Operation Holiday Cheer shows Bellevue's support

  • Published
  • 55th Wing Public Affairs
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. --  Offutt's young, single Airmen living in the dorms received gift bags and thank you notes from the local community during Operation Holiday Cheer Dec. 6.

More than 45 volunteers from the Bellevue community donated their morning to stuff 700 bags with candy, cocoa, popcorn, chips, gum and cookies for the residents of Offutt's dormitories.

Once filled, the bags were delivered by first sergeants to the dorms on base.

"The support for this program has been fantastic," said Doris Urwin, an administrator at the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce. "The volunteers who donated time and gifts and the first sergeants who delivered the bags have made a huge impact."

The chamber, along with the Bellevue Economic Enhancement Foundation, actively start looking for donations 45 days prior to the event but receive interest throughout the year.

"We get calls in January from businesses that are already asking to donate to the next year's Holiday Cheer," said Jim Ristow, Bellevue Chamber of Commerce president and chief executive officer. "We were blown away by the support and volunteers who came out for the event. There was a great mix of people who came in to work at the gift assembly line."

Even the Bellevue Public School students assisted with the operation. Students from kindergarten through sixth grade crafted hundreds of hand-written cards, cut in the shape of trees, elves and Santas, that thanked the Airmen for their service.

"The card was definitely the best part of the package, in my opinion, and it touched my heart to see children putting themselves into the cards, showing personality, and being thankful even though they may not have a direct connection to someone who is in the military," said Airman 1st Class Leanna Parker, 55th Intelligence Support Squadron. "After I finished looking at the card, I had to share it with friends and family on Facebook. They loved hearing about the wonderful community I was surrounded by."

For some of these Airmen, they are spending their holidays away from home, some for the first time, so this bag of goodies is a welcome gift.

"It shows the Airmen that the local community recognizes their personal sacrifice," said Master Sgt. Given Bettencourt, 55th Strategic Communications Squadron first sergeant. "Joining the military most likely took them away from home and their extended families, but now they belong here, in this community, and the bags are a way to show that. It's kind of like a care package just to let them know someone is thinking about them and is grateful for what they do."

Even though the Airmen were the ones receiving the gifts, the volunteers found it rewarding to give back to their military community.

"I love to be involved in this," said Kelly Fleming, six-time volunteer at Operation Holiday Cheer. "I think it's great that we're supporting the young service-member."

For the last three years, Fleming has been the start of the gift bag assembly line. She pulls open each bag, which is quickly passed down to each station of the line. Each volunteer is responsible for putting an item in the bag, be it a fist-full of peppermints or a full-sized candy bar. At the end of the line, volunteers place 25 bags in a box and seal them to be delivered later that day. This process takes more than 90 minutes.

The bags, which were donated by a local business, are sturdy enough to serve the Airmen as backpacks well after the bag is empty of treats. It's made of a heavy fabric with a draw-string top and embossed with the Holiday Cheer logo.

"We used to use paper bags, and they'd be ripped and torn by the end," Fleming said. The new bags are great."

Operation Holiday Cheer also supports the annual Dorm Dinner, held this year Dec. 9 at the Patriot Club. The dinner is catered by Outback Steakhouse and is open to all dormitory residents who contact their first sergeant for a ticket. Airmen will have the opportunity to enter trivia contests to win gift cards to their favorite restaurants during the dinner. More than $10,000 goes into the bags and donations for the dinner.

"We couldn't do this without the support of everyone in the Bellevue-Offutt community," Urwin said.