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Operation Warmheart, run solely by first sergeants, is in place here at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota to help Air Force families in need during the holiday season.
The non-profit organization cares for the morale and welfare of Team Minot and is designed to assist any individual associated with the military or who work on base.
The Thanksgiving holiday basket event is one of the year’s largest occasions for the Operation Warmheart organization.
“With this event, we will give identified members a turkey or a ham, whichever they prefer,” said Master Sgt. Robert Dooley, 5th Logistics Readiness Squadron first sergeant and Operation Warmheart member. “We will also give them a $25 gift card to purchase whatever they need from the commissary for their Thanksgiving meal.”
From single parents to large families, or younger Airmen who aren’t financially stable, Operation Warmheart will hand out donated food.
“There are roughly 160 families that we will directly help this year,” said Master Sgt. Christopher Stroup, 5th Medical Group first sergeant and Operation Warmheart treasurer. “We are hoping to spend around $5,000 on the event this year.”
The organization doesn’t just help families in need, but also hosts morale events such as gas giveaways and burger and hot dog burns to uplift Team Minot’s spirits.
“Warmheart is all about giving back to the Airmen,” said Dooley. “We try to use it for emergency purposes, but depending on the amount of funds we have, we will go out and have morale events as well.”
In addition, Operation Warmheart assists Airmen in need during unexpected circumstances.
“If there is a death in the family, Warmheart helps Airmen travel home if they need emergency assistance or funds,” said Stroup. “If they have a large family they need to take home, Air Force assistance only provides for the Active Duty member, not the family. That’s where Operation Warmheart steps in and helps get the whole family home.”
To conclude the year, the organization will have an angel tree for Christmas. Names of families in need can be added to an ornament on the tree at the Base Exchange. The ornament will include the number of kids, ages, gender and the unit they are associated with.
“Anyone can pick an ornament off the tree and buy toys for those kids,” said Stroup. “The first sergeants will collect those gifts and distribute them to the appropriate families.”
Operation Warmheart accepts donations year-round. There is a wishing well at the commissary where people can drop their loose change. Donations can also be made through the Combined Federal Campaign, base organizations or directly to your first sergeant.
Despite the situation, if a Team Minot Airman is in need of assistance, Operation Warmheart is here to help in any way they can.
| Date Taken: | 11.16.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 11.16.2016 14:21 |
| Story ID: | 214781 |
| Location: | MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, ND, US |
| Web Views: | 164 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Operation Warmheart: Helping Airmen in need, by SSgt Kristoffer Kaubisch, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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