek, is open to the military community as well as blended families in the greater Dayton area.
Author, therapist and blended family expert Ron Deal will lead sessions to empower remarried couples and stepfamilies to learn, build and grow successful stepfamily relationships for harmonious living.
Tickets are $15 per family and include conference materials, childcare for children ages newborn to 10 years old, Friday night dinner and Saturday breakfast.
Active-duty, reservist and Guard military members and Wright-Patterson AFB civilians will have priority registration Feb. 11 to March 1. All others are encouraged to sign up March 2-22. Registration is online at https://smartstepfamilieswpafb.eventbrite.com.
Deal’s sessions range from “Becoming Stepfamily Smart” and “How to Cook a Stepfamily” to “Marriage – Priority One”, “Attachment, Loss & Loyalty” and “Pillars of Stepparent Success.”
“We want families to have the tools and resources, especially with some being military and not always being in this area, by having Ron Deal here to give them other resources they can use in the future,” said Cheri Champagne, Catholic Parish coordinator.
“It will be very beneficial to our families.”
The base Chapel staff decided to sponsor the conference “because we realize blended families are becoming more common in our society,” said Dj Shorter, Protestant parish coordinator. “The divorce rate is high, so we want to address that in the best way possible and bring in a nationally and internationally renowned expert.
Volunteers are welcome to help facilitate the event by visiting volunteersignup. org/XCTH4 to sign up. Anyone who wishes to sponsor a family may email djuna. shorter.1.ctr@us.af.mil.