Team Andersen helps local community at soap box derby

  • Published
  • By Airman Carissa Wolff
  • Joint Region Edge Staff
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam --  Nearly 50 Team Andersen members pulled together to make the annual soap box derby held at the Yigo drag strip May 9 a success. 

The event, sponsored by the Big Brother Big Sister Organization, takes several days and approximately eight hours of volunteer work to set up. 

"Since Andersen has been involved, the derby has been easier to hold, and it runs a lot smoother," said Camille Denight, soap box derby race coordinator. "I feel like the derby is much safer with the volunteers from Andersen. The volunteers are so helpful, and there are a few faces I've seen for three years in a row." 

Volunteers from the base helped set up lanes of tires, construct tents and move soap box cars back and forth during the event. After the event, Team Andersen also helped clean up, leaving the drag strip in pristine condition. 

"It feels good to help the community that I work around," said Staff Sgt. Antonio Ortega, 36th Security Forces Squadron assistant flight chief. "It was really cool seeing the racer's faces when they crossed the finish line. Overall, it was a great experience." 

Senior Airman Dustin Hartman, 36th SFS patrolman, also expressed his opinion about the volunteer opportunity. 

"I really enjoyed this event," Airman Hartman said. "It's fun for me to volunteer because I get to see all the races. Being around the kids was great. I set up the track for this event two years ago, and I would have volunteered last year if I hadn't been deployed." 

The soap box derby participants also enjoyed having Team Andersen there to help.
"They've helped a lot," said Misaki Cramer, the driver for the No. 4 Pacific Islanders Club sponsored soap box car. "It's really hard to move the cars around quickly, and the volunteers did a really good job. We couldn't have done it without them." 

For more information or to volunteer, Airmen should contact unit booster club representatives or private organization representatives.