Teen Leaders host Life of a Troop Night

Hardyston, N.J. — The Sussex County YMCA Teen Leaders Club hosted a “Life of a Troop Night” with real Army sergeants earlier this month. Sergeants David Bowden and Peter Dittoe of the Newton, N.J. and Poughkeepsie N.Y. Army recruiting centers greeted children and their parents and answered questions regarding military life. They demonstrated perfect saluting and marching techniques and treated children to camouflage face-painting. The evening also included a boot-camp inspired exercise class where the sergeants were happy to teach the children and teens military push-ups. Teen Leaders, with the help of YMCA members throughout the area, are collecting items for New Jersey troops and their companies overseas this holiday season. For more information, call the Sussex County YMCA at (973) 209-9622 or visit their Web site www.sussexcountyymca.org .