USO Naples Brings a Taste of Fall to Military Families Overseas

Going out to a pumpkin patch, the sweet smell of apple cider, and getting lost in a corn maze are some family-favorite traditions to help ring in the fall season. For those service members and their families stationed overseas, these traditions don’t come as easy as they may seem. In countries like Italy, autumn isn’t celebrated with pumpkin pie or fall festivals, making the transition of living abroad a little more daunting to some. These traditions we hold so close are what keep us connected to home, which is why USO Naples brought a touch of fall to military families stationed overseas this past month.

At the first-ever USO Naples Harvest Fest, the smell of sweet pumpkin spiced lattes, the laughter of children as they played apple toss, and the debates over which pie should take the trophy for the pie baking contest brought back memories of home. Nearly 450 service members and their families came out to enjoy an afternoon filled with fall activities, making memories, and enjoying the autumn season just as they would back in their home state. The harvest festival was made even more special with the inclusion of complementary professional photos offered inside the pumpkin patch for families to remember the day.

At the core of the USO, there is a mission to not just simply connect service members to their home and country but to bring that sense of home to them wherever they may be. With the help of 27 volunteers and local organization partners in Naples, this event was brought to life, truly bringing the familiar traditions of home across oceans to troops and their families overseas.