Photo essay: Preppin’ for the 2011 National Volunteer Workshop and Youth Symposium in Louisville!

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Air Force BG Michael J. Dornbush, Director of Joint Staff for the Kentucky National Guard shares personal advice with National Guard Youth Symposium attendee Scott Callahan during the National Guard Youth Symposium in Lousiville, Ky July 24. Callahan was able to raise over $3,000 in school supply donations that will be packaged and sent to Afghanistan to benefit young school children learning English in their villages. (Photo by Spc. Will Bolton, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

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LOUISVILLE, Ky — There’s a lot going on this week at the National Guard’s 2011 National Volunteer Workshop and Youth Symposium.  More than 1,400 National Guard Family Programs volunteers will converge in Louisville this week to exchange ideas and share “best practices” as well as to provide training on current program policies and practices as well as new initiatives.

Following are some photos of the preparations for the youth symposium.

Highlighting the week will be the first-ever “USO Homefront Concert,” a joint effort between the USO and the Kentucky National Guard.  This unique event will be broadcast live from Louisville Kentucky’s KFC YUM! Center on Tuesday, July 26th at 7:00 p.m.

Kat Boynton, a Guard team panel member attending the National Guard Youth Symposium in Louisville, Ky July 24, makes signs for the various regions that will be attending this year. The Youth Symposium is designed to help youths in military families to better adapt, adjust and cope with the unique issues that come with growing up in a military family. (Photo by Spc. Will Bolton, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

Erika Slaton of the National Guard Bureau Child and Youth Program oversees the flow and organization of donated school supplies at the National Guard Youth Symposium in Louisville, Ky July 24. The school supplies will be sent overseas in an effort to benefit young Afghan children learing English in their home villages. (Photo by Spc. Will Bolton, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

Daniel Culberson, a Guard team panel member from Jacksonville, Fl, totes a basket full of school supplies to be organized and packaged for shipment to Afghanistan in Louisville, Ky July 24. The school supplies were donated by Kentuckians from around the state to support the education of young Afghan children who are learning English in school. (Photo by Spc. Will Bolton, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)