505th CCW donates back-to-school supplies to local children

Vanessa Lewis, 505th Communications Squadron plans and programs chief, left, and Tech. Sgt. Angela Whitman, 505th Command and Control Wing training manager, right, check backpacks to ensure they are filled with school supplies at wing headquarters at Hurlburt Field, Fla., August 16, 2011. 505th CCW Airmen donated school supply kits to children in the local community. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Naomi M. Griego)

505th CCW donates back-to-school supplies to local children

Tech. Sgt. Jay Field, 605th Test and Evaluation Squadron project manager, packs a box of school supplies at the 505th Command and Control Wing headquarters at Hurlburt Field, Fla., August, 16, 2011. 505th CCW Airmen donated items such as backpacks, markers, glue sticks and notebooks for children of the local community. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Naomi M. Griego)

505th CCW donates back-to-school supplies to local children

Published Aug. 16, 2011
By Senior Airman Joe McFadden
1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- Just in time for the back-to-school rush, 505th Command and Control Wing Airmen donated school supply kits to 25 children in the local community Aug. 16.

The volunteers gathered at the Dunleavy Room at wing headquarters to package the multitude of backpacks, markers, glue sticks and notebooks before presenting them to a local charity later that day.

"Back-to-school tends to be a stressful time of year for a lot of families in the local community especially with the economy like it is," said Master Sgt. George Anderson, 505th CCW first sergeant. "Our initial thought was if we could just make their lives better for one day, it was worth it."

Anderson said he sent just one email expressing how the wing could assist children in need. But as he saw people bringing in more protractors, colored-pencils and rulers, he described the support as "overwhelming."

Tech. Sgt. Angela Whitman, 505th CCW training manager, agreed and said the concept of doing a back-to-school volunteer drive just seemed like the right thing to do.

"I think that this is needed and can be very expensive for a family," Whitman said. "And it's been really touching to see how much people have given."

After delivering the filled backpacks, Anderson said he hopes the children will be able to begin the school year with a good start.

"Just to see that smile on their face when they have a new backpack and school supplies and for them to know someone still cares is what drove us to do this," he said.