The 3rd Annual Operation Tea Cup took place last week, bringing together members of Canada’s military service with the iconic Grey Cup to raise awareness for the Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC). 

Operation Tea Cup kicks off with a golf tournament and includes a fundraiser and family celebration event, with all proceeds raised going to support the MFRC, which provides a range of services for military families throughout Alberta. 

The Grey Cup provides a point of excitement and draws attention to the MFRC, and was brought in celebration for the opening of Red Deer’s own MFRC satellite office. 

Sarah Wuntke, Board Chair of the Calgary Military Family Resource Centre, said it’s very exciting to have this new office in Red Deer, as it provides another base of support for military and veteran families. 

“With deployment, or long training exercises, or with moving or relocating across the country, these families can feel very isolated in their community. They’re spread out, dispersed and without having an active base where they all live together, sometimes they can feel very isolated from their civilian communities,” Wuntke said.

The goal of the MFRC is to provide support resources and to connect military families to each other and to their communities. Wuntke said it’s also an exciting time to have the opening of the office in Red Deer as the organization launched their new Veteran Family Program. 

“Military families are the strength behind the uniform. Anybody who deploys leaves someone at home that is thinking of them, worried about them - those unique stressors and challenges are very hard for anyone outside of the military to comprehend,” Wuntke said. 

“We’re here to make sure that we have services so those people feel valued, protected and safe in their communities and that they are able to be the strongest family they can while our members are doing their service and serving our country.”