Kirtland Spouses' Club gets into holiday spirit

  • Published
  • By Ryan Stark
  • Nucleus writer
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  The holiday spirit sprang to life as trees, ornaments and other touches of the season were hung at the Mountain View Club on Tuesday. The decorating party is an annual tradition for the Kirtland Spouses' Club.

The KSC is also gearing up for other holiday-related efforts. A cookie drive for Airmen who live in the dorms and food and clothing drives are underway.

The independent, on-base nonprofit club works year-round as a social conduit for Kirtland families. By holding fund raisers and operating the Kirtland Thrift Shop, which is at the southeast corner of Frost Avenue and Texas, they can provide scholarships and grants to help Airmen and their families.

Brenda Mitchell, the club's vice president for event planning, said the team-building aspect of the club can't be understated.

"We do monthly events so spouses can network with their community and meet other spouses," she said.

One of the spouses at the decorating party was Chuck Finan, husband of Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center commander Maj. Gen. Sandra Finan. The club is tireless in its support for the Kirtland community, he said.

"If you love to help the Air Force family, that's who we raise funds for all year," he said. "As far as scholarships, funds to organizations on base, youth groups downtown, we touch all bases."

The club offers scholarships to dependents of Armed Forces personnel assigned to Kirtland Air Force Base, most just entering college, Mitchell said. It handed out around $7,000 worth of scholarship money in 2014.

The KSC also awards community grants to organizations both on and off base. Recipients of club grants include the 377th Force Support Squadron marketing office, Kirtland Glow Run, Women's Health Fair and senior non-commissioned officer induction ceremonies, Mitchell said.

The club's food drive was also finishing up during the decoration party.

Donation bins were set up at the Base Exchange, commissary and other high-traffic locations. The food will go to Airman and Family Readiness Center's food pantry.

In another donation drive, the club is collecting socks, underwear and winter clothing for homeless veterans.

Next on the KSC's agenda is the annual Team Kirtland cookie drive. The goal is to gather 6,600 cookies from volunteer bakers and make holiday packages for the more than 525 Airmen who live in on-base dorms at Kirtland. The club is looking for volunteers to help assemble the cookie packages.

Bakers can bring their cookies to the Mountain View Club on Dec. 15 from 4 to 6 p.m., or on Dec. 16 from 6:30 to 11:30 a.m. Those interested in assembling  packages can sign up using the club's website, www.kirtlandsc.org.

"It's fantastic. All these spouses are doing the cookie drive, ensuring the Airmen get a gift, and to bring a little bit of home to them," Finan said.

Lauren Townsend, the club's vice president of communications, said club events for 2015 are already mapped out.

"We are a lot busier during the holidays, but people should know we have something to look forward to every month," Townsend said.

Mitchell recommends families that are new to the base come and check out the Spouses' Club.

"This is a great way to connect with the community and meet people in the same situation as you," she said. "And it's a great way to get involved with the base community while connecting to other spouses."