Articles

First Four shares holiday spirit with local community

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Shane Dunaway
  • First Four President
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam --  The holiday season is typically a joyous, festive time of year. Airmen celebrate these times with family, friends, good food and presents abound, sometimes forgetting that not everyone has an opportunity to enjoy the 'most wonderful time of the year.'

Members of the Andersen First Four Council organized the 'Share the Spirit' drive Nov. 14 in order to give to more than 70 local underprivileged children. Senior Airman Robin Lumm, 644th Combat Communications Squadron communications focal point technician and active participant in First Four, spearheaded the project.

"The 'Share the Spirit' project is a just a little way to remind the communities we are here for them as Air Force members, families and employees," Airman Lumm said. "Relationships with the local community are not only important for the Air Force mission but also for our day-to-day life in Guam. These children should be the most important mission on Guam; after all they are our future. "

This is not the first project First Four has conducted in support of those in need outside the gate. The organization has volunteered in support of the Alee Shelter and Guam Animals in Need. Members have also gone out into impoverished communities and conducted clean-ups, delivered backpacks and school supplies, and passed out candy to children on Halloween.

"'Share the Spirit' is a great opportunity to provide blessings to the local communities," said Senior Airman Ryan Perkins, First Four vice president. "The holiday season is about giving and spreading joy, making it even more special. Every time we volunteer, the experience seems to be more rewarding, but seeing the children in the communities happy and joyous is the best gift of all."

In order to keep the families anonymous, each child was assigned a number between 1-100. First Four members applied these numbers and the child's information to gift tags made by the organization. Points of contact within First Four began distributing these gift tags to willing sponsors base-wide Nov. 23.

Each sponsor pledged to donate $30 in gifts ranging from clothes to toys. The gifts will be wrapped in a bath towel and returned to First Four members for distribution Dec. 19. Sponsors may also donate non-perishable food, clothes, shoes, eyeglasses or household items anonymously as well.

"I truly believe that this is the time for giving and sharing," said Senior Master Sgt. Leslie Pratt, 36th Medical Operations Squadron aerospace medicine flight chief. "I wanted to show my daughter that Christmas is not always about receiving a lot of presents. It's a time to give to children and families who are less fortunate. My daughter briefly looked at the living conditions that the children live in and decided to use her allowance to pay for the gift. In my eyes, that's the Christmas spirit."

For more information on 'Share the Spirit' project or to donate, contact any of the following group or squadron POCs:

36th Mission Support Group
Senior Airman Shane Dunaway - 366-2228
Airman Anthony Del Priore - 366-1723

36th Contingency Response Group
Senior Airman Robin Lumm - 366-4035
Senior Airman Marcus Prentiss - 366-4035

36th Medical Group
Senior Airman Patrick Coterillo - 366-5125

36th Operations/Maintenance Group
Tech. Sgt. Jason Trickey - 366-4300

36th Civil Engineer Squadron
Staff Sgt. Megan Schmidt - 366-3113
Staff Sgt. Keleisha Chavis - 366-2916

36th Logistics Readiness Squadron
Airman Rita Foore - 366-5232