Operation Holiday Cheer warms hundreds of hearts

  • Published
  • By By Jim Fisher
  • Kirtland PA

The scale of the operation was measured in the hundreds:  more than 150 volunteers, more than 800 families, more than 600 toys, more than 300 pounds of ham and potatoes, more than 100 gallons of posóle. These were the estimates as people, food, presents and entertainment began to stack up at Fire Station Two here Dec. 19 for the 41st annual Operation Holiday Cheer event.

Since 1978, Kirtland has been hosting families in need from the Albuquerque community for a holiday meal. This has grown over the years to a large-scale event with much more than good food, according to Roc Sweeney, KAFB Fire Department driver-operator.

“This is our 41st year,” Sweeney explained. He and Station Chief Terence Eaton spearheaded organization of this year’s event. Sweeney is now in his sixth year of taking part in Holiday Cheer, while Eaton has been contributing to the event in each of his 22 years with KAFBFD. Planning and preparation for an event designed to serve more than 1,500 people is extensive, they explained.

“We’re getting a bit better,” Eaton joked, referring to the efficiency that comes with decades of experience hosting the event. Still the scale is grand. According to Sweeney, preparation begins months before the event. About six weeks ago, volunteers began to organize and collect donations. Many of the toys came from an Angel Tree at the Coronado Mall.

“We reach out to organizations all over town and since the operation has been going on for so long, we have a staple of people who donate,” Eaton said. This includes toys, staffing and food.  

“We’ve seen a lot of participation go up [this year],” Sweeney said. “We want to thank everybody that participates:  the Fire Department, all the volunteers, the thousands of people that have given gifts through the Giving Tree, all the guys that help with security.”

Eaton, in turn, thanked Team Kirtland.

“Organizations from all over the base are making it happen,” Eaton said. “It’s a great time and we want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and happy holidays on behalf of the Fire Department, and the whole of Kirtland Air Force Base. It’s good to help out the community and let them know we are here.”

A dedicated group of people from the local community are also essential to the event, likewise taking satisfaction from serving families in need.

Michelle Sena, an Albuquerque Social Services Center manager assisting families in registering for the event at the Cesar Chavez Community Center, has facilitated participation in Holiday Cheer for 18 years now.

“It’s wonderful. We get to see all these kids and all these families come out and have a meal together and see Santa,” Sena said. “It’s just a really great feeling when you see them coming back all happy with their toys.”

Karen Roybal, Native American Professional Family Resources, has been taking part for six years. She brought 30 families to this year’s event and took part in the Giving Tree collection and toy sorting. She also stressed the importance of providing families the chance to celebrate over a warm meal and to ensure children have gifts. This year, it was the toy-sorting that reminded her of what it’s all about.

“To put a Barbie under a tree, it means a lot,” Roybal said. “It warms my heart--everybody that takes part and makes this happen—it is so important for these families that need it.”

She was also inspired by the Firefighters in their preparation of the Christmas tree.

“I peeked around the curtain and there is a Christmas tree here and the Kirtland Air Force Base Firemen were decorating it, and they were taking such pride in that,” Roybal said. “It just makes me so proud to be, first of all, an American, and them taking time to do that and really taking pride in it--that really means a lot.”