Camp Zama festival celebrates youngest community members during Month of the Military Child

CAMP ZAMA, Japan - Games, rides, live music, refreshments and more were part of an outdoor event held here Saturday to recognize and celebrate the community's youngest members.

Hundreds gathered at the installation's Yano Field for the "Kodomo No Matsuri," or Children's Festival, an event that Camp Zama's Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation and Child and Youth Services organized in celebration of the Month of the Military Child.

During remarks he gave to open the event and welcome attendees, Col. Marcus Hunter, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Japan, said the Month of the Military Child is "an incredible opportunity to celebrate the resilience, strength and the incredible sacrifice of military children."

The day of the event was blessed with sunny, warm weather, and the children there could be seen enjoying the various activities, including a large, inflatable obstacle course, carnival-type games, and face-painting.

Samantha "Skully" Kouzu Ballard, a tenth grader at Zama Middle High School, performed an anti-bullying rap onstage at the festival, which she said was an important message to promote at an event for children.

"I hope my message can empower the children and impact them to let them know that they are not alone," Samantha said.

Samantha said the day was all about the children there, and the event was an ideal way to bring them together for a fun event that celebrated how important military children are to their community.

"Look around," she said, "I think the kids are having fun."

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