Guided-missile cruiser USS Anzio (CG 68) departed Palma de Mallorca, Spain, Nov. 27 after a three-day port visit.
The port visit gave the crew of Anzio the chance to enjoy the local food, culture and history of the island city. The ship’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) committee scheduled tours of the Drach Caves and a wine-tasting tour in the nearby town of Costa Nord, while Lt. Lesa Welliver , chaplain, led a community relations (COMREL) project at a local animal shelter.
“The wine-tasting and tour of the town were amazing. The more than 3,000 year old town is a piece of history, and I would love to come back to see more,” said Seaman Zachary Seals .
Seventeen Sailors participated in the COMREL at the SOS Animal Mallorca shelter where they assisted in walking dogs, painting dog houses and landscaping the play areas for the dogs.
“Working with the animals was a different change of pace. It was something new and quite fun,” said Electronics Technician 1st Class John Winters . “It was really neat to be able to play with the dogs for a little bit. I feel like we were able to get a lot accomplished.”
This is the first time any U.S. Navy ship has participated in a COMREL at the SOS Animal Mallorca shelter.
“I cannot thank the Sailors enough for all of their hard work,” said Vikki Metcalfe , one of the volunteers at the animal shelter. “They helped us out tremendously, and we look forward to working with other Sailors in the future.”
SOS Animal Mallorca was founded by a mixed group of Spanish and European nationals in 1995. The founders felt it necessary to create an organization that helped domestic animals after bearing witness to the cruelty, neglect and lack of understanding towards domestic animals. SOS Animal Mallorca has come a long way since its beginning and has established itself as a recognized ambassador for the rights and protection of animals.
In honor of the Sailors’ assistance, the animal shelter allowed them to name two dogs the shelter recently rescued. The names Bravo for the male dog and Zulu for the female were chosen.
This was Anzio’s final port visit for its 2011 deployment and Anzio has begun the journey back to its homeport of Norfolk, Va.
Anzio is deployed as part of the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility. [mappress] Naval Today Staff , November 29, 2011; Image: navy