Hurlburt Field fills up the Angel Tree

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Eboni Reams
  • 1st Special Operations Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  Volunteers from the 505th Training Squadron and Company Grade Officer Council organized the sponsorship of 180 families through the Angel Tree program for Christmas at Hurlburt Field and Eglin Air Force Base.

The Angel Tree program helps ensure that every child of active duty and retired military members', as well as civilian employees on base, have presents for Christmas.
First Sergeants coordinate with volunteers to get their anonymous airmen sponsored and ensure each child gets four to five gifts.

"This is my sixth year volunteering to shop and wrap gifts for Angel Tree", said Tammy Waite, wife of Col. Mark Waite, commander of the 505th Training Group. "I feel that it is very important to help our fellow military families."

The commander of the 74th Training Squadron agreed.

"Helping wrap gifts and donating to this cause is a great opportunity to give back to our airmen who sacrifice every day," said Lt. Col Kyle Koncak. "We have to make sure they are taken care of."

Tags with thechildren's first names and requested items hung on the Angel Tree at the Base Exchange from 21 Nov to 12 Dec. Sponsors took tags in return for unwrapped gifts which were wrapped later by volunteers.

"When it comes time to wrap the gifts, we never have a shortage of people that come out to help tie it all together," said Lt. Col. Francisco Gallei, commander of the 505th TRS. "This is a program our entire squadron is behind."

Seventy-five percent of the 505th TRS booster club yearly earnings go toward Angel Tree donations and funds to cover any unsponsored tags.

"The 505 TRS has been doing this for 9 years and everyone finds taking care of our own extremely important," Gallei said. "Knowing that our Angel Tree fund raising efforts is going to bring a smile and happiness to many children is important to us."

Ron Rowan, 505th TRS Angel Tree representative, summed up the ninth year of supporting the Angel Tree program at Hurlburt with one statement.

"We do it for the kids."