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CHEYENNE, Wyo. - December is on the horizon which means this year’s Operation Provide Joy will soon start its mission.
Operation Provide Joy is an event that offers children from low income families in the Cheyenne community a chance to come on base to receive Christmas gifts, have some fun and meet Santa Claus.
This year’s goal is to give around 100 children at least 10 presents each and present each family with a Christmas dinner. Both the presents and dinner rely on donations from the base populous.
“We are not only helping the children have a fun day with an extravaganza holiday themed event but we are also giving the families a huge holiday dinner too,” said 1st Lt. Lindsey Byrd, 321st Missile Squadron OPJ chairman.
The base works directly with the Salvation Army in Cheyenne to put on the event, with the Salvation Army providing the families and children.
“We work hand in hand with salvation Army,” Byrd said. “They’re like the co-sponsors of this event and are the ones who are able to acquire the children.”
The Salvation Army advertises the base’s Christmas event through their Angel Tree program and looks for families that have never participated in this 15-year-old tradition.
“We really enjoy this opportunity to be able to get kids who are less fortunate and are able to give them the opportunity to be able to go on base and enjoy a party with Santa and the elves,” said Lt. Betzy Hanson, The Salvation Army Cheyenne Corps Community Center officer and pastor. “It’s a really awesome event that the kids enjoy.”
This is Hanson’s fourth year participating in the event and she supports the decision to continue.
“I think this has a big impact on the kids,” Hanson said. “They really enjoy it and when they come back you can hear their excitement and see their smiling faces. I think they really feel this makes Christmas so much better.”
The event starts off with children arriving at Fall Hall to play festive games until the arrival of Santa Claus. Each child will have a moment to sit and talk with Santa Claus and receive their bag of toys.
Each bag is prepared through the teamwork of volunteers on base.
“It takes a lot of volunteers to make this happen,” Byrd said. “We have awesome people on base from all different groups and squadrons who are willing to volunteer their time. It’s amazing to see people come together on base to do this.”
Anyone looking to donating or volunteering is always welcome to help make this event a success as the food and toy drives are ongoing, Byrd said.
“I’m really grateful the base chose us to partner with and that we can continue to do this for years to come because it’s an amazing experience; quite honestly it is,” Hanson said. “It’s a little hectic with all the kids but at the end it’s all worth it.”
The food and toy drives will continue until the week of the event. Those looking to donate or volunteer should seek out their group point of contact.
| Date Taken: | 11.24.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 11.24.2015 18:24 |
| Story ID: | 182803 |
| Location: | CHEYENNE, WY, US |
| Web Views: | 38 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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