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A&FRC prepares food baskets for holiday seasons

  • Published
  • By Debi Smith
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Knowing the holiday season is fast approaching, Sheppard's Airman and Family Readiness Center began preparations in September to meet demands on its food pantry.

The food pantry is a first sergeant's referral program for anyone who needs a special meal, especially during the holidays. The economy, deployments or unexpected financial situations can hit unexpectedly, and base families can get help by going to their unit first sergeant. First sergeants give the names to Charlie Ringwood, the A&FRC holiday meal coordinator, for Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets.

Click here to check out the A&FRC Facebook Fan Page.

The deadline to request a Thanksgiving food basket through first sergeants is Nov. 9.

Mr. Ringwood said it takes them less than an hour to create 250 Thanksgiving packages. The baskets will be assembled Nov. 19 and picked up by first sergeants on Nov. 22 in ample time for families to receive them.

"This is my 15th year and this is the part of the year that you know you're truly helping folks," he said. "We have an assembly system and we bag a full meal up pretty quickly.

"The Thanksgiving meal will include two cans of corn, peas, mixed vegetables, sweet and instant potatoes, cranberry sauce, rolls and a 14- to 16-pound turkey. We even make sure dessert is part of the meal basket."

For Sheppard, it's a total team effort. The Air Force Sergeant's Association, the Junior Enlisted Team Sheppard and Airman Leadership School classes have held two food drives at the base commissary to net five truckloads of needed supplies in the past two weeks.

Staff Sgt. Orion Luben, 365th Training Squadron military training leader and president of the Wichita Falls chapter of the Wild Turkey Federation, said they have a plan to help this year.

"Our chapter, which is primarily made up of retired and active duty service members, donates turkeys to local churches or food banks every year," he said. "Next week, we'll donate turkeys to the base food pantry as a way of taking care of our own."

Chris Hake, a member of the Officers' Spouses' Club, thought the upcoming Hangar Holiday bazaar would be a perfect venue to combine the holiday shopping spirit with the generosity of an expected 14,000 attendees.

Mike Brown, the A&FRC's Air Force Aid officer, is painting his 16-foot trailer so it can become part of the Holiday Hangar scene. Everyone is asked to bring a can of food to the bazaar as a donation for the food pantry.

At Christmas, the need is less because of Exodus and permanent party families taking leave out of the area. The center will create about 150 baskets that will have a ham instead of a turkey.

Any baskets not picked up this Thanksgiving will go in to the A&FRC food pantry, which is a year-long program supporting four to six families per week.

Items needed to fill the pantry shelves include boxed pastas and potatoes, boxed tuna and hamburger meals, peanut butter, jellies, canned vegetables and juices. Donations are accepted Monday through Friday.

One consistent contributor is Tech. Sgt. James Green, who has made a monthly trip to the A&FRC's food pantry. Known as "The Spaghetti Man," he makes it his personal mission to stock the shelves with spaghetti and pasta sauce every month.