• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Seabees, Marines Rebuild Orphanage Playground

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100715-02
7/15/2010

By Utilitiesman 2nd Class Jeffery Walter, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 7 Public Affairs

CONSTANTA, Romania (NNS) -- More than 20 Seabees and Marines from U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 7 Detail Romania and the Black Sea Rotational Force stationed at Mihail Kogalniceanu Airfield, Romania, joined forces to refurbish a children's playground at an orphanage home for adolescent, teenager and young adults in Constanta, Romania, June 19-22.

Casa Speranta, Romanian for "house of hope," is a home for HIV-positive children, teens and young adults.

"We want to create a feeling of being in a family," said Elena Cismasu, house administrator. "The main goal here is the children. We have to make sure they are looked after."

Cismasu commented that the playground had been previously closed for some time, by the staff at Casa Speranta, after a child injured himself while playing on it.

"We wanted to fix the playground ourselves, but we didn't have the funds," said Cismasu. "The Seabees and Marines are extraordinary people. They worked from dawn until dusk, even on the weekends."

"It feels great knowing that by just giving up some of our off-time we could make such a big difference in the lives of these children," said Construction Mechanic Constructionman Apprentice Terry Lozano, with NMCB 7 out of Gulfport, Miss., who along with nine other Seabees volunteered to help with the project.

Seabees and Marines worked hand-in-hand through the weekend removing worn-out and unsafe playground equipment from the wooden walk-way, play-house and ship and putting in its place new lumber for a safe and secure playground. Steelworker 2nd Class David Capuria led a group of two Marines as they helped construct new stairs for the play-house.

"The project turned out great, it is safer, more secure, and children can now play on their playground," said Capuria.

Construction Electrician 2nd Class Dakarai Elder and Construction Electrician Constructionman Stanley Nelson teamed together to reconstruct the wooden walk-way and ladders throughout the playground.

"When the project was complete, the children had the biggest smiles on their faces," Said Elder. "They were eager to play games and play on their new playground, which was a reaction that will remain in my memories for a very long time."

The Seabees and Marines were invited back to the house to dedicate the new playground and present gift boxes filled with toys and clothes, donated by the Marines, to all the children and teenagers living at the Casa Speranta June 22.

Builder 1st Class Jason Fletcher presented the house mother with his NMCB 7 First Class Association Coin, so they would always remember the Seabees that had come to help them.

"Seeing the look on the children's faces when the project was complete meant a lot," said Fletcher. "Volunteering for me is a way to give back to those who care and provide for others. This deployment is a great opportunity for all of us here. To represent our nation and give back to those who are less fortunate is overwhelming."

NMCB 7 and its detachments are currently deployed to various locations throughout Europe and Africa as part of the battalion's regularly scheduled 2010 deployment, with the main body of the battalion operating from Camp Mitchell at Naval Station Rota, Spain.

NCMB 7 is homeported at the Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport, Miss., and is currently the East Coast's Battle "E" Seabee battalion.