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Reminder Assistant Editor WESTFIELD 'Tis the season for giving and for all those at Barnes Air National Guard Base service to the community is a way of life, especially during the holidays. Members of the 104th Fighter Wing will continue their annual efforts in conjunction with the Family Support Office and the Westfield Boys and Girls Club to help provide gifts for 35 children this year. Members of the Aircraft Munitions Flight have focused their efforts on collecting non-perishable food items and donations for local food kitchens through the Ammo Can Drive. Last year's campaign raised $2,500 in monetary donations, which lead to the purchase and donation of 104 Thanksgiving turkeys to families in need at the Westfield Salvation Army this year. "We feel fortunate to be part of the community in Westfield," Technical Sgt. Vincent Rizzo, member of the Aircraft Munitions Flight, said. "We want to lead by example and help folks who are in need.it is important to us and to the unit." Rizzo added that over the past eight years there has been a growing need for food and monetary donations during the holidays and the call for more has been answered. Eight years ago monetary donations totaled less than $900. Gail LaGasse, director of the Westfield Salvation Army, said she agreed with Rizzo's assessment of the growing need within the community, adding that 260 people qualified for food assistance in 2006 and over 300 qualified this year. "Every year I run out of adjectives because people are so generous and we should know better than to panic because somehow, someway we always end up with enough in the end," LaGasse said. "[The 104th Fighter Wing] always comes through for us." Kellie Brown, program director at Westfield Boys and Girls Club, said the holidays have become increasingly difficult for families with multiple children because of the rising cost of toys. "One child alone you can spend $100 and only get three gifts," she said. "Getting help from Barnes [Air National Guard Base] is a huge help to these families so they can concentrate on getting food and clothes." Sandy Wakefield, Wing Family Program coordinator at Barnes Air National Guard Base, said volunteers willing to help children in need during the holidays are always easy to come by at Barnes each year. Through the program each child is asked to make three wishes on their holiday gift list. Gifts have known to be anything from matchbox toys to bikes and iPods. "They truly are making a wish come true because they are getting what the child put on the list," Brown said. | ||||||
