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GW Sailors Support Australian Community, Animals
Story Number: NNS090707-03
Release Date: 7/7/2009 2:23:00 PM
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Tanner Lange, USS George Washington Public Affairs
PERTH, Australia (NNS) -- USS George Washington (CVN 73) and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 Sailors participated in a community relations (COMREL) project at Cohuna Koala Park cleaning the park's facilities along with feeding and interacting with the different types of animals July 5.
The park is a wildlife sanctuary which enabled the Sailors to lay witness to many native-Australian animals and birds living in their natural habitat.
There was interaction with kangaroos, dingoes, wallabies, wombats, cockatoos, and lamas. However, the parks main attraction was its Koala colony. The project was just one of 14 different COMRELs scheduled during George Washington's port visit to Fremantle and nearby Perth with more than 300 Sailors participating.
Storekeeper 1st Class (SW/AW) Jonizel Sioson from Supply Department's, S-1 division, volunteered at the park to experience Australia's culture and represent the Navy.
"This is my first time in Australia and it will be unforgettable," said Sioson. "Being able to meet the Australian people and help out with the different types of animals at the park has really been a great experience and I am glad that we're able to be good ambassadors for the U.S. Navy."
After the COMREL work was finished all the Sailors got an opportunity to hold a Koala and have their picture taken.
"I was surprised that we were allowed to get so close and feed the Koalas," said Sioson. "It was very interesting to learn about their behavior and experience it first hand."
"Everyone worked really hard and spent a lot of time to help make the park look great," said owner of Cohuna Koala Park, Nardino Sorbello. "I want to thank everyone and I really appreciate all they have done. I also hope that the Sailors had a chance to learn something about the different types of animals and that they will take something away with them from this experience. U.S. Navy Sailors are welcome to the Cohuna Koala Park anytime."
For more news from USS George Washington, visit www.navy.mil/local/cvn73/.
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