Naval Medical Logistics Command celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month, Oct. 2, in Frederick, Md., on Fort Detrick, with a special guest speaker from the local community.
Jeanie R. Cronin of Middletown, Md., co-founder and president of Centro Hispano de Frederick, Inc., was on hand to share personal accounts of her contributions to the local Hispanic community in creating a thriving non-profit organization that has been in existence for the past several years.
Established in 2006, the organization is the culmination of Cronin’s years of advocacy on behalf of the local community’s immigrant population. Through her leadership, it has become a vital and much needed hub for the Latino and limited English-speaking population in Frederick.
“I was grateful to receive an invitation to share with you a whole host of services that Centro Hispano de Frederick offers to the community,” Cronin said. “We provide services not only for Hispanics but to anyone who needs assistance. We can help them obtain appointments with health and human service agencies for job interviews, provide English speaking classes, and legal workshops on issues such as immigration, family law and traffic law.”
Cronin also shared a portion of her personal experiences with the audience. Her volunteer service in Frederick County spans 21 years of teaching religious education to high school students, 14 years as a volunteer with Advocates for the Homeless, 12 years with the Heartly House as an on-call interpreter and 12 years of coordinating benefits for Big Brothers Big Sisters.
At the conclusion of her presentation, participants sampled a host of authentic and some not-so-authentic flavors that represented various Hispanic countries. Many NMLC personnel brought their favorite foods and shared in the learn-and-dine experience.
“Our command is truly diverse and I am very proud that we continue to embrace all ethnicities,” said Capt. James B. Poindexter III, NMLC’s commanding officer .
Naval Medical Logistics Command is Navy Medicine’s center of logistics expertise. It supports the U.S. Navy with acquisition and logistics systems training, healthcare services strategies, operational forces support, medical equipment and logistics solutions, acquisition management, deployable platforms and eyewear fabrication.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff,October 04, 2012; Image: US Navy