From Sesame Street to Scott Drive--USO show brings characters to base Published April 9, 2014 By Airman 1st Class Megan Friedl 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Children jumped up and down, yelled, and held up their new Elmo toys as they waited for the arrival of their favorite TV stars from Sesame Street. The Sesame Street USO Experience for Military Families tour came to perform at the Scott Youth Center gymnasium April 4. The tour is making stops at 69 military bases around the world and made its first stop at Scott this year. "We came because we wanted to deliver an 'all the fun you can have' thank you card to Scott Air Force Base," said Nicole McClendon, Sesame Street USO Experience for Military Families tour manager. The performance showcased Elmo and the Sesame Street friends helping another friend, Katie, who is a military child, open up and talk about her fears and excitement that come from having to move to another base and having to make new friends. Through song and dance, Katie's friends showed her some ways to keep in touch with her old friends and great ways to make new friends, too. "I think they come to see Elmo, but by the end of the show it's Katie who they've really connected with," said McClendon. "I think Katie becomes the real star of the show, because she's one of them." The tour stopped at Scott in collaboration with the 375th Force Support Squadron, youth programs and base command. Kelly Calloway, 375th FSS youth programs director, said, "It's nice to pay tribute to the military children, and it's great that we were able to kick off the Month of the Military Child with this show, especially because it's all about Katie and the things that come with being a military child." The staff of the tour provided bandannas, twirlers, special giveaways, outreach materials and resources to help ease the transition of moving and everyday living for military families. Christie Gassen is a military mother of two children. She said, "They love watching Sesame Street on TV, so we wanted to see how they would react to it live. They loved it, so I would definitely come out again at our next base." The show was free for military families, because the tour was sponsored by the USO, which is funded by donations and corporate sponsorships.