Teal Up supporters kick off the Month of the Military Child to honour youngsters of Canadian Forces members celebrating their resilience, strength and bravery at CFB Shilo on April 3.  (Photo: K-J Millar/Shilo Stag News)

K-J Millar
Shilo Stag Media

Dandelion seeds can be blown on the wind with a fleeting breath and take root to bloom nearly anywhere. This is the metaphorical symbol honouring Canadian military children, who are celebrated for their strength, resiliency, and bravery during April each year.

An official flag raising at CFB Shilo kicked off Teal-Up month with the Base Command Team and a crowd of more than 20 in attendance.

Lieutenant-Colonel (LCol) David Cronk, Base Commander, said the cause is one “near and dear” to his heart. He recalled his own constant moving and changing social environments. He shared that growing up in a military family, he attended seven different schools by the time he was 11 years old.

Nicole Taborowski, deployment and special events coordinator for CFB Shilo’s Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC), said Teal-Up Month is to distinguish youth of military families for their contributions.

Military children are often uprooted and moved every couple of years, leaving behind friends, schools, clubs, sports teams, and family, she said, adding they deserved to be recognized for the traits they display and the challenges they face.

LCol said the lives of the children of our military members are unique and come with many opportunities and challenges not shared by other children.

“They are asked to display a level of flexibility and adaptability more so than their peers. Dealing with prolonged absences of a parent due to military taskings and deployments and the need to uproot themselves from the schools, sports teams, friends, and social support networks that have developed can create a sense of upheaval that can seem unfair to their young minds,” he said.

Teal-Up Month in Canada is modelled after the American Forces Purple Month of the Military Child. The brainchild was born at CFB Shilo when two MFRC staff members initiated the movement to recognize Canadian military youth in 2021. The colour teal was chosen as the signifier, combining the Canadian Forces army green, airforce blue and navy blue and white. The dandelion was chosen because the seeds represent military children who can move on the wind and take root to grow in strength anywhere. The initiative has gained momentum, spreading nationwide with numerous Wings and Bases participating.

“We want military children to know that we see them, we hear them, and we recognize everything they go through,” Taborowski said.

LCol Cronk said that creating a supportive environment on Bases and in Units ensures a healthy toolbox of programs and opportunities that can reinforce and support military children’s resiliency in situations of unwanted parental absences and transfers to a new community.

“Our military children are incredibly strong and we must do all that we can to support them to thrive and flourish to reach their unlimited potential,” Cronk said. It is my wish that not just for the month of April but for the remainder of the year we think of the sacrifice, resiliency, and strength of our military children.”

Toborawski encourages everyone to wear teal during April and said t-shirts are available at MFRC for purchase.

Various events will be held on the Base, with two separate Teal-Up launch parties at the Junior Rank Mess on April 6. Kindergarten to Grade 5 age children can attend from 5:00 p.m. to 7 p.m., and youth in Grades 6 to 12 have their own celebration from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

A Base-wide Teal-Up parade will march through the community on April 29, starting at the Officers Mess at 10:30 a.m., followed by a 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. barbeque, Strong Stations and fun activities for all ages. Everyone is welcome and registration is required. Call 204 765 3000 ext 2503352.

Nicole Taborowski, deployment and special events coordinator at CFB Shilo Military Family Resouce Centre said military children are strong, resilient and like dandelions who can uproot and continue to bloom when facing challenges. (Photo: K-J Millar/Shilo Stag News)

Teal Up Day flag rasiing at CFB Shilo on April 3, to honour the contributions of Canadian military children showing their resilience, bravery and determination, was the brainchild of two CFB Shilo MFRC staff members in 2021. The day has since blossomed and is celebrated during April, the Month of the Military Child on Canadian Forces Bases across the nation.  (Photo: K-J Millar/Shilo Stag News)

CFB Shilo Command Team raises the Teal-Up Flag to honour military children at the kick-off of Month of the Military Child on April 3.  (Photo: K-J Millar/Shilo Stag Media)